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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2024

Open Access 01-12-2024 | Research

Engaging men in women’s empowerment: impact of a complex gender transformative intervention on household socio-economic and health outcomes in the eastern democratic republic of the Congo using a longitudinal survey

Authors: Wyvine Ansima Bapolisi, Jean Makelele, Giovanfrancesco Ferrari, Lenneke Kono-Tange, Ghislain Bisimwa, Christian Schindler, Sonja Merten

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2024

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Abstract

Background

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, women in (peri-)urban areas are commonly engaged in small trade, which allows them to meet the basic needs of their families. Microsaving approaches are a low-risk option to obtain financing for economic activities. A project combining men’s sensitization on gender equity and women’s empowerment through village savings and loan associations were implemented in North and South Kivu to raise the household economic level.

Objective

This study assessed how involving men in gender equity affects women’s health and socio-economic outcomes, including food security.

Methods

A cohort study was conducted with 1812 women at the baseline; out of them 1055 were retrieved at the follow-up. Baseline data collection took place from May to December 2017 and the follow-up from July 2018 to January 2019. To identify socio-economic changes and changes of gender relations, linear and logistic regressions were run.

Results

Results showed that the household income improved with intervention (coefficient = 0.327; p = 0.002), while the capacity to pay high bills without contracting debts decreased (coefficient = 0.927; p = 0.001). We did not find enough statistically significant evidence of the influence of the intervention on skilled birth attendance (coefficient = 0.943; p = 0.135), or family planning use (coefficient = 0.216; p = 0.435) nor women’s participation in the decision-making (coefficient = 0.033; p = 0.227) nor on couple’s cohesion (coefficient = 0.024; p = 0.431). Food insecurity levels decreased over time regardless of being in the intervention or control area.

Conclusion

Empowering women while sensitizing men on gender aspects improves financial well-being (income). Time, security, and strong politics of government recognizing and framing the approach are still needed to maximize the benefit of such projects on social factors such as women’s participation in decision-making and social cohesion.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Engaging men in women’s empowerment: impact of a complex gender transformative intervention on household socio-economic and health outcomes in the eastern democratic republic of the Congo using a longitudinal survey
Authors
Wyvine Ansima Bapolisi
Jean Makelele
Giovanfrancesco Ferrari
Lenneke Kono-Tange
Ghislain Bisimwa
Christian Schindler
Sonja Merten
Publication date
01-12-2024
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-17717-5

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