Parenting Programmes Reduce Violence Against Adolescent Girls in Eight African Countries
A meta-analysis published in BMJ Global Health evaluates the real-world effectiveness of the Parenting for Lifelong Health programme across eight African nations. Supported by WHO, UNICEF, PEPFAR, USAID, and the EU, the study analyzed pre-post survey data from over 123,000 participants between 2016 and 2022. The research focused on outcomes for caregivers and adolescents in Botswana, DRC, Eswatini, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Results indicated significant reductions in physical abuse (65%), emotional abuse (59%), and approval of corporal punishment (55%). Additionally, positive parenting practices increased by 52%, while caregiver stress, depressive symptoms, and adolescent behavioral problems declined substantially. Despite variations between humanitarian and development settings, the programme demonstrated consistent benefits in reducing violence against adolescent girls and improving mental health. This large-scale assessment provides crucial evidence that evidence-based parenting interventions can achieve positive outcomes when delivered at scale through government and non-governmental organizations in diverse African contexts.
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Parenting Programmes Reduce Violence Against Adolescent Girls in Eight African Countries
A meta-analysis published in BMJ Global Health evaluates the real-world effectiveness of the Parenting for Lifelong Health programme across eight African nations. Supported by WHO, UNICEF, PEPFAR, USAID, and the EU, the study analyzed pre-post survey data from over 123,000 participants between 2016 and 2022. The research focused on outcomes for caregivers and adolescents in Botswana, DRC, Eswatini, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Results indicated significant reductions in physical abuse (65%), emotional abuse (59%), and approval of corporal punishment (55%). Additionally, positive parenting practices increased by 52%, while caregiver stress, depressive symptoms, and adolescent behavioral problems declined substantially. Despite variations between humanitarian and development settings, the programme demonstrated consistent benefits in reducing violence against adolescent girls and improving mental health. This large-scale assessment provides crucial evidence that evidence-based parenting interventions can achieve positive outcomes when delivered at scale through government and non-governmental organizations in diverse African contexts.