International Public Health | Open Access Articles

Availability, Use And Quality Of Care For Medical Abortion Services—Preliminary Results Of Two Components: Kiis And The Pharmacy Study, Wilson Liambila, Harriet Birungi, Francis Onyango, Brian Mdawida, Vitalis Akora, Thoai Ngo, Kate Reiss

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

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Infographic: Vouchers Are Transforming Reproductive Health Access Worldwide, Population Council

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

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Assessing Retention And Motivation Of Public Health-Care Providers (Particularly Female Providers) In Rural Pakistan, Ali M. Mir, Gul Rashida Shaikh, Saleem Shaikh, Neha Mankani, Anushe Hassan, Maqsood Sadiq

Reproductive Health

The main objectives of this project in Pakistan were to explore the core issue of availability of health providers, especially female providers who are required for provision of maternal and neonatal healthcare, and to determine the range of factors that either constrain or motivate providers to serve in key positions in public facilities in rural areas. The study, conducted by the Population Council with funding from the Maternal and Newborn Health Programme ‐ Research and Advocacy Fund, identifies a number of problems faced by healthcare providers working in the public healthcare system in Pakistan and makes the following recommendations for …

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Nonclinical Development Needs And Regulatory Requirements For Multipurpose Prevention Technologies: A Primer, Joseph W. Romano, Martha Brady, Judy Manning

HIV and AIDS

This summary outlines key development elements that will be necessary for various configurations of multipurpose prevention products for the simultaneous prevention of HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and/or pregnancy.

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Assessing And Improving Self-Reporting Of Male Circumcision In Zambia And Swaziland, Paul C. Hewett, Nicole Haberland, Barbara Mensch, Louis Apicella

HIV and AIDS

The Male Circumcision (MC) Partnership was established with the support of the Gates Foundation and PEPFAR to scale up MC services in Zambia, in collaboration with the Zambian government. The MC Partnership is a five-year project led by Population Services International (Society for Family Health, Zambia), in partnership with Jhpiego, Marie Stopes International (MSI), and the Population Council. The ultimate objective of this study is to provide researchers and program managers with evidence-based recommendations for the collection of self-reported data on MC status through an assessment of different methods to describe and explain MC. Specifically, the study assessed tools for …

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The Experiences Of Men Engaged In Transactional Sex With Other Men In Urban Nigeria—A Size Estimation And Qualitative Study, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Reports on a mixed-method research study to estimate the population size and understand the experiences of a sub-group of men who have sex with men presumed to be at particularly high risk of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections: men who engage in transactional sex with other men.

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Shaping The Operations Research Agenda For Antiretroviral-Based Prevention Products For Women: Gels And Rings, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

This report summarizes discussions from a two-day international experts consultation meeting in 2012 on preparing for the successful introduction of women-centered antiretroviral-based HIV prevention methods. It examines the limits and expectations of operations research in antiretroviral health technologies.

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Getting Real With Youth-Friendly Services In Africa: Report Of A Satellite Session At The Xix International Aids Conference, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Overview of an AIDS 2013 satellite session which aimed to engage young people with and react to the study findings and in the light of the findings, discuss and share their perspectives, experiences and concerns about how responsive existing policies, programs and services are to the HIV prevention and impact mitigation needs of young Africans.

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Using Capture-Recapture Methodology For Enumerating Most-At-Risk Populations (Marps), Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Populations at higher risk for HIV infection are often the most difficult to reach and this is particularly true of men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users, and female sex workers in sub-Saharan Africa. These subpopulations are frequently marginalized by society because of the illicit and/or illegal activities they engage in. Estimating the size of hard-to-reach populations is important to effectively plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate HIV and AIDS prevention and care programs. “Capture-recapture” is a method of estimating the prevalence of a trait in a population or more simply it’s a method that provides a good …

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An Assessment Of Individual And Institutional Research Utilization By Policy-Makers And Programme Managers At State And National Levels In Nigeria, National Agency For The Control Of Aids

HIV and AIDS

This report undertakes a systematic assessment of the need for evidence by decision-makers working on HIV and AIDS funding and policymaking, and implementing organizations at the national and subnational levels in Nigeria. The assessment identifies barriers and constraints to data use, identifies best practices, and offers recommendations for the design and prioritization of strategic approaches to address barriers and constraints in data use and production. Tools to monitor the adoption of evidence in policy and practice are also offered. The need for evidence-based practice in the national response to HIV and AIDS has been widely acknowledged and incorporated into policy …

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An Ethnographic Study Of Injecting Drug Users And Men Who Have Sex With Men In Selected States In Nigeria, Enhancing Nigeria's Hiv/Aids Response (Enr) Programme

HIV and AIDS

An ethnographic pre-assessment study of the behavioral dynamics of men who have sex with men (MSM) and injecting drug users (IDU) was conducted in 2009 as an integral part of the 2010 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBSS). The study took place in Northern and Southern Nigeria and provided rich contextual information on the logistic and scientific factors that would aid successful conduct of the IBBSS and secure buy-in for it among study respondents. The study utilized a combination of rapid assessment procedures that were suitable to prevailing time exigencies and could foster preliminary understanding of the local contexts …

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Marps Sensitization: A Diversity Training Guide For Health Care Providers In Nigeria, Enhancing Nigeria's Hiv/Aids Response (Enr) Programme

HIV and AIDS

Men who have sex with men (MSM) present specific diagnostic and management challenges to counselors and health-care providers. High prevalence of HIV infection has been reported among MSM in Nigeria, driven partly by stigma, discrimination, lack of appropriate prevention strategies, limited research evidence, little recognition by policymakers, and inadequate knowledge and skills in dealing with MSM clients. In Nigeria, where homosexuality is illegal, the risk embodied in same-sex activities is high and makes hiding MSM activities almost a norm. Currently, health-care provider training materials that address most at-risk populations’ (MARPs) specific health needs are nonexistent in Nigeria. Knowledge of these …

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Prevalence And Correlates Of Hiv Infection In A Cohort Of Male Injection Drug Users In Delhi, Waimar Tun, Vartika Sharma, Mary Philip Sebastian, Ira Madan, Amita Yadav, Meredith Sheehy, Dean Lewis, Ibou Thior, Avina Sarna

HIV and AIDS

Baseline assessment of HIV infection among male injection drug users to understand the correlates of HIV infection and high risk injection practices and sexual behavior in Delhi, India.

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Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Of Providers And Key Opinion Leaders On Emergency Contraception In India, M.E. Khan, Deepthi S. Varma, Isha Bhatnagar, Anvita Dixit, Martha Brady

Reproductive Health

The Population Council undertook this study to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding emergency contraception (ECP) among providers in public and private facilities and pharmacies in India. The objectives of the study were to: assess providers' knowledge of ECP's biological mechanism; understand providers' knowledge and attitudes about ECP's safety, effectiveness, and availability as an OTC drug; and identify providers' definitions of “repeated use” and profiling women who are “repeated users” of ECP. This study's findings show that most providers, including doctors and some KOLs, were incorrectly informed about ECP's mechanism of action. Service guidelines are necessary for accurate and …

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Expanding Access To Comprehensive Reproductive Health And Hiv Information And Services For Married Adolescent Girls In Nyanza Province, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Francis Obare, Ben Ochieng, Wilson Liambila, Erick Oweya, Ian Askew, Rob Burnet, Bridget Deacon, Aisha Mohamed

Reproductive Health

The objectives of this operations research study, conducted by the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya, were to: 1) identify and design a set of interventions that promote the uptake of comprehensive reproductive health (RH)/family planning (FP) and HIV prevention services and information among married adolescent girls; and 2) expand access to comprehensive RH/FP and HIV prevention services and information among this population. The study demonstrated that the combined use of interactive media and community health worker visitation, health information provision, and referrals, is an effective means of reinforcing RH/FP and HIV messages, and of increasing access …

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Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In Nigeria, Babatunde A.O. Ahonsi, Salisu Mohammed Ishaku, Araoyinbo Idowu, Ayodeji Oginni

Reproductive Health

Despite significant progress in product development, procurement, and distribution in the past few decades, emergency contraception’s (EC) capacity to benefit many women in countries such as Nigeria is hampered by a number of potential barriers, that are not well understood. The Population Council, with support from the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception, documented EC-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among providers in Nigeria as well as perceptions of key opinion leaders who help shape the policy environment for EC and family planning in general. Findings suggest significant gaps in Nigeria, potentially necessitating continuous training and re-training to help dispel misperceptions and …

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Household Survey To Evaluate The Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative: Baseline Report, Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative

