Testing Unite for a Better Life, a Program to Reduce Intimate Partner Violence

To help reduce intimate partner violence (IPV), the Paris School of Economics (PSE) seeks to test two adaptations of an IPV prevention program, Unite for a Better Life (UBL), in Cameroon. UBL has previously been piloted and tested in Ethiopia.

The program aims to reduce IPV by addressing social norms and behaviors through structured, culturally relevant sessions that include discussion, activities, and exercises led by trained facilitators.

In Cameroon, the sessions and program delivery have been adjusted to incorporate lessons from the Ethiopia trial and will be delivered via two methods.

The in-person delivery approach differs from previous program iterations by engaging couples in sessions that are held separately for men and women, while a podcast adaptation aims to offer a scalable, technology-based approach.

With support from DIV, PSE, in collaboration with a local non-profit, Leap Girl, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate UBL as delivered in-person and via podcasts in Cameroon.

The study will evaluate UBLs impact on IPV in the 18 months after implementation, as well as womens perceptions of changes in their male partners behavior and shifts in gender norms.

By generating rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of UBL as delivered via these two methods, results from this study are designed to contribute to global efforts to address IPV and improve the well-being of women in fragile settings.