Gender-Based Violence Interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Interventions at Structural, Community, Interpersonal, Individual, and Multiple Levels

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV) disproportionately impacts women and girls in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). This review described the characteristics of structural, community, interpersonal, individual, and multilevel GBV interventions in LMIC and examined components of interventions implemented at different socio-ecological levels. We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed literature on GBV intervention evaluation studies in LMIC using the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane, Academic Search Ultimate, PsycInfo, and Web of Science. The search resulted in 3,256 articles, with 60 articles meeting the eligibility criteria. Thirty-eight articles reported positive GBV outcomes with significant differences between intervention and control arms on at least one GBV outcome. Very few interventions were found to be stand-alone GBV interventions. The key components of interventions effective in addressing victimization and perpetration across levels were education or psychoeducation, psychotherapy, skills development, gender transformative activities, community engagement, focus on men and/or partners, and health promotion activities such as HIV or STI prevention. Most interventions were multilevel, with positive outcomes for victimization. Fewer evidence-based interventions existed for addressing perpetration. There is need for additional research using rigorous methods to establish an evidence base for effective interventions in under-researched regions in LMIC as well as for interventions that address perpetration of GBV.

Ghanaian women’s experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) during group antenatal care: a brief report from a cluster randomised controlled trial

“…Additionally, many healthcare providers have limited training in screening for and managing IPV, which could lead to hesitation about reporting or seeking assistance [ 17 , 18 ]. There are scholars and clinicians evaluating interventions for IPV in sub-Saharan Africa [ 19 ]; however, additional work is needed to explore how these interventions impact sub-populations such as pregnant women.…”

Unveiling the Causal Factors of Female Mortality in the Initial Seven Years of Marriage: A Cross-sectional Study

“…According to numerous studies (Sabri Bet al), gender-based violence is associated with poor health outcomes, such as injuries, mental health issues, and mortality. [21] The most important steps in resolving this issue are the implementation of comprehensive strategies to prevent and resolve gender-based violence, including judicial changes, services for survivors, and public awareness campaigns. [22] Marriage-related cultural expectations and practices have a big impact on how women's health turns out.…”

The Quest for Female Economic Empowerment in Sub-Saharan African Countries: Implications on Gender-Based Violence

“…Evidence from previous studies has shown that most have concentrated on the ability to minimise or decrease GBV, especially domestic violence, with fewer studies focused on the role of economic empowerment and emotional violence (Bhana et al 2021;Eger 2021;Nunbogu and Elliott 2022;Montserrat et al 2022;del Mar Rodas-Zuleta et al 2022;Freijomil-Vázquez et al 2022). Another strand of studies focused on the micro-level (Bashford-Squires et al 2022;Tsai 2022;Okpara and Anugwa 2022;Mcilongo and Strydom 2021), while other studies carried out systematic reviews (Keith et al 2022;Sabri et al 2022; van Daalen et al 2022;Villardón-Gallego et al 2023;Mbukanma and Strydom 2021). Further studies concentrated on health, music, and socioeconomic issues such as sexuality, water, sanitation, and hygiene (Nunbogu and Elliott 2022;Philbrick et al 2022;Zhou et al 2022;Mahamid et al 2022;Raftery et al 2022).…”