HIV and AIDS

With an estimated HIV prevalence of 14.3 percent among men and women age 15–49, Zambia is one of the sub-Saharan African countries most affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The Zambia-led Prevention Initiative Program (ZPI) was developed by a consortium led by FHI360, with the Population Council as the evaluation partner. This study determined baseline levels of key indicators related to HIV, gender-based violence, and reproductive health. Additionally, the baseline findings provide critical insights into key areas for interventions in Zambia and highlights variability in the populations across provinces and between males and females that provide valuable guidance for …

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Youth Perspectives On Entrepreneurship In Egypt: Barriers To Entrepreneurship As A Means To Combat Youth Unemployment, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This brief examines a range of factors that Egyptian youth perceive to be barriers to starting their own business, including high risk, limited access to finance, complexity of micro-credit schemes, lack of business and marketing training, and the need for connections in order to succeed. According to results from the Survey of Young People in Egypt, these factors combine to create the view among many youth that entrepreneurship is not a viable means of labor-market entry. Rather, youth see entrepreneurship as either a supplemental income-generating activity while also having a “regular” job, or as a later-life employment option once they …

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Who Is Covered And Who Under-Reports: An Empirical Analysis Of Access To Social Insurance On The Egyptian Labor Market, Rania Roushdy, Irene Selwaness

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This working paper investigates the dynamics and determinants of having access to social insurance coverage on the Egyptian labor market among wage and non-wage workers. The results show that men, older, married, better educated, and white collar highly skilled workers are more likely to have social insurance coverage. Access to social insurance is more likely to exist in the public sector and in large private enterprises. Furthermore, acquiring social insurance coverage in the private wage work sector does not often come at first entry; but it takes some time to gain such access. In contrast, experience is not important for …

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Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In India: Final Survey Report, M.E. Khan, Deepthi S. Varma, Isha Bhatnagar, Anvita Dixit, Martha Brady

Reproductive Health

The Population Council undertook this study to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding emergency contraception (ECPs) among providers in public and private facilities and pharmacies in India. This study’s objectives were: 1) to assess providers’ knowledge of ECP’s biological mechanism; 2) to understand providers’ knowledge and attitudes about ECP’s safety, effectiveness, and availability as an over-the-counter drug; and 3) to identify providers’ definitions of “repeated use” and profiling of women who are “repeated users” of ECP. The study recommends intervention programs and advocacy strategies to increase knowledge and access to ECP.

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The Reproductive Health Of Young People In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Noha Roushdy, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This Population Council brief presents results from the Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE) on reproductive health (RH). The SYPE results underscore the need for: the assessment of state and civil society initiatives to transmit RH information; a national, comprehensive, age-appropriate reproductive health module to be integrated into the educational program; a national campaign on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections that targets young people of reproductive age; the integration of female circumcision into a broader approach to youth reproductive health and bodily rights; specialized reproductive health services for married adolescent girls; and further research on sexuality and reproductive …

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A Life Course Perspective On Social Protection Among The Working Poor Of Egypt, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This paper employs a generational comparison to examine how increasing labor market informality has affected how poor households in Egypt gain access to and rely on social protection schemes. The results indicate that among the generation of Egyptians approaching retirement, the expansion of public employment and a policy allowing easy access to survivors’ benefits among female dependents served as important means of increasing social insurance coverage. However, many young households do not have even one member enrolled in the public pension system. Labor market instability and informality have also lowered the perceived value of social protection among this generation. The …

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Social Protection In Egypt: A Policy Overview, Maia Sieverding, Irene Selwaness

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The need to address the shortcomings of Egypt’s current social protection system as part of a broader process of developing a new social contract between the Egyptian government and its citizens has been noted for a number of years. With a new government recently put in place, Egypt is now at a potential turning point in terms of implementing unfinished reforms to the system or proposing alternative ones. The aim of this paper is therefore to provide an overview and assessment of current public social protection mechanisms and suggest directions for new policy measures. The social and health insurance systems …

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Addis Birhan Wendoch ('New Light Boys'): Working With Boys And Young Men To Create Healthier Futures, Woldemariam Girma, Diane Rubino, Annabel Erulkar, Worku Ambelu, Ayenechew Kerie

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council and the Ethiopian Ministry of Women, Children, and Youth Affairs designed Addis Birhan Wendoch to impart life skills and promote gender-equitable, nonviolent, and healthy behaviors among boys and young men aged 10 to 24. The program helps out-of school boys and young men in Ethiopia navigate toward a healthier future by providing them with trained, compassionate mentors and safe environments in which they can find the support needed to share ideas and take positive actions. Through frank and open discussions, boys have the opportunity to get the facts on a range of essential topics from financial literacy …

