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Impact of Gender-Transformative Interventions on Contraceptive Use and Reproductive Autonomy in Somalia
Sponsor: Guttmacher Institute
Summary
Since 2019, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has led family planning programming in Somalia under the Women's Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) program, funded by the United Kingdom's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. This study will assess contraceptive and gender-norms outcomes in communities in Galgaduud region, where the IRC implemented WISH-1 (2019-2025) and continues programming under WISH-2. Approximately one year into WISH-2 implementation, the IRC will add gender-transformative programming, which this study will evaluate over the subsequent two years. The intervention aims to change harmful gender norms that constrain women's family planning decision-making, through programming with women, men, couples, and communities; the IRC will implement an intensive and a light-touch version. This study is independent of the IRC and is one of four studies in the Guttmacher Institute's Family Planning Impact Lab (FPIL), which produces experimental research estimating the causal impact of family planning interventions on women's health, wellbeing, and development outcomes.
Official title: Estimating the Impact of Gender-Transformative Interventions on Contraceptive Use and Reproductive Autonomy in Somalia: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial for the Family Planning Impact Lab
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
15 Years - 60 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
5436
Start Date
2026-10
Completion Date
2029-05
Last Updated
2026-10-29
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Intensive Gender-Transformative Programming
Both the intensive and light-dose programming will target the patriarchal gender norms that constrain women's reproductive autonomy in Somalia. These norms manifest in multiple forms: partner opposition to contraceptive use, women's inability to access services without male permission, reproductive coercion, intimate partner violence related to family planning decision-making, and women's limited ability to act on their fertility preferences even when services are available. The intensive version of the intervention may be implemented as a multi-component, community-embedded program built around a structured couples' curriculum supplemented by broader community norm change strategies.
Light-Touch Gender-Transformative Programming
A reduced-intensity version of the gender-transformative programming, designed to test whether a less resource-intensive approach can achieve comparable effects at lower cost. The intervention package is being finalized by the IRC; this record will be updated with the final components before implementation begins.
Standard Family Planning Services (WISH-2)
The IRC's standard WISH-2 family planning service delivery package, implemented by the IRC independently of the study team in all study settlements. The package strengthens facility-based family planning services through provider training, commodity availability, service integration, and community mobilization, with services delivered through static, outreach, and community-based channels.
Locations (1)
Multi-site (household surveys) throughout Galgaduud
Dusa Marreb, Galgaduud, Somalia