Unintended childbearing and family welfare in rural Malawi

Lead Research Organisation: University of Southampton
Department Name: School of Social Sciences

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description We published 4 papers in international peer reviewed journals (see Publication Output) and we presented results of the research project at national and international conferences contributing to national and international debate on the relationship between reproductive health and economic outcomes(see Dissemination Output). In addition, between October 2010 and June 2011, Albert Dube lead the activity of a community engagement programme, which aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of KPS work in the community and to contribute to the improvement of community health through strengthened strategic partnership at community, district and national levels. We produced a series of newsletters which were distributed in the community. These newsletters helped to inform the general public about KPS activities and the community can receive a summary of ongoing projects and results. We also organized the information sharing days where different stakeholders (Ministry of Education, District Education Manager, Primary School education, Education Advisors, etc..) from the community and from the district level management meet to discuss the ongoing projects and research findings. The main objectives of these meetings were to raise awareness of fertility intentions project among education authorities (see Dissemination Output - Community Engagement Programme). As previously mentioned, the results of the research were presented at the National Leaders Conference on Family Planning, Population and Development held in Lillongwe in May 2012. The conference organized by the UNFPA convened national and international experts to share experiences and agree on strategies for repositioning family planning beyond a health issue to an indispensable sustainable development issue. The team was invited to present the result of the study and participate at the high level panel. The meeting helped the development of a National Population policy. See Malawi news Agency Online: http://www.manaonline.gov.mw/index.php/business/item/2788-malawi-launches-population-and-social-support-policies (See Dissemination Output - National Leaders Conference on Family Planning). In addition to this, we also collaborated with the ALPHA Network, APHRC and IN-Depth Network contributing to strengthen the research activities of Africa Institutions and collaborative centers (see Network Outputs: ALPHA Network- Workshop- fertility; INDEPTH NETWORK - Fertility Monograph and See Collaboration Output: APHRC- Collaboration - comparing DSS).
First Year Of Impact 2013
Sector Healthcare
Impact Types Cultural

Societal

Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description Malawi National Planning Commission
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Citation in other policy documents
Impact The results of the research were presented at the National Leaders Conference on Family Planning, Population and Development held in Lillongwe in May 2012. The conference organized by the UNFPA convened national and international experts to share experiences and agree on strategies for repositioning family planning beyond a health issue to an indispensable sustainable development issue. The team was invited to present the result of the study and participate at the high level panel. The meeting helped the development of a National Population policy. See Malawi news Agency Online: http://www.manaonline.gov.mw/index.php/business/item/2788-malawi-launches-population-and-social-support-policies (See Dissemination Output - National Leaders Conference on Family Planning).
URL http://www.manaonline.gov.mw/index.php/business/item/2788-malawi-launches-population-and-social-supp...
 
Description APHRC - Collaboration - comparing DSS data on fertility intentions and child stunting - data analysis and preparation 
Organisation African Population and Health Research Center
Country Kenya 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution During the course of the project, the team collaborated with members of the APHRC on the Urban Health research programme funded by the Welcome Trust. The APHRC team and members of this project explored the possibility to write a paper a join paper comparing the data of the rural DSS in Karonga and urban DSS in the two slums of Nairobi. We decided that it was not possible to write such paper but members of the team worked with other members of the APHRC on a paper on child stunting in the urban DSS that the APHRC is collecting in two slums of Nairobi (see Publication Output - paper Fotso et al. Health and Place).
Start Year 2008
 
Description Community engagement programme, Karonga district, Malawi. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact Since October 2010, after returning from the Master in Demography, Albert Dube lead the activity of a community engagement programme, which aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of KPS work in the community and to contribute to the improvement of community health through strengthened strategic partnership at community, district and national levels.



We produced a series of newsletters which were distributed in the community. These newsletters helped to inform the general public about what KPS activities and the community can receive a summary of ongoing projects and results.



We also organized the information sharing days where different stakeholders (Ministry of Education, District Education Manager, Primary School education, Education Advisors, etc..) from the community and from the district level management meet to discuss the ongoing projects and research findings.



The main objectives of these meetings were to raise awareness of fertility intentions project among education authorities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012,2013
 
Description National Leaders Conference on Family Planning, Population and Development held in Lillongwe in May 2012 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Type Of Presentation Keynote/Invited Speaker
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The team was invited to present the results of the research at the National Leaders Conference on Family Planning, Population and Development held in Lillongwe in May 2012 .



The results of the project have contributed to the debate of the importance of providing FP for fostering economic development in Malawi.
The conference convened national and international experts to share experiences and agree on strategies for repositioning family planning beyond a health issue to an indispensable sustainable development issue.The team was invited to present the result of the study and participate at the high level panel. The meeting helped the development of a National Population policy.



http://www.manaonline.gov.mw/index.php/business/item/2788-malawi-launches-population-and-social-support-policies

The conference convened national and international experts to share experiences and agree on strategies for repositioning family planning beyond a health issue to an indispensable sustainable development issue.The team was invited to present the result o
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description Population and Poverty Research Network - Annual Conferences 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact The PI and other members of the team participated at several annual conferences organised by the Network.


Annual PopPov Conferences on Population, Reproductive Health, and Economic Development:

http://poppov.org/PopPovConferences/7thAnnualPopPovConference.aspx



- The Second Annual Research Conference on Population Impacts on Economic Development was held in Arusha, Tanzania, on Dec. 8-9, 2007. the grant was awarded and the PI was invited to familiarise with the network research programme.



- The Third Annual Research Conference was held in Dublin, Ireland on Jan. 16-18, 2009, at the University College, Dublin. The team presented the project proposal and the result of the pilot study conducted during the summer in 2008.



- The Fourth PopPov Research Network took place in Cape Town, South Africa, January 14-17, 2010. The team presented the result first paper on fertility intentions of polygamous and monograms couples using the first round of data.



- The Sixth Annual PopPov Conference was held in Accra, Ghana from January 18-21, 2012. The team presented the project finding of the first two round of data and the result of the community engagement programme.

Presentations - conference papers.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2008,2010,2012,2014,2015
URL http://poppov.org/PopPovConferences/7thAnnualPopPovConference.aspx