Random Update

A Mass Media Experiment to Reduce Violence Against Women in Rural Uganda

Photo: A mass video campaign broadcast on a television screen in Uganda. © 2018 IPA Uganda

Donald Green, Jasper Cooper, and Anna Wilke

Violence against women (VAW) affects about 30 percent of women globally. In Uganda, IPA partnered with researchers to evaluate whether videos encouraging communities to speak out about and counter VAW in the household could change behavior, attitudes, and norms around this issue. Eight months after the intervention, people who watched the videos were more willing to report VAW to village authorities and women in villages where the videos were screened reported fewer experiences of violence. Based on these results and similar successes from mass media efforts elsewhere, IPA named "Edutainment to change attitudes and behaviors" as one of our "Best Bets"—14 innovations with potential for large-scale impact.

Becoming One: A Faith-Based Counseling Program

Photo: IPA held a workshop in Kenya with stakeholders and partners to introduce the Becoming One program, engage in an initial discussion about the program's adaptation and contextualization in Kenya, and discuss the next steps for implementation. © 2024 World Vision Kenya

Becoming One is a group couples’ counseling program designed to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV). Led by faith leaders, the program is delivered over 12 sessions focused on four thematic areas: communication, finance, intimacy, and respect. After demonstrating significant impact through a randomized evaluation in Uganda, IPA collaborated with partners to scale Becoming One nationwide, reaching over 10,000 couples to date. In Kenya, IPA is collaborating with World Vision to adapt and scale the program across multiple denominations.

Human Trafficking Research Initiative | Call for Expressions of Interest

IPA’s Human Trafficking Research Initiative (HTRI) has launched its third Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for full randomized controlled trials (RCTs)/rigorous impact evaluations and pilot research to assess the impact of prosecution-focused counter-trafficking programs. HTRI is an eight-year project funded by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (the TIP Office)’s Program to End Modern Slavery (PEMS) at the U.S. Department of State. Applications should seek to conduct research that examines the effectiveness of human trafficking-focused interventions along the entire justice system pipeline, including identification, referrals, investigations, prosecutions, adjudication, and legal aid. Proposals are due by 11:59 pm US Pacific time on January 10, 2025.

Displaced Livelihoods Initiative | Call for Proposals

Through the Displaced Livelihoods Initiative (DLI), supported by the IKEA Foundation, IPA and J-PAL support rigorous impact evaluations, pilots, exploratory studies, infrastructure and public goods projects, and scaling work to inform policies and programs on sustainable livelihoods for displaced populations and host communities. DLI’s fourth call for proposals is now open. Proposals are due January 17, 2025.

Impacts of Cash and Matching Grants on Firms in Burkina Faso

A recent blog from the World Bank covers an evaluation with IPA Burkina Faso, Maison de l’Entreprise Burkina Faso (MEBF), and Bagré Pôle on the impact of cash or matching grants on small firms’ performance.