Preventing Violence against Women and Girls

As economic strengthening programming gains traction as a promising strategy to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), there remains limited evidence on how VAWG prevention efforts impact women’s economic wellbeing. This session will begin with a presentation of findings from a portfolio of rigorous evaluations examining the impacts of cash transfer programmes on intimate partner violence. It will then present new evidence from Syria on how a couple-focused violence prevention programme affects women’s livelihoods and economic wellbeing and discuss the operational challenges of implementing such a program. The session will also feature a spotlight on FCDO’s programming priorities in this area. Panelists will discuss challenges of and opportunities for VAWG research in conflict settings and discuss how evidence and learning can better inform programming and highlight key priorities for future research.

Speakers:

• Ghassan Baliki (Director, Welfare Research Program, ISDC - International Security and Development Center)
• Sita Conklin (Director, Syria Resilience Initiative ((SRI))
• Melissa Hidrobo (Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI))
• Morag Patrick (Senior Social Development Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO))
• Chair: Audrey Pereira (Senior Researcher, ISDC - International Security and Development Center)