Impacts of an abbreviated personal agency training with refugee women and their male partners on economic empowerment, gender-based violence, and mental health: a randomized controlled trial in Rwanda.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed the impact of a personal agency-based training for refugee women and their male partners on their economic and social empowerment, rates of intimate partner violence (IPV), and non-partner violence (NPV). METHODS: We conducted an individually randomized controlled trial with 1061 partnered women (aged 18-45) living in a refugee camp in Rwanda. Women received two days of training, and their partners received one day of training. The follow-up survey where all relevant outcomes were assessed was carried out at 6-9 months post-intervention. RESULTS: At follow up, women in the intervention arm were more likely to report partaking in income generating activities (aIRR 1.27 (1.04-1.54), p < 0.05) and skill learning (aIRR 1.59 (1.39-1.82), p < 0.001) and reported a reduction in experience of physical or sexual NPV in the past six months (aIRR 0.65 (0.39-1.07), p < 0.09). While improved, no statistically significant impacts were seen on physical or sexual IPV (aIRR 0.80 (0.58-1.09), p = 0.16), food insecurity (ß 0.98 (0.93 to 1.03), p = 0.396), or clean cookstove uptake (aIRR 0.95 (0.88 to 1.01), p = 0.113) in the past six months. We found statistically significant reduction in physical and sexual IPV amongst those experiencing IPV at baseline (aIRR 0.72 (0.50 to 1.02), p < 0.07). Small improvements in self-efficacy scores and our indicator of adapting to stress were seen in the intervention arm. Some challenges were also seen, such as higher prevalence of probable depression and/or anxiety (aIRR 1.79 (1.00-3.22), p = 0.05) and PTSD (aIRR 2.07 (1.10-3.91), p < 0.05) in the intervention arm compared to the control arm. CONCLUSION: Our findings echo previous research showing personal agency training can support economic well-being of women. We also find potentially promising impacts on gender-based violence. However, there is some evidence that integration of evidence-based mental health support is important when enhancing agency amongst conflict-affected populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT04081441 on 09/09/2019.

Perceptions of abused Chinese women on community-based participatory approach programme in addressing their needs.

BACKGROUND: The community-based participatory approach (CBPA) has gained increasing recognition worldwide for enhancing the effectiveness of intervention. It is relatively new in Chinese societies and participants' perceptions are underexplored. This study aims to explore abused Chinese women's perceptions on the CBPA programme in addressing their needs. METHODS: A total of 11 abused Chinese women were recruited for a focus group and individual interviews. A semi-structured interview guide was used. All interviews were audio-recorded and data were transcribed verbatim. Conventional content analysis was used for analysis. RESULTS: Four themes were identified regarding the women's perceptions and experiences of the community-based participatory approach programme: (1) Women's perceived acceptability of the CBPA programme; (2) Women's perceived usefulness of the CBPA programme; (3) Women's perceived feasibility of the CBPA programme; and (4) Empowering the women through participating in CBPA. CONCLUSIONS: Abused Chinese women had high perceived acceptance and positive experiences towards the community-based participatory approach. Women benefited from their robust participation throughout the process. The findings confirm the potential of using the community-based participatory approach in designing interventions for future programme planning and intervention to address the needs of abused Chinese women.

Systemic Occupational Health Needs of Gender-Based Violence Advocates: Findings From the Early Months of the Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores occupational health burdens faced by domestic and sexual violence advocates, many of which intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies key stressors and offers advocate-driven recommendations to improve their wellbeing, addressing the lack of system-level interventions in the occupational health literature. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 advocacy professionals. Thematic content analysis guided transcript coding, and researchers shared initial results with participants in two member checking sessions to validate the preliminary findings. RESULTS: Advocates experienced logistical, emotional, and systemic stressors, including loss of peer support and unempathetic workplace cultures. Recommendations prioritize advocate wellbeing and call for systemic changes. CONCLUSIONS: Advocates' occupational stressors highlight the need for system-level solutions to enhance their occupational wellbeing, particularly during large-scale emergencies. Collaborative efforts among employers, funders, and staff are essential to address system deficiencies.

Water insecurity is associated with gender-based violence: A mixed-methods study in Indonesia.

Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a global pandemic and water insecurity is increasing in intensity and extent. This study explores the association between these two global health threats. Cross-sectional, quantitative data were collected via surveys (n = 365 adult women) to measure household water insecurity (HWI) and women's experiences of GBV in the last year. Qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews (n = 24 men and women), two focus group discussions (n = 25 men and women) and a multi-stakeholder meeting (n = 35 men and women) to explore experiences, attitudes and risk factors associated with HWI and GBV. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that women in water insecure households were more than twice as likely to report experiencing GBV in the last year (OR = 2.2, CI: 1.0-4.9, p = 0.051). Examining household water insecurity scores as a continuous variable revealed an increased odds of reporting GBV with each increase in the HWISE score (OR = 1.1, CI: 1.0; 1.1, p < 0.001). Qualitative data indicates that the intersection between HWI, a patriarchal social organization and a caste system produced water-related conflicts between intimate partners, between daughters-in-law and their in-laws, and between masters and enslaved women. These results are presented using an integrated theoretical framework - a Feminist Political Ecology of Health (FPEH) - to illustrate the many ways women encounter and experience multi-dimensional forms of violence across scales in connection to water insecurity. The combination of robust qualitative and quantitative data presented in this study suggests that HWI may be causally related to GBV in this context.

Experience and impact of gender-based violence in Honiara, Solomon Islands: a cross-sectional study recording violence over a 12-month period.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to collect data on the experience and impact of gender-based violence experienced by women attending health clinics in Honiara, Solomon Islands. METHOD: Any woman over the age of 18 who attended a local health clinic in Honiara, Solomon Islands during the time of recruitment (ten consecutive weekdays in May 2015) was eligible to participate in an interviewer administered, in-person survey, gathering data on gender-based violence over the past 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 100 women were recruited into this study. Of these women, 47% of women reported experiencing physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months. The most common perpetrators were the woman's husband or boyfriend. There are low rates of reporting, particularly through formal avenues such as to police or village leaders. Alcohol was involved in more than half the cases of reported violence. CONCLUSION: Women in this study report high rates of gender-based violence. To our knowledge, this is the only study examining women's personal experience of gender-based violence in the Solomon Islands, with self-reported data on the frequency and nature of the violence, and the impact on women, including physical and mental, utilisation of healthcare services, police and legal involvement. Efforts to reduce gender-based violence should aim to reduce intimate partner violence, increase reporting and address wider social attitudes towards gender equality.

Mapping global evidence on injuries/trauma due to sexual and gender-based violence for research prioritisation and development of guidelines to mitigate their impact: a scoping review protocol.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization recognises injuries as a growing global public health problem. While there are several causes of injuries and trauma, relevant research is mostly centred on road traffic accidents, burns, and drowning with less focus on violence-related injuries/trauma such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). To identify priority research topics, prioritisation, and development of practice guidelines to mitigate the impact of injuries/trauma resulting from SGBV, this systematic scoping review will aim to map and describe the range of research relating to injuries/trauma due to SGBV in the global context. METHODS: A scoping review guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework will be conducted. Literature relating to injuries/trauma and SGBV will be searched in PubMed, SCOPUS, and PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Trip, guideline repositories, websites, and reference list of included articles. This study will include evidence sources focused on the epidemiological burden, guidelines for out-of-hospital and in-hospital care of victims, barriers or facilitators to reporting and obtaining healthcare, and approaches for mitigating injuries/trauma due to SGBV. The search will be limited to publications within 10 years (2012 to 2023). Two authors will apply the eligibility criteria to identify potentially relevant citations. The data will be extracted in duplicate and methodological quality assessed using varied tools (Mixed Method Quality Appraisal Tool; and Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation instrument). The study will be reported in keeping with the Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews. DISCUSSION: The scoping review will highlight existing literature on injuries/trauma due to SGBV and identify gaps to facilitate research prioritisation, development of guidelines, and resource allocation to alleviate the impact of injuries/trauma resulting from SGBV. This study's findings will be disseminated via a series of meetings with key stakeholders (local and international) in the field of healthcare, policy, social welfare, GBV interest groups, and others. Also, the final scoping review results will be presented at relevant workshops, meetings, and conferences. Moreover, this study's findings will be disseminated via journal publications and policy briefs.

What a critical public health perspective can add to the analysis of healthcare responses to gender-based violence that focus on asking.

In this comment I analyze the effects of approaching gender-based violence as a public health problem, that the health system should address through 'daring to ask'. I acknowledge the potential of the 'daring to ask' strategy, but I also argue that asking has effects, and that we should be aware of them.

Interventions impacting the accessibility of sexual reproductive health services for head porters in sub-Saharan Africa- A scoping review protocol.

Head porters working in markets in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are one of the world's most vulnerable and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. They consist predominantly of uneducated women and girls seeking to escape poverty, early marriage, and other issues of domestic violence. Most female head porters are in their reproductive years and often lack access to sexual reproductive health services (SRHS) despite being at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unplanned pregnancies, and gender-based violence. The low priority for women and girls' SRH in many SSA countries highlights the need to explore the factors influencing the accessibility of services for failure to do so restrains human development. An initial search of the literature was conducted and revealed no current scoping or systematic reviews on the accessibility to SRHS for female head porters in SSA. We outline a scoping review protocol, using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, to determine the interventions that influence the accessibility of SRHS for female head porters in SSA. The protocol is registered with Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/hjfkd). Findings will not only be valuable for female head porters but for all vulnerable female groups in SSA who experience high SRH risks and social disparities.

Violência contra as mulheres e suas formas de enfrentamento: um relato de experiência sobre o agosto lilás / Violence against women and their ways of facing: an experience report about the lilac august / Violencia contra las mujeres y sus formas de enfrentamiento: un relato de experiencia sobre el agosto lila

A violência contra as mulheres tem se apresentado como um grave problema de saúde pública e uma violação aos direitos humanos. A fim de contribuir com a inibição desse fenômeno e intensificar a divulgação da Lei Maria da Penha, surge o Agosto Lilás. Dessaforma, a educação em saúde se apresenta como uma importante estratégia de enfrentamento a esta violência. Objetivo:Descrever a experiência da realização de ação de educação em saúde sobre o enfrentamento à violência doméstica e familiar contra as mulheres em um hospital regional do interior do Rio Grande do Norte (RN), utilizando a Roda de Conversa como metodologia e tendo o Agosto Lilás como referência. Metodologia:Trata-se de um relato de experiência sobre a ação realizada na Clínica Obstétrica de um hospital regional situado no município de Currais Novos, localizado no interior do estado do Rio Grande do Norte, em agosto de 2022. Resultados:Percebeu-se boa participação do público e que os acompanhantes já conheciam alguns tipos de violência. No entanto, as profissionais apresentaram poucos conhecimentos acerca da temática, o que acarreta a desinformação sobre o que fazer quando estas demandas chegarem ao serviço de saúde. Conclusões:É evidente a importância de se trabalhar a temática em diversos momentos, não somente no Agosto Lilás, mesmo este mês se destacando com extrema relevância. Além disso, também é essencial discutir o tema em todos os espaços da rede intersetorial, com intuito de propagar informações e incentivar a articulação em rede para a superação desta problemática (AU).

Violence against women has been presented as a serious public health problem and a violation of human rights. In order tocontribute to the inhibition of this phenomenon and intensify the divulgation of "Maria da Penha" Law, August Lilac comes to light. Thereby, health education is presented as an important strategy of confrontation with this violence. Objective:To describethe experience of fulfillment on health education action on facing the household violence against women in a local hospital in the countryside of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), using the Conversation Circle as a methodology and having August Lilac as a reference. Methodology:This is an experience report on the action executed at the Obstetrics Clinic of a local hospital situated in Currais Novos town, located in the countryside of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, in August 2022. Results:It was observed good public participation and the companions already knew some types of violence. However, the professionals had little knowledge about the subject, which leads to misinformation about what to do when these demands arrive at the health service. Conclusions:It is evident the importance of working on the theme at different times, not only in August Lilac, even this month stands out with extreme relevance. In addition, it is also essential to discuss the topic in all fields of the intersectoral network, with the aim of disseminating information and encouraging networking to overcome this problem (AU).

La violencia contra las mujeres se ha presentado como un grave problema de salud pública yuna violación de los derechos humanos. Con el fin de contribuir a la inhibición de este fenómeno e intensificar la divulgación de la Ley "Maria da Penha", surge el Agosto Lila. De esa forma, la educación en salud se presenta como una importante estrategiade enfrentamiento a esta violencia. Objetivo: Describir la experiencia de la realización de acción de educación en salud sobre el enfrentamiento a la violencia doméstica y familiar contra las mujeres en un hospital regional del interior de Rio Grande do Norte (RN), utilizando la Rueda de Conversación como metodología y teniendo el Agosto Lila como referencia. Metodología: Se trata de un relato de experiencia sobre la acción realizada en la Clínica Obstétrica de un hospital regional situado en el municipio de Currais Novos, ubicado en el interior del estado de Rio Grande do Norte, en agosto de 2022. Resultados: Se percibió buena participación del público y que los acompañantes ya conocían algunos tipos de violencia. Sin embargo, las profesionales presentaronpocos conocimientos sobre la temática, lo que conlleva la desinformación sobre qué hacer cuando estas demandas llegan al servicio de salud. Conclusiones: Es evidente la importancia de trabajar la temática en diversos momentos, no solo en Agosto Lila, incluso este mes destacando con extrema relevancia. Además, también es esencial discutir el tema en todos los espacios de la red intersectorial, con el fin de propagar informaciones y fomentar la conexión en red para superar esta problemática (AU).

Understanding Body Resistance in El Salvador: A Qualitative Discussion of a Pilot Program for Embodied Empowerment.

This article evaluates a Body Resistance Program in an urban area of El Salvador. The goal of this program is to facilitate women's reclamation of bodily autonomy and recognition of their shared struggle, thereby laying a foundation for solidarity and structural change around gendered body norms. As a pilot project with limited scope, a key objective is to identify meaningful concepts that address the goals, motivations, and worldviews of Salvadoran participants. This article provides insights into their understandings and experiences of trauma, resistance, and embodied empowerment.

Gender-based violence in food systems.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an important and pervasive global health and human rights issue whereby prevalence rates have remained unchanged for a decade. However, the relationship between GBV and food systems - the complex networks of people and activities involved in food, from production to consumption - lacks recognition in food systems research and policy. For both moral and practical reasons, GBV needs to be part of food system conversations, research and policy, so that the food sector can respond to global calls for action to address GBV.

¡Mujeres al borde! Acoso laboral y violencia doméstica se juntan en la pandemia / Women on the edge, workplace harassment and domestic violence come together in the pandemic

