Advancing Gender Equity and Health Through Research and Action

I work on gender-related risks to social, health, and economic well-being, which are experienced differently by women, men, and non-binary individuals across the lifespan. Much of my work involves advising technical teams on how to bring gender integration approaches to research and programs across highly diverse topic areas.  This includes:

Designing tools, structures and processes to promote gender integration capacity strengthening at an organizational level

• Gender integration technical leadership and/or support in specific projects

• Gender analysis to inform program implementation

• Integrating gender considerations in data collection tools and analysis plans

• Integrating gender metrics in project M&E plans

Gender-based violence is a transgression of individuals rights to safety and well-being occurring in both conflict and development settings, within homes and institutions, and at all socioeconomic levels. It is experienced in multiple forms by women, girls, men, boys, including persons of all gender identities. It is preventable, and health services and other sectors have a crucial role to play in the delivery of safe, timely, quality care to survivors. My work in GBV prevention and response began in 2004 and includes:

• Literature reviews

• Data collection and analysis

• Mixed methods evaluation

• Program and service assessment

• Multi-sectoral GBV coordination guidance

• Engagement in community-level initiatives

Both globally and within individual countries, adolescents and youth experience a highly uneven realization of their rights and agency within health, education, economic welfare and other domains. Sustainable solutions for global health, the protection of refugee and displaced persons’ rights, and climate change mitigation are fundamental challenges requiring accurate understanding of the conditions they experience and their vision for the future, in their own words.

Examples of work addressing these issues include:

• Data collection and analysis on early and child marriage in refugee populations.

• Research to characterize the sexual networks, behaviors, and male sexual partners of HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women

• Proposal writing and documentation of implementation approaches focused on the DREAMS Initiative

My earliest career directions arose from a strong concern about the circumstances of refugees and displaced populations. Many of the same challenges, especially concerning the integration of refugees in host country societies and health services to address refugee needs, remain relevant in many countries. My experience in humanitarian assistance includes:

• Evaluating refugee repatriation assistance programs

• Directing financial grants to civil society organizations in conflict-affected areas

• Project monitoring and organizational assessment for civil society organizations in post-conflict countries

• Assessing of health service financing in fragile states

• Identifying differences in refugee and host population health needs

• Designing systematic approaches for the integration of refugee health services into host community district health services

• Coordinating research agenda setting on sexual violence in conflict settings

• Mapping donor investments in reproductive health for refugees and internally displaced populations