Lay support has been associated with improved breastfeeding practices, but studies of programs that engage men in breastfeeding support have shown mixed results and most are from high-income countries. The purpose of this paper is to review strategies to engage men in exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) promotion or support in 28 project areas across 20 low- and middle-income countries. This information may be used to inform...Read More
Journal Article
The Intersection of Menstruation, School, and Family: Experiences of Girls Growing Up in Urban Areas in the USA
GATE used participatory and qualitative methods to examine the menstruation and puberty experiences of low-income adolescent girls in America’s three largest cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City. Findings indicate a need for (1) improved guidance on the practicalities of period management; (2) strategies to support girls with menstrual pain while in school; and (3) approaches to improve girls’ sport and physical activity experiences...Read More
Should Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) Facilitate a Response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV)? A Mixed Methods Exploratory Study in Mangalsen, Nepal
As part of a multisectoral response to GBV, Nepal is testing the feasibility of having female community health volunteers (FCHVs) play a formal role in identifying GBV survivors and referring them to specialized services at health facilities. Results of this study show that, with proper training and safety mechanisms, FCHVs can raise community awareness about GBV, facilitate support for survivors, and potentially help prevent harmful practices.Read More
Measurement of Maternal Functioning During Pregnancy and Postpartum: Findings From the Cross-Sectional WHO Pilot Study in Jamaica, Kenya, and Malawi
This article details the findings of a study on measuring maternal functioning outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum. In the study, data on health conditions and socio-demographic characteristics were collected through structured interviews, medical record review, and clinical examinations with Jamaican, Kenyan, and Malawi mothers. The resulting conclusions explore how to integrate functioning outcomes into routine maternal healthcare at-scale and across diverse settings.Read More
Gender, Power, and Violence: Measures and Their Association with Male Perpetration of IPV
Harmful gender norms, views on the acceptability of violence against women, and power inequities in relationships have been explored as key drivers of male perpetration of IPV. Yet such antecedents have been inconsistently measured in the empirical literature. This journal article aims to identify which measures of gender inequitable norms, views, relations, and practices are currently used in the field and which are most closely...Read More
Reproductive Autonomy and Modern Contraceptive Use at Last Sex Among Young Women in Ghana
Using data collected from a sample of 325 urban Ghanaian women (ages 15 to 24), this study examined associations between two adapted reproductive autonomy subscales—decisionmaking and communication—and women’s use of modern contraceptives at last sex. It concludes that the reproductive autonomy construct, particularly the decisionmaking subscale, demonstrates relevance for family planning outcomes among young women in Ghana and may have utility in global settings.Read More