Se explora el panorama general de la percepción y experiencias de mujeres venezolanas, en medio de la pandemia de COVID-19, a partir de una investigación situada, por medio de una encuesta aplicada vía online entre septiembre y diciembre de 2020, dando lugar a 523 encuestas respondidas, provenientes de todas las regiones del país. Se emplearon 70 preguntas de tipo cerrada y abierta. Se recurrió a una metodología de levantamiento de información y análisis cuanticualitativo, con enfoque interpretativo, desde la epidemiologia crítica y la epistemología feminista. Como consecuencia de la pandemia y las medidas de prevención y contención, a partir de 2020, se relocalizan algunas actividades de producción y reproducción social. El distanciamiento y confinamiento de las personas en sus hogares, generó gran impacto. El peso del afrontamiento a la pandemia tiene un costo más alto para las mujeres, siendo estas la mayoría entre los trabajadores de la salud y quienes experimentan situaciones extremas, con alto impacto en su propia salud. De la investigación en línea, se extrae que las mujeres tenían una alta tasa de actividad económicoproductiva, con importante participación directa como suministradoras de cuidados en salud y con gran concentración de responsabilidades domésticas y de cuidados familiares, invadiéndolas sentimientos de agotamiento, incertidumbre y esperanzas por el avenir. Ante ello, está en juego el logro de justicia de género en los procesos de reproducción social, atendiendo las áreas de trabajo, cuidados y seguridad social, en favor de la dignidad y el bienestar de las personas, en particular de las mujeres(AU)

The general panorama of the perception and experiences of Venezuelan women, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is explored from research situated, through a survey applied online between September and December 2020, resulting in 523 surveys answered, from all regions of the country. 70 closed-ended and open-ended questions were used. A methodology of information gathering and quantitative analysis was used, with an interpretative approach, from critical epidemiology and feminist epistemology. As a result of the pandemic and prevention and containment measures, as of 2020, some production and social reproduction activities are relocated. The distancing and confinement of people in their homes generated great impact. The burden of coping with the pandemic has a higher cost for women, who are the majority among health workers and those who experience extreme situations, with a high impact on their own health. the online research, it is extracted that women had a high rate of economic-productive activity, with important direct participation as providers of health care and with a high concentration of domestic and family care responsibilities, invading feelings of exhaustion, uncertainty and hopes for the future. Given this, the achievement of gender justice in the processes of social reproduction is at stake, attending to the areas of work, care and social security, in favor of the dignity and well-being of people, particularly women(AU)

How Can Sport-Based Interventions Improve Health among Women and Girls? A Scoping Review.

Sport has been identified by the World Health Organization as an underutilized yet important contributor to global physical activity, by UNESCO as a fundamental right, and by the United Nations as a promising driver for gender equity through improved long-term health of women and girls. Although sport-based interventions have been popularized to advance educational, social, and political development globally, little attention has been given to its impacts on health outcomes among women and girls. We undertook a scoping review of research on sport-based interventions for health among women and girls to summarize current research approaches and findings. PRISMA scoping review guidelines were observed. Online databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were used to identify peer-reviewed records published through August 2022. The interventions identified (n = 4) targeted health outcomes such as gender-based violence, HIV prevention, reproductive health, and child marriage. Based on our review, we recommend four key opportunities to advance the field of sport-based interventions in addressing health equity among women and girls. In addition, we highlight promising future research directions to broaden sport engagement of women and girls, improve long-term health, and build capacity toward health equity.

Effect of physical mobility, decision making and economic empowerment on gender-based violence among married youth in India-SAWERA project.

BACKGROUND: Preventing and responding to gender-based violence (GBV) is both a human rights imperative and a multifaceted economic issue. GBV can also act as a barrier to economic empowerment. The aim of the study was to examine the association between women's empowerment (physical mobility, decision making and economic resources) and GBV among married youth in India. METHODS: Community based cross-sectional study was conducted among married youth in the age group of 15-24 years, in two selected districts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, India. The data was collected from 578 youth. Pre-validated scales were used to assess women's empowerment indicators (physical mobility, decision making and economic resources). The outcomes assessed were scales on physical and sexual violence. Multivariate regression models examined associations between women's empowerment, spousal characteristics, socio-economic status and demographics. RESULTS: The overall results of the study found that restricted physical mobility had a negative association with sexual violence [AOR: 0.49; CI 0.26-0.92]. Women with no decision-making power had higher odds of physical violence [AOR: 2.12; CI 0.01-4.43] and sexual violence [AOR: 1.96; CI 1.02-3.77]. Having no economic resources had a negative association with sexual violence [AOR: 0.19; CI 0.09-0.39]. Women going through spousal controlling behavior had a higher likelihood of physical [AOR: 3.79; CI 1.75-8.19] and sexual violence [AOR: 4.03; CI 2.09-7.79]. It was also found that married women from rural areas and other ethnic backgrounds had higher odds of physical violence. CONCLUSION: There is a crucial need to work towards women's empowerment, with progressive gender roles such as greater decision-making, physical mobility and economic resources to reduce GBV. An established method that has worked in various contexts is adopting gender transformative approaches that involve men.

