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. 2020 Oct 20;16(4):e1120.
doi: 10.1002/cl2.1120. eCollection 2020 Dec.

Interventions for reducing violence against children in low- and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map

Prachi Pundir  1 , Ashrita Saran  2 , Howard White  1 , Ramya Subrahmanian  3 , Jill Adona  4
Affiliations

Interventions for reducing violence against children in low- and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map

Prachi Pundir et al. Campbell Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Background: More than half of the children in the world experience some form of interpersonal violence every year. As compared with high-income countries, policy responses in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are limited due to resource constraints and paucity of evidence for effective interventions to reduce violence against children in their own contexts, amongst other factors.

Objectives: The aim of this evidence and gap map (EGM) is to provide an overview of the existing evidence available and to identify gaps in the evidence base on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce violence against children in LMICs. This report covers evidence published in English; a follow-up study is under preparation focusing on evidence in five additional languages-Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Methods: The intervention-outcome framework for this EGM is based on INSPIRE-Seven Strategies for Ending Violence against Children, published by WHO and other partners in 2016. The seven strategies include implementation and enforcement of laws; norms and values, safe environment; parent-child and caregiver support; income and economic strengthening; response and support services; education and life skills. The search included both academic and grey literature available online. We included impact evaluations and systematic reviews that assessed the effectiveness of interventions to reduce interpersonal violence against children (0-18 years) in LMICs (World Bank, 2018b). Interventions targeting subpopulation of parents, teachers and caregivers of 0-18 years' age group were also included. A critical appraisal of all included studies was carried out using standardised tools.

Results: The map includes 152 studies published in English of which 55 are systematic reviews and 97 are impact evaluations. Most studies in the map are from Sub-Saharan Africa. Education and life skills are the most widely populated intervention area of the map followed by income and economic strengthening interventions. Very few studies measure impact on economic and social outcomes, and few conduct cost-analysis.

Conclusion: More studies focusing on low-income and fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCS) and studying and reporting on cost-analysis are required to address gaps in the evidence. Most interventions covered in the literature focused on addressing a wide range of forms of violence and harm, which limited understanding of how and for whom the interventions work in a given context, for specific forms of violence. More impact evaluation studies are required that assess specific forms of violence, gendered effects of interventions and on diverse social groups in a given context, utilising mixed methods.

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Conflict of interest statement

One of the co‐authors is an Innocenti staff member who commissioned the study, helped shape the search strategy, and worked with the Campbell Collaboration team to coordinate internal and external review processes and to contextualise findings and recommendations. The main search, screening, coding and analysis were independently conducted by Campbell Collaboration staff independently.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Graphical representation of critical appraisal tool for impact evaluations
Figure 2
Figure 2
PRISMA for VAC evidence and gap map. VAC, violence against children
Figure 3
Figure 3
Number of systematic reviews by intervention categories
Figure 4
Figure 4
Number of impact evaluations by intervention
Figure 5
Figure 5
Number of impact evaluations by intervention and study design
Figure 6
Figure 6
Impact evaluations by intervention and type of violence
Figure 7
Figure 7
Number of systematic reviews by outcome categories
Figure 8
Figure 8
Number of impact evaluations by outcome category
Figure 9
Figure 9
Impact evaluations by type of violence
Figure 10
Figure 10
Geographic heat map of impact evaluations included in the EGM. EGM, evidence and gap map
Figure 11
Figure 11
Geographic heat map of systematic reviews included in the EGM. EGM, evidence and gap map
Figure 12
Figure 12
Countries with the largest number of combined studies (impact evaluations and systematic reviews)
Figure 13
Figure 13
Population groups in the studies
Figure 14
Figure 14
Top six funding agencies for VAC studies (impact evaluations and systematic reviews). VAC, violence against children
Figure 15
Figure 15
Trends in publication of studies on VAC by intervention. VAC, violence against children
Figure 16
Figure 16
Confidence of systematic reviews over the years
Figure 17
Figure 17
Ethical adequacy by study design among impact evaluations
Figure 18
Figure 18
Number of systematic reviews by study confidence
Figure 19
Figure 19
Number of impact evaluations by study confidence
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References

References to included studies

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    1. Alam, A. , Baez, J. , & Del Carpio, X. (2011). Does cash for school influence young women's behavior in the longer term? Evidence from Pakistan. World Bank. Retrieved from https://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/abs/10.1596/1813-9450-5669 - DOI
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    1. Alatas, V. (2011). Program Keluarga Harapan: Impact evaluation of Indonesias Pilot Household Conditional Cash Transfer Program. World Bank. Retrieved from https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documen...

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