Monthly Corner
Astha Ramaiya [Co-author] Shared the Journal Article - Published in Child Abuse & Neglect, June 2026
A new systematic review published in Child Abuse & Neglect examined the link between mental health and technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse (TF-CSEA). Analysing 10 studies with over 25,000 participants across seven countries, researchers found that depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and prior trauma were consistently associated with victimisation. Crucially, the relationship appears bidirectional with mental health difficulties both preceding and resulting from exploitation; creating potential cycles of repeated harm. Perhaps most striking: traditional parental monitoring through technological surveillance showed limited protective effects. What actually mattered? The quality of parent-child relationships including, open communication, emotional warmth, and trust. The findings suggest prevention efforts should combine universal school-based programmes building emotional resilience with targeted support for high-risk youth, while parent education should prioritise connection over control. With 12.5% of children globally experiencing online solicitation annually, understanding these psychological pathways is essential for effective child protection.
Alok Srivastava, Vasanti Rao & Amita Puri Article on International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health, January 2026
Tara Prasad Article on Challanges and Lessons Learns of GESI responsive and inclusive conservatiom practices, Nepal
Ritu Dewan & Swati Raju Article on Economic and Political Weekly
Viera Schioppetto shared Thesis on Gender Approach in Development Projects
Events
Vacancies
- Seeking Senior Analyst - IPE Global
About the job
IPE Global Ltd. is a multi-disciplinary development sector consulting firm offering a range of integrated, innovative and high-quality services across several sectors and practices. We offer end-to-end consulting and project implementation services in the areas of Social and Economic Empowerment, Education and Skill Development, Public Health, Nutrition, WASH, Urban and Infrastructure Development, Private Sector Development, among others.
Over the last 26 years, IPE Global has successfully implemented over 1,200 projects in more than 100 countries. The group is headquartered in New Delhi, India with five international offices in United Kingdom, Kenya, Ethiopia, Philippines and Bangladesh. We partner with multilateral, bilateral, governments, corporates and not-for-profit entities in anchoring development agenda for sustained and equitable growth. We strive to create an enabling environment for path-breaking social and policy reforms that contribute to sustainable development.
Role Overview
IPE Global is seeking a motivated Senior Analyst – Low Carbon Pathways to strengthen and grow its Climate Change and Sustainability practice. The role will contribute to business development, program management, research, and technical delivery across climate mitigation, carbon markets, and energy transition. This position provides exceptional exposure to global climate policy, finance, and technology, working with a team of high-performing professionals and in collaboration with donors, foundations, research institutions, and public agencies.
Does school feeding and education play a role in keeping girls safe?
Evidence shows that the value of school feeding programmes goes far beyond child nutrition.
When schools were closed during a five--month period of lockdown in Kenya this year, almost 4,000 schoolgirls became pregnant in one county alone. The current ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Campaign’ is an opportunity to spotlight a growing body of evidence showing a heightened risk of violence against girls, including sexual exploitation, harassment and child marriage, enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventive measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 such as school closures disrupt the education of every child, but for some children, school additionally provides the only respite from abuse occurring (against them or between their parents) in the home.
Girls face higher hurdles to return to school. Up to 10 million more girls could be out of secondary school when the pandemic is over. Economic stress may mean families need girls to find work and take on caregiving responsibilities, or they may be forced into transactional sex or early marriage. The situation is even worse for refugee girls, with some estimates reckoning half of all refugee girls in some countries will not return when classrooms reopen.
Recently, WFP, together with fellow offices of evaluation across the international community, contributed findings from evaluations related to Gender Equality in Education to a lessons learned publication, coordinated by the Evaluation Coalition on COVID–19. Evidence showed that the value of school feeding programmes goes far beyond child nutrition to include having strong positive effects on primary school enrollment, particularly for girls and internally displaced populations, as well as improvement in school completion and drop-out rates. “Take home rations” worked well in several countries, making a significant contribution to advancing girls’ education and other indirect benefits. In South Sudan, for example, food served as an incentive to some parents who sent boys to school while girls stayed home to work, helped their families with cooking or were married off early in exchange for bride price. According to the lessons learned publication, school feeding programmes can provide appropriate incentives for the most vulnerable children to return to school, especially when the design is inclusive and there is engagement with stakeholders to address barriers to girls staying in school. Additionally, it was found that intersectoral approaches involving health, education and protection were effective.
WFP’s new School Feeding Strategy, launched in 2020, positions schools as platforms in which a wide range of other services can be delivered alongside school feeding. As an example, the Canadian-funded Breaking Barriers to Girls’ Education project, jointly implemented by WFP, UNICEF, and UNFPA in Chad and Niger, aims to increase girls’ access to quality education by addressing the barriers faced by girls to enrol in and attend school. The three UN agencies are working together to deliver a set of integrated health and nutrition services through which the most significant barriers to girls’ education are tackled, including measures to reduce the incidence of GBV, and the provision of ‘safe spaces’ for girls. The project, which is set to be evaluated in 2022, is expected to contribute to the global evidence-base on how integrated packages of support, including GBV prevention activities, can reduce the barriers to education for girls.
While evidence is growing on the positive role that school feeding and education can play in keeping girls safe, there is still much to learn. WFP is developing a new impact evaluation window –a series of evaluations – on school-based programming that aims to increase the understanding of how programmes can better support outcomes such as girls education.
While gender-based violence can happen anywhere, promoting a safe school environment has a significant role to play during and beyond the 16 days of activism against GBV.
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