BMC Public Health
Volume 16, Issue 1, 2016

Creating opportunities through mentorship, parental involvement, and safe spaces (COMPASS) program: Multi-country study protocol to protect girls from violence in humanitarian settings (Article) (Open Access)

Falb K.L.* , Tanner S. , Ward L. , Erksine D. , Noble E. , Assazenew A. , Bakomere T. , Graybill E. , Lowry C. , Mallinga P. , Neiman A. , Poulton C. , Robinette K. , Sommer M. , Stark L.
  • a International Rescue Committee, 122 E 42nd St, New York City, NY 10168, United States
  • b International Rescue Committee, 3 Bloomsbury Place, London, WC1A 2QL, United Kingdom
  • c International Rescue Committee, 1730 M Street, NW - Suite 505, Washington, DC 20036, United States
  • d International Rescue Committee, 3 Bloomsbury Place, London, WC1A 2QL, United Kingdom
  • e International Rescue Committee, 122 E 42nd St, New York City, NY 10168, United States
  • f International Rescue Committee, TK International Bldg., 6th Floor, Bole Rd, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • g International Rescue Committee, Bukavu, Democratic Republic Congo
  • h International Rescue Committee, Bukavu, Democratic Republic Congo
  • i International Rescue Committee, Nairobi I-HUB, Galana Plaza, Wing B, 4th Floor, Kilimani, Nairobi, Kenya
  • j International Rescue Committee, Bukavu, Democratic Republic Congo
  • k International Rescue Committee, TK International Bldg., 6th Floor, Bole Rd, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • l International Rescue Committee, Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés 16, Bruxelles, 1000, Belgium
  • m International Rescue Committee, Bukavu, Democratic Republic Congo
  • n Columbia University Mailman, School of Public Health, 722 W. 168th Street, Room 537, New York, NY 10032, United States
  • o Columbia University Mailman, School of Public Health, 60 Haven Avenue, B-4, Suite 432, New York, NY 10032, United States

Abstract

Background: Violence against adolescent girls in humanitarian settings is of urgent concern given their additional vulnerabilities to violence and unique health and well-being needs that have largely been overlooked by the humanitarian community. In order to understand what works to prevent violence against adolescent girls, a multi-component curriculum-based safe spaces program (Creating Opportunities through Mentorship, Parental involvement and Safe Spaces - COMPASS) will be implemented and evaluated. The objectives of this multi-country study are to understand the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of COMPASS programming to prevent violence against adolescent girls in diverse humanitarian settings. Methods/design: Two wait-listed cluster-randomized controlled trials are being implemented in conflict-affected communities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (N = 886 girls aged 10-14 years) and in refugee camps in western Ethiopia (N = 919 girls aged 13-19 years). The intervention consists of structured facilitated sessions delivered in safe spaces by young female mentors, caregiver discussion groups, capacity-building activities with service providers, and community engagement. In Ethiopia, the research centers on the overall impact of COMPASS compared to a wait-list group. In DRC, the research objective is to understand the incremental effectiveness of the caregiver component in addition to the other COMPASS activities as compared to a wait-list group. The primary outcome is change in sexual violence. Secondary outcomes include decreased physical and emotional abuse, reduced early marriage, improved gender norms, and positive interpersonal relationships, among others. Qualitative methodologies seek to understand girls' perceptions of safety within their communities, key challenges they face, and to identify potential pathways of change. Discussion: These trials will add much needed evidence for the humanitarian community to meet the unique needs of adolescent girls and to promote their safety and well-being, as well as contributing to how multi-component empowerment programming for adolescent girls could be adapted across humanitarian settings. Trial registration: Clinical Trials NCT02384642 (Registered: 2/24/15) & NCT02506543 (Registered: 7/19/15). © 2016 Falb et al.

Author Keywords

Child abuse and neglect Randomized controlled trial Ethiopia Violence against women and girls Evaluation Sexual violence Democratic Republic of Congo Behavior change

Index Keywords

Parents doctor patient relation perception Mentors teacher refugee Interpersonal Relations clinical trial girl human wellbeing Refugees violence controlled study randomized controlled trial emotional abuse Democratic Republic Congo qualitative research human relation physical abuse altruism marriage Young Adult Humans psychology Adolescent parent male female mentor safety Behavior Democratic Republic of the Congo refugee camp prevention and control prevention feasibility study Ethiopia program evaluation major clinical study gender capacity building Sex Offenses sexual violence empowerment sexual crime Power (Psychology) caregiver registration Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84960153647&doi=10.1186%2fs12889-016-2894-3&partnerID=40&md5=716e7e651730c77d6afd3e9c75f651fb
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-016-2894-3
ISSN: 14712458
Cited by: 23
Original Language: English