Childhood and adolescent nutrition outcomes among girls exposed to gender-based violence: A rapid evidence assessment of quantitative research.

BACKGROUND: An emerging evidence base has explored the nutritional consequences of gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrated against girls during childhood/adolescence. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment of quantitative studies describing associations between GBV and girls' nutrition. METHODS: We adapted systematic review methods and included empirical, peer-reviewed studies, published after 2000 (until November, 2022), that were written in Spanish or English and reported quantitative associations between girls' exposure to GBV and nutrition outcomes. A variety of GBV forms were considered: childhood sexual abuse (CSA), child marriage, preferential feeding of boys, sexual IPV and dating violence. Nutrition outcomes included anemia, underweight, overweight, stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, meal frequency, and dietary diversity. RESULTS: In total, 18 studies were included, 13 of which were conducted in high-income countries. Most sources utilized longitudinal or cross-sectional data to quantify associations between CSA, sexual assault, and intimate partner/dating violence and elevated BMI/overweight/obesity/adiposity. Findings suggest that CSA perpetrated by parents/caregivers is associated with elevated BMI/overweight/obesity/adiposity via cortisol reactivity and depression; this relationship may be compounded by additional intimate partner/dating violence in adolescence. The effects of sexual violence on BMI are likely to emerge during a sensitive period of development between late adolescence and young adulthood. Emerging evidence was found regarding the relationship between child marriage (and the related exposure: age at first pregnancy) and undernutrition. The association between sexual abuse and reduced height and leg length was inconclusive. CONCLUSION: Given that only 18 studies were included, the relationship between girls' direct exposure to GBV and malnutrition has received little empirical attention, especially with respect to studies conducted in LMIC and fragile settings. Most studies focused on CSA and overweight/obesity, where significant associations were found. Future research should test the moderation and mediation effects of intermediary variables (depression, PTSD, cortisol reactivity, impulsivity, emotional eating) and consider sensitive periods of development. Research should also explore the nutritional consequences of child marriage.

"I Reject it, But That's What Normally Happens": Grey Zones of Gender-Based Violence and Gender Roles in Young People.

There has been growing concern about the increase in gender-based violence (GBV) among young people. The aim of this study was to explore the grey zones in GBV alongside gender (masculinities and femininities) discourses in young adults. We used the concept of a "grey zone" as an analytical tool to identify possible contradictory discursive positions where the notions of victims and perpetrators of GBV converge and become ambiguous. We performed a qualitative study based on 20 semi-structured interviews and 4 focus groups (October 2019 to February 2020) in Spain with a sample of 49 cisgender women and men, aged between 18 and 24, some involved in feminist activism and some not. We conducted a sociological analysis of the discourse system. Study findings show how culturally constructed gender norms intervene in the ways in which young people understand and deal with GBV. When asked general questions about GBV, this concept was problematized along with gender assumptions and two discursive positions were identified: the discourse of "men as authors of GBV" and the discourse of "GBV as an individual genderless issue." When vignettes of everyday GBV situations were shown, grey zones became visible when discussing subtle forms of GBV influenced by the myths of romantic love, victim-blaming around sexual violence, digital GBV and bystander men intervention on GBV. In those grey zones, discourses on GBV were articulated around unequal notions of gender that, in turn, served as its justification, reproduction, and normalization. The grey zones identified represent contexts of oppression that illustrate how GBV is systematically reproduced, as well as the ways in which young people can be involved in it, perpetuating power and health inequalities. Our findings provide information as a guide to design GBV interventions and prevention actions that incorporate a focus on gender configurations.

