Gender Based Violence against Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cross-Sectional Studies

Muluken Dessalegn Muluneh, Virginia Stulz, Lyn Francis and Kingsley Agho
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Muluken Dessalegn Muluneh: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Parramatta South Campus, Parramatta, NSW 2151, Australia
Virginia Stulz: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751 Australia
Lyn Francis: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Parramatta South Campus, Parramatta, NSW 2151, Australia
Kingsley Agho: School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag1797, Penrith, NSW 2571, Australia

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: This study aimed to systematically review studies that examined the prevalence of gender based violence (GBV) that included intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-IPV among women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This evidence is an important aspect to work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) target of eliminating all forms of violence in SSA. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science were used to source articles with stringent eligibility criteria. Studies on GBV in SSA countries that were published in English from 2008 to 2019 were included. A random effect meta-analysis was used. Fifty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of IPV among women was 44%, the past year-pooled prevalence of IPV was 35.5% and non-IPV pooled prevalence was 14%. The highest prevalence rates of IPV that were reported included emotional (29.40%), physical (25.87%) and sexual (18.75%) violence. The sub-regional analysis found that women residing in Western (30%) and Eastern (25%) African regions experienced higher levels of emotional violence. Integrated mitigation measures to reduce GBV in SSA should focus mainly on IPV in order to achieve the SDG’s that will lead to sustainable changes in women’s health.

Keywords: prevalence; GBV; IPV; non-IPV; physical violence; emotional violence; sexual violence; SSA; cross-sectional studies; and meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:3:p:903-:d:315132

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