Reviewer ’s report  
Title: A cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the impact on  intimate partner violence of a 
10-session participatory gender training programme delivered to wo men taking part in a 
groupbased microfinance loan scheme in Tanzania (MAISHA CRT01): study protocol  
 
Version: 2 Date: 16 Jan 2018  
 
Reviewer: Elizabeth Miller  
 
Reviewer's report:   
The authors have don e a thorough job responding to reviewer comments.  Several points should 
be addressed for a stronger, more complete protocol paper of this critically important study that 
has great potential for high impact.     
 
The description of the comparator arm was deleted in the version with tracked changes, and I 
cannot find where this was moved to. Please make sure that the comparator arm is adequately 
described, if even in a few sentences.  
 
The selection of groups into t he study could be better described in at least one additional 
sentence -  "The study team works closely with BRAC to select groups to approach and invite to 
take part in the study."   please add something like -- "Factors to determine which groups to 
appro ach included characteristics such as length of time the group has been operating, stability of 
staff, etc.   Of the 220 potential groups, xxx were approached, and xxx agreed to participate."  
 
The discussion should include a section on potential limitations  of the study. In my original 
comments, I had noted, for example, that the intervention arm participants necessarily receive 
more time with each other.  Please note in the discussion that one potential limitation is that 
because the comparator is not an 'a ttention control' (meaning they're not getting any additional 
intervention time in addition to being part of the microfinance group) that it may be hard to 
discern if changes in outcomes of interest can be attributed to curriculum content or to increasing 
connectedness and reducing isolation. There are other potential limitations to include such as not 
knowing about participation bias of participating sites (how are the sites that participated 
different from those that didn't), and so forth.  A short paragr aph on potential and anticipated 
limitations will certainly strengthen the paper and demonstrate that the authors are aware of these 
limitations upfront and what they are doing to ensure as much scientific rigor as possible.   
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
Yes 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
Unable to assess  
Are you able to assess any statistics in th e manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I recommend a dditional statistical review  
Quality of wri tten English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
Needs some language corrections before being published  
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary fr om an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication o f this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I  have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I uploa d will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
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which I do not w ish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal