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NCT Number: NCT06735417

Impacts of the Indashyikirwa Program on Intimate Partner Violence in Syria

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Indashyikirwa program in enhancing women's empowerment and reducing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in conflict-affected communities in Northeast Syria.

The intervention group will participate in the Indashyikirwa ("Agents of Change") program, which includes a comprehensive couples' training module and access to safe spaces. The control group will not receive the Indashyikirwa program. Both intervention and control groups are beneficieries of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) support and Vocational Training (VT) to promote economic empowerment.

The study employs a cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) design. Out of 30 pre-identified villages, 15 villages were randomly assigned to receive the Indashyikirwa program and 15 villages will not receive the Indashyikirwa program. The villages were located within the same sub-districts to ensure a balanced geographic distribution of the intervention.

Based on a power analysis with 80% power, at least 16 married couples from eligible SME and VT beneficiaries will be voluntarily enrolled in each village to receive the Indashyikirwa intervention. Similarly, 16 eligible SME and VT married couples from control villages will be enrolled using the same voluntary participation principle. To account for potential attrition, 20 couples per village will be initially enrolled, ensuring a robust sample size for analysis. This approach results in a total sample size of 600 couples (or 1,200 individual participants).

The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of Indashyikirwa program on key outcomes, including the reduction in IPV, transformation of gender norms, enhancement of women's empowerment, improvements in intra-household dynamics, economic benefits to the household.

Data collection will involve structured surveys administered separately to both husbands and wives. Surveys will be conducted at four time points: baseline, 2 months post-intervention, 12 months post-intervention, and 24 months post-intervention.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

Key information

Conditions

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Behavior Decision Making Empowerment Gender Equality Gender Role Gender-Based Violence Social Behavior Well-being/Quality of Life

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Syria Resilience Initiative

Al-Hasakah, Al-Hasakah Governorate, Syria

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Two levels of eligibility:

  • At the village level:
  • Villages must be receiving the SME and VT programs by the implementing partners.
  • Villages must have at least 16 eligible couples (married women and their husbands).
  • At the individual level:
  • Women must be aged 18 or older.
  • Women must be currently married and residing in the same household as their husbands.
  • Women must be participants in the vocational training (VT) program and eligible for SME grants.

Exclusion criteria

  • Villages or individuals not meeting the inclusion criteria.
  • Women who are unmarried, divorced, or widowed.
  • Women who do not reside with their husbands in the same household.

Treatment and study plan

Indashyikirwa program

Behavioral

Indashyikirwa training curriculum is delivered to heterosexual married couples in Syrian communities in Al-Hasakah governorate. The curriculum includes between 21 and 22 sessions, delivered to groups of up to 30 couples. Each week, participants will attend one session, lasting at least 3 hours.

Topics covered include: gender, power imbalance, triggers for GBV, conflict management, building healthy relationships, and coping mechanisms for managing GBV-related triggers.

The curriculum is designed to address both the wife and her husband and includes interactive exercises, take-home assignments, and reflections.

The sessions are delivered by trained facilitators.

Other names: Couple Curriculum

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in intimate partner violence incidence over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months and 24 months post-intervention

    Frequency of women experience or man perpetration of economic, physical, and emotional IPV as assessed by the standardized Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in the past 12 months

  2. Changes in acceptability of wife beating over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months and 24 months post-intervention

    Number of justifications for wife beating as assessed by the standardized Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in the past 12 months, as reported by female participants

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in the level of conflict in intimate relationships over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months and 24 months post-intervention

    The frequencies of quarrels in the past 12 months, as reported separately by male and female participants

  2. Changes in the level of marriage satisfaction among couples over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months and 24 months post-intervention

    The reported level of current satisfaction with the marital relationship, as reported separately by male and female participants

  3. Extent of relationship quality with the partner

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Frequency of self-reported experience of trust, care, and respect with the partner, separately for female and male participants

  4. Level of women involvement in intra-household decision-making

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Number of women reporting their ability to make household decisions alone or jointly with their husband, separately for male and female participants

  5. Extent of spousal support in women's business

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Frequency of women's reporting husband's support for their business or economic activities

  6. Level of women's self-efficacy in economic activities

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Frequency of women agreeing with statements on current self-efficacy and confidence in managing business tasks

  7. Extent of women's mobility and decision-making autonomy

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Number of women requiring their husband's permission to access work or health services

  8. Extent of peer support to women

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Number of peers offering direct support to women, as reported by female participants

  9. Assessing current level of positive well-being among couples

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    The self-reported level of well-being among women and men, as measured in the survey using the Pearlin Mastery Scale

  10. Changes in the extent of agreement to favorable gender norms over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    The level of agreement on acceptable gender norms in the home and society, as reported separately by male and female participants

Other outcomes

  1. Changes in household earnings over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Increase in self-reported household earnings over the past year

  2. Changes in household food security status over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    Assess household food security status using Food Consumption Score (FCS) and Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS). The higher the scores indicates a better food security status.

  3. Changes in household coping strategies over time

    Time frame: 2 months, 12 months, and 24 months post-intervention

    The extent to which households used coping strategies to manage a lack of money or other resources in the past 30 days, measured using the Reduced Coping Strategy Index (rCSI)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

International Security and Development Center gGmbH

Other

Collaborators

  • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
  • Syria Resilience Initiative (SRI)
  • United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth Development Office

Registry information

Official study title

Impacts of the Indashyikirwa Program on Reducing and Preventing Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Syria

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2028
First posted
Dec 16, 2024
Registry last updated
Dec 16, 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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