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Exploring the Impact of Reproductive Coercion on Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes

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Background: Reproductive coercion is a form of gender-based violence (GBV) and refers to a range of behaviors that interfere with autonomous decision-making related to contraception and pregnancy. It negatively impacts an individual’s reproductive health and autonomy. Several studies have linked reproductive coercion to intimate partner violence (IPV), unintended pregnancies, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and poor mental health.

Event Recording:

Event Materials:

Read the meeting report here.

Complete event slidedeck.

“Introduction to Reproductive Coercion” presentation slides.

Event Overview: The Interagency Gender Working Group’s (IGWG) GBV Task Force hosted an event on Wednesday, August 31 from 8:00-10:00 a.m. EDT focused on exploring the connections between reproductive coercion in the context of intimate and household relationships, IPV, and domestic violence, as well as highlighting reproductive coercion’s impacts on sexual and reproductive health (SRH), particularly family planning and GBV outcomes.

The event served as a forum for stakeholder dialogue and highlighted examples of program and advocacy approaches addressing reproductive coercion that have been successfully integrated into SRH programs, particularly family planning and GBV. It also shared considerations for funders, particularly around the roles they can play to strengthen commitments to prioritize and address reproductive coercion.

This GBV Task Force event began with a presentation providing an overview on the key elements and examples of reproductive coercion, as well as new findings and trends. A panel of expert implementers and researchers then shared key findings and promising practices from and challenges encountered in their programs. The panel discussion was followed by a Q&A session where attendees had the opportunity to pose questions to speakers. Panelists included:

  • Hannatu Abdullahi, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Technical Director, Jhpiego, Nigeria
  • Jhumka Gupta (moderator), ScD, MPH, Associate Professor, Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University
  • Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD, FSAHM, Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
  • Jane Harriet Namwebya, Senior Implementation Coordinator, Population Council, Kenya
  • Fura Gelzen Sherpa, Board Member, Youth Peer (Y-PEER) Educational Network, Nepal
  • Jay Silverman, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Global Public Health and Associate Director, Center on Gender Equity and Health (GEH), University of California San Diego School of Medicine

GBV Task Force Synthesis Report: Lessons Learned on Effective Prevention and Response Approaches

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Over the life of the PACE Project (2015-2022), the Interagency Gender Working Group’s (IGWG) Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Task Force has stimulated collective learning among the community and beyond. It has highlighted the latest evidence and best practices to prevent and respond to multiple forms of GBV. The GBV Task Force has also elucidated the ways in which GBV inhibits family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as well as the demand for and access to quality sexual and reproductive health services.

This synthesis report, “Lessons Learned on Effective Prevention and Response Approaches,” showcases recent programmatic and advocacy successes and highlights remaining knowledge and implementation gaps in GBV prevention and response and serves as a guide to those working in this community, as well as in SRHR. It summarizes the GBV Task Force’s learnings over the life of the PACE Project and, based on these learnings, suggests actions to strengthen GBV prevention and response.

The lessons and resources highlighted in this synthesis will support GBV program implementers and decisionmakers to improve support for GBV survivors and those who care for them; protect access to quality family planning and sexual and reproductive health services and increase demand for survivors; strengthen decisionmakers’ understanding of GBV and their responsibility to address it; and make health, social support, and legal services available to survivors through enabling policies. Practitioners can use the recommendations to design more effective GBV prevention interventions, and advocates can use them to make the case to decisionmakers to fund policies and approaches that will address GBV and ensure family planning and sexual and reproductive health service provision for everyone who wants it.

Read the Synthesis Report Here

What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls: New Evidence, New Opportunities

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With one in three women globally experiencing physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime—a figure worsening during the COVID-19 pandemic—improved understanding of and investments in effective violence prevention solutions are urgently needed.

What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls, a program funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) from December 2013 through March 2020, worked in 15 countries across Africa and Asia to build the evidence base on drivers of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and what works to prevent VAWG. What Works found that violence is preventable and generated rigorous evidence of effective interventions.

On Sept. 29, 2020, the IGWG brought together presenters from the What Works consortium to share groundbreaking findings from this body of research, discuss the implications for policy and practice, and explore what it all means in the era of COVID-19. Participants learnt about program strategies that, when adapted to local context, are proven to dismantle patriarchal social norms, reduce VAWG, and improve reproductive health outcomes.

Presenters included:

Professor Rachel Jewkes
Executive Scientist, South African Medical Research Council
Former Consortium Director, What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls
What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls?

Dr. Andrew Gibbs
Senior Specialist Scientist, South African Medical Research Council
The Impact of Stepping Stones and Creating Futures on Intimate Partner Violence, Livelihoods, and Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes

Samantha Willan
Capacity Development Specialist and Gender Based Violence Researcher, South African Medical Research Council
Young Women’s Reproductive Decisionmaking and Agency in South African Informal Settlements

Emily Esplen
Social Development Adviser, Violence Against Women and Girls
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Addressing Gender-Based Violence Through Cash Transfer Programming

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The Gender-Based Violence Task Force of the Interagency Gender Working Group Presents

Addressing Gender-Based Violence Through Cash Transfer Programming

 Monday, September 17, 2018

This event series brings attention to the intersection between economic empowerment interventions―specifically cash transfers―and gender-based violence (GBV) and reproductive health outcomes. This webinar was the first of a two-part series.

This part focused on sharing the latest evidence on cash transfers as an effective intervention for preventing GBV, specifically intimate partner violence, in developing countries. Other topics covered include how cash transfers can affect violence-related outcomes through casual pathways.
Panelists and their presentations included:

  • Kathy Lindert of The World Bank Group
    • “Designing & Delivering Cash Transfers: Overview” PowerPoint (2.6 MB)
  • Lori Heise of Johns Hopkins University
    • “Reducing Violence at Scale: A Mixed Methods Review of Cash Transfers and Intimate Partner Violence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” PowerPoint (2.3 MB)
    • “Reducing Violence at Scale: A Mixed Methods Review of Cash Transfers and Intimate Partner Violence in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” PDF Paper (550 KB)
  • Audrey Pettifor of the Gillings School of Global Public Health
    • “Cash Transfers Can Reduce Intimate Partner Violence Among Adolescent Girls” PowerPoint (1.8 MB)

A recording of the event can be found here.