Together for Girls and LSHTM co-created a course to support early career researchers in lower- and middle-income countries to conduct research with VACS data and communicate their findings to policymakers in their respective countries.  

Study objectives

• To improve the use of VACS data for policy and programming in countries where VACS are conducted 
• To equip the next generation of violence researchers to conduct and teach VACS analyses 
• To create a global community of VACS researchers who develop new evidence on the determinants and consequences of violence for policy and programming 

Outputs

The study produced the following outputs:

Output 1

We developed a short course for junior faculty members of research institutions in low and middle-income countries, specifically countries that have conducted a VACS. We have developed material related to violence measurement, conceptual frameworks to study violence, statistical approaches that can be applied to VACS data, and science communication, as well as, course materials including slides, recordings of sessions, reading material, and examples of research and analysis plans.  

Output 2

We delivered a VACS course to an inaugural cohort of junior faculty members from research institutions and researchers from local organizations based in Kenya, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire and Namibia that had conducted a VACS. We additionally provided group, individual and peer mentorship.  

Output 3

We organised a global webinar in November 2023 for the course participants to present and promote discussion about VACS data and its use. 102 people attended the webinar from 33 countries.  

“From data to action: A course on analyzing and using the VACS”: 28 Nov 2023  

Output 4

We produced two blog posts on the experience of delivering the first-ever VACS course co-written by LSHTM.  

• Using data and evidence on violence against children: Why pedagogy matters 
• Analysing the Violence Against Children Surveys: Lessons from researchers and practitioners  

Output 5

We supported the development of a proposal for additional funding from the SDG Impact fund at the University of Oxford. The funds were to develop a series of videos on VACS data analysis. We were successful in winning the bid.