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Priorities For Adolescent Girls' Education, Cynthia B. Lloyd

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development physically, emotionally, and cognitively. For girls it is a stage of life during which education, when effectively provided, can be transformative. One of the most significant problems in most developing countries is the failure of education systems to realize their potential for empowering adolescent girls by providing economically productive skills. Education during adolescence can protect girls from the risks of premature sexual initiation and allow them to postpone marriage and childbearing and experience a childhood without the burden of excessive domestic work. Schools have the potential to fully empower girls to …

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The Health Of Vulnerable Adolescent Girls: A Strategic Investment For Double Return, Jennifer Catino

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Worldwide there are 1.2 billion adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19. Nearly 90 percent of them live in developing countries, and approximately 600 million are female. While adolescence is normally a time of good health, numerous developmental and social changes occur during this period, many of which have health implications, especially for girls. Most of the girls and young women in the developing world live in conditions that make them vulnerable to health and social risks. They are often poor, out-of-school, married, migrants, members of ethnic minorities, or engaged in unsafe labor. Girls from many of the poorest …

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Filles Eveillées ('Girls Awakened'): A Pilot Program For Migrant Adolescent Girls In Domestic Service In Urban Burkina Faso, Sarah Engebretsen, Gisele Kaboré, Leah Jarvis

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Young people in Burkina Faso, especially adolescent girls, have few economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas. This drives migration to urban areas in search of employment. In 2010, the Population council conducted formative research on migrant adolescent girls in domestic service in urban Burkina Faso. Findings revealed that girls typically live with their employers and spend long days performing arduous work, leaving little time for schooling, building social networks, and developing skills necessary for adulthood. Most programs designed for this population intervene after something has gone wrong rather than building girls’ protective assets. In response to these findings, the Population …

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Baseline And Endline Findings Of Filles Eveillées ('Girls Awakened'): A Pilot Program For Migrant Adolescent Girls In Domestic Service. Cohort 1 (2011–2012), Bobo-Dioulasso, Sarah Engebretsen

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Burkina Faso has the tenth youngest population in the world, with 45 percent of the population below the age of 15. Young people in Burkina Faso, especially adolescent girls, have few economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas. This drives migration to urban areas in search of employment. On their own, girls are physically and economically vulnerable and many are at heightened risk for gender-based violence. The Population Council conducted formative research in 2010 to better understand the situation of migrant adolescent girls in domestic service in urban Burkina Faso, and subsequently designed a safe spaces intervention. The Filles Éveillées (“Girls …

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The Cost Of Reaching The Most Disadvantaged Girls: Programmatic Evidence From Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, And Uganda, Jessica Sewall-Menon, Judith Bruce, Karen Austrian, Raven Brown, Jennifer Catino, Alejandra Colom, Angel Del Valle, Habtamu Demele, Annabel Erulkar, Kelly Hallman, Eva Roca, Nadia Zibani

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The most disadvantaged adolescent girls are the poorest girls from the poorest communities. They suffer from human rights abuses, lack education and economic opportunity, are affected by HIV/AIDS, and have poor reproductive and maternal health outcomes. To effectively reach these girls so that they can receive critical services such as gathering spaces, life skills, financial literacy, savings accounts, and reproductive health knowledge, they must be targeted as a distinct segment. It is important to invest in building the capacities of local partners and governments to deliver and scale-up low-cost, well-targeted programs. This technical report is intended to assist programmatic officers, …

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Is Early Childhood Care And Education A Good Investment For Egypt? Estimates Of Educational Impacts, Costs, And Benefits, Caroline Krafft

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This brief examines Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in Egypt. Findings suggest that expansion of ECCE is a good investment. Providing kindergarten to all Egyptian children, and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, could be an important step toward greater equality, efficiency, and attainment in the education system.

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Full-Text Articles in International Public Health

Availability, Use And Quality Of Care For Medical Abortion Services—Preliminary Results Of Two Components: Kiis And The Pharmacy Study, Wilson Liambila, Harriet Birungi, Francis Onyango, Brian Mdawida, Vitalis Akora, Thoai Ngo, Kate Reiss

Reproductive Health

Infographic: Vouchers Are Transforming Reproductive Health Access Worldwide, Population Council

Reproductive Health

Assessing Retention And Motivation Of Public Health-Care Providers (Particularly Female Providers) In Rural Pakistan, Ali M. Mir, Gul Rashida Shaikh, Saleem Shaikh, Neha Mankani, Anushe Hassan, Maqsood Sadiq