Systematic Review of the Economics of School-Based Interventions for Dating Violence and Gender-Based Violence.

Dating and relationship violence (DRV) and gender-based violence (GBV) among children and young people incur a high cost to individuals and society. School-based interventions present an opportunity to prevent DRV and GBV early in individuals' lives. However, with school resources under pressure, policymakers require guidance on the economics of implementing interventions. As part of a large systematic review funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), we searched for economic evaluations and costing studies of school-based interventions for DRV and GBV. No formal economic evaluations were identified. Seven studies reporting costs, cost savings, or resource use for eight interventions were identified. The largest costs of implementing interventions were related to staff training and salaries but savings could be made by implementing interventions on a large scale. The potential cost savings of avoided DRV and GBV far outweighed the costs of implementation.

I feel the pains of our past water struggles anytime I turn on the tap: Diaspora perceptions and experiences of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) gendered violence in Ghana.

Gender-based violence resulting from water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) insecurity is a major public health problem. WaSH gender-based (WaSH-GBV) is a spatio-temporal experience and has disproportionate health and wellbeing impacts on women and girls. However, the global community of WaSH practitioners and policymakers is yet to adequately address women's vulnerability to violence in relation to WaSH access. Informed by the feminist political ecology of health framework, we conducted in-depth interviews (n = 27, 16 women and 11 men) with Ghanaian immigrants to Canada to explore perceptions of WaSH experiences over lifecourse. Results revealed that participants' perceptions and experiences of GBV are both socially and context dependent, organized around four dimensions: structural, physical, psychological, and sexual. These muti-scalar dimensions of diasporans' WaSH experiences and perceptions in Ghana are discussed along with their implications for policy and practice, specifically in enhancing health equity and water security.

Participation, equality, and justice in Rwanda for people who experience communication disability: Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16.

PURPOSE: The right to communicate, by any means, is key to participation in peaceful and just societies. Participation relies on societal equality which, in turn, depends upon consensus that everyone has the same rights, as well as responsibility to uphold the rights of all. People who experience communication disability are, however, often invisible, misunderstood, stigmatised, and under-enumerated, particularly in resource-limited settings, including humanitarian contexts. A lack of identification and understanding of needs exclude this group from equal societal participation and exposes them to risks, including sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), which has no place in a peaceful, just, and fair society.In this commentary we explore the importance of the full inclusion and participation of people who experience communication disability, to the fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16. RESULT: There is a lack of specialist assistance for people who experience communication disability in resource-limited and humanitarian contexts. A broader approach to community and service-provider capacity-building on communication disability demonstrates potential to build stronger institutions and increase societal inclusion and participation, thereby reducing exposure to risks, such as SGBV. Such approaches include increasing public understanding and use of accessible communication strategies, as well as addressing negative attitudes/behaviours and fear. CONCLUSION: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must be prepared to expand their spheres of influence and develop long-term relationships with stakeholders who can instigate change. This may involve de-emphasising our SLP credentials, instead rebranding ourselves as inclusion specialists, with a focus on communication disability.Increased inclusion, participation, and protection are achievable for people who experience communication disability if they are understood, counted, and served appropriately. This requires alignment of communication rights agendas with international development priorities. As such, this commentary paper focuses on peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG16) and simultaneously addresses aspects of good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, Hate Speech, and Terrorism: A Risk Assessment on the Rise of the Incel Rebellion in Canada.

With the proliferation of the internet, emerging groups such as the men's rights movement involuntary celibate (incel) community have new ways to reproduce real-world harm and gender-based violence (GBV) against women. This study conducts a critical discourse and semantic analysis of the incels.co webpage and the Alek Minassian van attack using the Violent Extremism Risk Assessment and the Cyber Extremism Risk Assessment tool. It reveals that Canadian violent extremism frameworks minimize online GBV as a form of extremism. GBV, which extends from online to offline realities, is not captured in theoretical frameworks for terrorism and hate speech.