Building on a study conducted in Burundi, this project evaluated whether participation in a savings group and a discussion group confronting gender norms leads to an increase in women’s individual agency and decision-making ability, and whether those increased capacities will in turn improve their economic independence and decrease intimate partner violence in their homes. The baseline was completed in 2010, and a survey measuring the impacts of the 2010–2011 political conflict on participants in the savings groups was completed in 2011. The study found that pairing a dialogue group that engages couples on household gender dynamics with an economic empowerment program for women was more effective in reducing intimate partner violence in conflict-affected communities in Côte d’Ivoire than the economic empowerment program alone.
The Airbel Impact Lab at IRC is a team of researchers, strategists and innovators committed to the accelerated design, rigorous evaluation and cost-effective scaling of the most impactful solutions supporting people affected by crisis.