Clinical trial NCT05839457: Addressing School-related Gender-based Violence as Part of the Keeping Girls in School Initiative in Zambia
Official title: Safe-space Program in Secondary Schools to Address School-related Gender-based Violence in Zambia: a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Gender-based Violence
Lead sponsor: World Bank
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-05-03
Enrollment: 6000
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 10
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: 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.

Detailed description: 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Experience of any SRGBV, past two weeks
timeFrame: two weeks prior to the endline survey
measure: Experience of any SRGBV, past school term
timeFrame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)
measure: Attitudes towards gender roles and SRGBV (adolescents)
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: School climate
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Socio-emotional well-being
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Knowledge of SRGBV
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: School absenteeism
timeFrame: one month prior to the endline survey
measure: School enrollment
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: General self-efficacy
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Assertive communication
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Gender equitable injunctive norms
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Gender equitable descriptive norms
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Experience of sexual violence, past two weeks
timeFrame: 2 weeks prior to the endline survey
measure: Experience of emotional violence, past two weeks
timeFrame: 2 weeks prior to the endline survey
measure: Experience of physical violence, past two weeks
timeFrame: 2 weeks prior to the endline survey
measure: Experience of sexual violence, past school term
timeFrame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)
measure: Experience of emotional violence, past school term
timeFrame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)
measure: Experience of physical violence, past school term
timeFrame: ~4 months (Term 3 of School Year 2023)
measure: Attitudes towards gender roles and norms
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Attitudes towards SRGBV
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Attitudes towards reporting SRGBV
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Bystander reporting
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Attitudes towards bystander intervention (vignettes)
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Descriptive norms around bystander intervention (vignettes)
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Injunctive norms around bystander intervention (vignettes)
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Aspiration - education attainment
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Aspiration for a career
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Perceived social support
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Anxiety
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Perceived safety at school
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Aspired age of marriage
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Agency
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
Other outcomes:
measure: Teachers' knowledge of SRGBV
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Teachers' assessment of school climate
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
measure: Attitudes towards gender roles and SRGBV (teachers)
timeFrame: ~4 months post-intervention
Locations:
city: Lusaka
country: Zambia
facility: secondary schools in Kasama, Mpongwe, and Zambezi districts
Study officials:
affiliation: World Bank
name: Wei Chang
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: