Research and Analysis

Alcohol use is associated with HIV risk behavior, according to a growing body of research. Programs that address the link between alcohol and HIV are urgently needed, but extremely rare.

ICRW and its partners will design and monitor a community-based intervention the informal settlement of Kabila, Namibia, located on the outskirts of the capital city, Windhoek. Many residents have migrated from rural areas in search of a viable income, and brewing and selling alcohol is one of the few profitable businesses.  

The project goal is to design, implement and assess the feasibility of an intervention to reduce the prevalence of heavy drinking and decrease alcohol-related sexual risk behavior among bar patrons in the community. ICRW will conduct formative research to better understand the impact of alcohol and related risky behavior on women and men. Research findings will inform the design of a demonstration program that applies multiple strategies to decrease alcohol-related HIV risk behavior. The results of this study will be used to inform future programming targeted at addressing links between alcohol and HIV risk.

This project is coordinated by AIDSTAR-One. As an AIDSTAR-One partner organization, ICRW provides technical oversight for this project.

Women and girls face unique barriers to accessing HIV prevention, treatment and care. As part of the Universal Access for Women and Girls Now! project, led by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), ICRW will examine the lives of women and girls in two unique settings in India: female sex workers in Maharashtra and wives of migrant men in Orissa. Research shows that these women are particularly vulnerable to HIV and AIDS, but there is still a need to know more about how best to minimize their risk and increase their access to services.  

Through surveys and in-depth interviews with these women, their spouses or partners and the health practitioners in the region, ICRW will explore the factors that prevent the women from accessing HIV and AIDS services. ICRW will coordinate with India’s National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) to develop an action plan to respond to the epidemic, and make recommendations on how to help women overcome legal, economic and social barriers to health services. 

Evaluations of programs working to end violence against women note that there is a need for greater coherence between evidence, policy and programs. Although global research studies have shed light on intimate-partner violence, there are still many forms of violence against women which are not well documented or understood.

To address this, ICRW, in partnership with the Gender-Based Violence Prevention Network, is promoting action-oriented research on violence against women in East and Southern Africa. The network links local implementing organizations with research institutions to conduct joint research on violence against women and apply the findings to improve programs. ICRW supports the research institutions as they provide technical assistance and oversight, mentoring and training for implementing organizations.

The network will increase the capacity of local organizations to conduct rigorous research to improve their programs. Additionally, the research studies will build a regional evidence base to inform policies and programs to eliminate violence against women.

Understanding the social norms and expectations that contribute to violent behavior among young men can help shape interventions that aim to change attitudes and reduce violence.

With CARE NW Balkans, Promundo and a number of local nongovernmental and youth groups, ICRW is working in the post-conflict countries of the Western Balkans on the Young Men Initiative (YMI). This program reaches young men ages 15 - 19 through school-based activities and media campaigns that address social norms around gender and promote healthy lifestyles and prevent violence. YMI includes workshops about gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, emotional well-being, and violence and conflict resolution.

ICRW conducted formative research with young men in the community to understand prevailing attitudes about what it means to be a man. Findings were applied to inform the design of a pilot intervention, which ICRW is currently evaluating. Results from the impact evaluation will be used to influence global dialogue around youth policy and programming. 

Women and girls are frequently subject to violence and abuse – from physical and verbal harassment to assault and rape – on city streets, public transportation or in their own neighborhoods. Such daily occurrences limit the rights and freedoms of women as equal citizens to enjoy their neighborhoods and cities.

ICRW is working with UNIFEM to develop ways to make public spaces safer for women and girls. The program, Safe Cities Free of Violence Against Women and Girls, is the first-ever global comparative effort to develop a model that will be rigorously evaluated for its processes and impact across different settings. The goal of the program is to develop and test a global model, which can be replicated and tailored to the specificities of local contexts.

ICRW is collaborating with local partners on project design and the impact evaluation strategy. The project aims to improve women’s safety by empowering women within the community, encouraging community advocacy for safer spaces, partnering with local governments, working with men and boys, and raising public awareness through the media.