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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05839457

Addressing School-related Gender-based Violence as Part of the Keeping Girls in School Initiative in Zambia

The objective of this mixed-methods study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based safe-space program delivered to secondary school students in Zambia. The quantitative component of the study uses a randomized controlled trial to measure changes in students' experience of school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), attitudes towards gender and SRGBV, socio-emotional well-being, and school climate, among other outcomes. Meanwhile, the qualitative component of the study aims to understand the prevailing norms around SRGBV in schools, the perception of the intervention and its impact, and the potential mechanisms through which the intervention generates its outcomes.

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Key information

Conditions

Gender-Based Violence

Age range

10 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

secondary schools in Kasama, Mpongwe, and Zambezi districts

Lusaka, Zambia

About this study

This study will evaluate the impact of the Empowerment Pilot, a school-based safe-space program delivered to secondary school students in Zambia, implemented between May and November 2023. The main question it aims to answer is whether the Empowerment Pilot changes attitudes and norms around gender roles and school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), increases socio-emotional well-being, improves school climate, and reduces SRGBV. We use a mixed-methods triangulation design and combined qualitative and quantitative approaches in data collection and analysis to enhance the validity, depth, and relevance of our findings. Data will be collected from approximately 6,000 adolescent girls and boys and their teachers across three districts in Zambia.

The mixed-methods evaluation gives equal importance to the qualitative and quantitative components. However, this registration primarily describes the quantitative component of the study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

for Adolescent Participants:

  • Students enrolled in grades 8 - 11 of secondary schools in the 2023 school year at the start of the intervention

Treatment and study plan

Empowerment Pilot

Behavioral

The Empowerment Pilot is a school-based program aimed to raise awareness and change attitudes around SRGBV among students and teachers and promote gender equality. This intervention includes training provided by Teacher Mentors to other teachers in school, learning sessions delivered via safe spaces for student learners, and guidance for engaging parent-teacher committees.

Primary outcomes

  1. Experience of any SRGBV, past two weeks

    Time frame: two weeks prior to the endline survey

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any SRGBV in the past two weeks

  2. Experience of any SRGBV, past school term

    Time frame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any SRGBV in the past school term

  3. Attitudes towards gender roles and SRGBV (adolescents)

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A normalized index based on 16 items that measure attitudes towards gender roles, SRGBV, and support to victims

  4. School climate

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A composite score based on 16 statements about aspects of school climate and student-teacher interactions

  5. Socio-emotional well-being

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A normalized index based on 3 scales related to subjective well-being: perceived social support; perceived safety; and anxiety.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Knowledge of SRGBV

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    the fraction of correct responses to 12 questions that ask whether an act is considered violence

  2. School absenteeism

    Time frame: one month prior to the endline survey

    number of days an adolescent missed in the last completed month

  3. School enrollment

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A binary indicator for school enrollment status

  4. General self-efficacy

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a composite score of 10 items on the General self-efficacy scale.

  5. Assertive communication

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a composite score of 6 items on the Assertiveness Communication scale

  6. Gender equitable injunctive norms

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A composite score of injunctive norms for gender equality norms, GBV, Corporal punishment, and GBV reporting

  7. Gender equitable descriptive norms

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A composite score of descriptive norms for gender equality, GBV, Corporal punishment, and GBV reporting

  8. Experience of sexual violence, past two weeks

    Time frame: 2 weeks prior to the endline survey

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any type of sexual violence reported by the respondent

  9. Experience of emotional violence, past two weeks

    Time frame: 2 weeks prior to the endline survey

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any type of emotional violence reported by the respondent

  10. Experience of physical violence, past two weeks

    Time frame: 2 weeks prior to the endline survey

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any type of physical violence reported by the respondent

  11. Experience of sexual violence, past school term

    Time frame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any type of sexual violence reported by the respondent

  12. Experience of emotional violence, past school term

    Time frame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any type of emotional violence reported by the respondent

  13. Experience of physical violence, past school term

    Time frame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)

    A binary variable of self-reported experience of any type of physical violence reported by the respondent

  14. Attitudes towards gender roles and norms

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a composite score based on 7 items with a likert-scale

  15. Attitudes towards SRGBV

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a composite score based on 7 items with a likert-scale

  16. Attitudes towards reporting SRGBV

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a composite score based on 2 items with a likert-scale

  17. Bystander reporting

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A binary indicator coded to 1 if adolescent reported any case of violence in the past school term (0/1)

  18. Attitudes towards bystander intervention (vignettes)

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A score based on 2 questions on attitudes towards bystander intervention in hypothetical situations

  19. Descriptive norms around bystander intervention (vignettes)

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A score based on 2 questions on descriptive norms

  20. Injunctive norms around bystander intervention (vignettes)

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A score based on 2 questions on injunctive norms

  21. Aspiration - education attainment

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a variable that indicates the level of formal education the respondent would like to complete

  22. Aspiration for a career

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a binary indicator coded to 1 if adolescent aspires for professional career

  23. Perceived social support

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    mean score based on the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support

  24. Anxiety

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a composite score based on GAD-7 anxiety scale (Spitzer et al., 1999)

  25. Perceived safety at school

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A composite score of 5 items about whether respondent feels safe at school

  26. Aspired age of marriage

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    a binary indicator coded to 1 if adolescent aspires to marry after the age of 18

  27. Agency

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A composite score based on 20 items that measure different aspects of agency, including freedom of movement, voice, behavioral control and decision making, adapted from the Agency Scale from the Global Early Adolescent Study (Zimmerman et al., 2019)

Other outcomes

  1. Teachers' knowledge of SRGBV

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    the fraction of correct responses to 12 questions that ask whether an act is considered violence

  2. Teachers' assessment of school climate

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    An index based on 17 items that measure to what extent the school climate is safe for both boys and girls

  3. Attitudes towards gender roles and SRGBV (teachers)

    Time frame: ~4 months post-intervention

    A normalized index based on 16 items that measure attitudes towards gender roles, SRGBV, and support to victims

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

World Bank

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Safe-space Program in Secondary Schools to Address School-related Gender-based Violence in Zambia: a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
May 3, 2023
Registry last updated
Jul 24, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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