Reproductive Health

Nonclinical Development Needs And Regulatory Requirements For Multipurpose Prevention Technologies: A Primer, Joseph W. Romano, Martha Brady, Judy Manning

HIV and AIDS

Assessing And Improving Self-Reporting Of Male Circumcision In Zambia And Swaziland, Paul C. Hewett, Nicole Haberland, Barbara Mensch, Louis Apicella

HIV and AIDS

The Experiences Of Men Engaged In Transactional Sex With Other Men In Urban Nigeria—A Size Estimation And Qualitative Study, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Shaping The Operations Research Agenda For Antiretroviral-Based Prevention Products For Women: Gels And Rings, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

Getting Real With Youth-Friendly Services In Africa: Report Of A Satellite Session At The Xix International Aids Conference, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Using Capture-Recapture Methodology For Enumerating Most-At-Risk Populations (Marps), Population Council

HIV and AIDS

An Assessment Of Individual And Institutional Research Utilization By Policy-Makers And Programme Managers At State And National Levels In Nigeria, National Agency For The Control Of Aids

HIV and AIDS

An Ethnographic Study Of Injecting Drug Users And Men Who Have Sex With Men In Selected States In Nigeria, Enhancing Nigeria's Hiv/Aids Response (Enr) Programme

HIV and AIDS

Marps Sensitization: A Diversity Training Guide For Health Care Providers In Nigeria, Enhancing Nigeria's Hiv/Aids Response (Enr) Programme

HIV and AIDS

Prevalence And Correlates Of Hiv Infection In A Cohort Of Male Injection Drug Users In Delhi, Waimar Tun, Vartika Sharma, Mary Philip Sebastian, Ira Madan, Amita Yadav, Meredith Sheehy, Dean Lewis, Ibou Thior, Avina Sarna

HIV and AIDS

Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Of Providers And Key Opinion Leaders On Emergency Contraception In India, M.E. Khan, Deepthi S. Varma, Isha Bhatnagar, Anvita Dixit, Martha Brady

Reproductive Health

Expanding Access To Comprehensive Reproductive Health And Hiv Information And Services For Married Adolescent Girls In Nyanza Province, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Francis Obare, Ben Ochieng, Wilson Liambila, Erick Oweya, Ian Askew, Rob Burnet, Bridget Deacon, Aisha Mohamed

Reproductive Health

Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In Nigeria, Babatunde A.O. Ahonsi, Salisu Mohammed Ishaku, Araoyinbo Idowu, Ayodeji Oginni

Reproductive Health

Household Survey To Evaluate The Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative: Baseline Report, Zambia-Led Prevention Initiative

HIV and AIDS

Youth Perspectives On Entrepreneurship In Egypt: Barriers To Entrepreneurship As A Means To Combat Youth Unemployment, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Who Is Covered And Who Under-Reports: An Empirical Analysis Of Access To Social Insurance On The Egyptian Labor Market, Rania Roushdy, Irene Selwaness

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In India: Final Survey Report, M.E. Khan, Deepthi S. Varma, Isha Bhatnagar, Anvita Dixit, Martha Brady

Reproductive Health

The Reproductive Health Of Young People In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Noha Roushdy, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

A Life Course Perspective On Social Protection Among The Working Poor Of Egypt, Maia Sieverding

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Social Protection In Egypt: A Policy Overview, Maia Sieverding, Irene Selwaness

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Addis Birhan Wendoch ('New Light Boys'): Working With Boys And Young Men To Create Healthier Futures, Woldemariam Girma, Diane Rubino, Annabel Erulkar, Worku Ambelu, Ayenechew Kerie

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Priorities For Adolescent Girls' Education, Cynthia B. Lloyd

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Health Of Vulnerable Adolescent Girls: A Strategic Investment For Double Return, Jennifer Catino

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Filles Eveillées ('Girls Awakened'): A Pilot Program For Migrant Adolescent Girls In Domestic Service In Urban Burkina Faso, Sarah Engebretsen, Gisele Kaboré, Leah Jarvis

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Baseline And Endline Findings Of Filles Eveillées ('Girls Awakened'): A Pilot Program For Migrant Adolescent Girls In Domestic Service. Cohort 1 (2011–2012), Bobo-Dioulasso, Sarah Engebretsen

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Is Early Childhood Care And Education A Good Investment For Egypt? Estimates Of Educational Impacts, Costs, And Benefits, Caroline Krafft

Poverty, Gender, and Youth