UNICEF - Parenting Programmes to Prevent Violence and Advance Gender Equality

Parenting Programmes to Prevent Violence and Advance Gender Equality: Findings from a Global MappingAcknowledgements This brief was written by Jane Kato-Wallace (Prevention Collaborative) together with Kate Doyle (Prevention Collaborative), Ruti Levtov (Prevention Collaborative), Alessandra Guedes (UNICEF), Christine Kolbe-Stuart (UNICEF), Jenny Doubt (Parenting for Lifelong Health), and Cody Ragonese (Equimundo). It was copyedited by Charmaine Smith and designed by Blossom. The visuals were designed by Ana Lucia Ñustes (Prevention Collaborative). The development of this brief was funded by Wellspring Foundation through a grant to the Prevention Collaborative. Suggested citation UNICEF Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti, Prevention Collaborative, Equimundo and Parenting For Lifelong Health, Parenting Programmes to Prevent Violence and Advance Gender Equality. Findings from a Global Mapping. UNICEF Innocenti, Florence, 2026. Published by UNICEF Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti Via degli Alfani, 58 50121, Florence, Italy Email: innocenti@unicef.org Web: unicef.org/innocenti | data.unicef.org Social media: @UNICEFInnocenti on Bluesky, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube In partnership with Prevention Collaborative Email: support@prevention-collaborative.org Social media: Bluesky, Facebook and LinkedIn Website: www.prevention-collaborative.org

Equimundo: Center for

Masculinities and Social Justice 1367 Connecticut Avenue NW, Ste 210 Washington, DC 20036

Social media: X(Twitter) , Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

Website: www.equimundo.org Parenting For Lifelong Health Email: info@parentingforlifelonghealth.org Website: www.parentingforlifelonghealth.org/Rationale Parenting programmes already play an important role in supporting parents and caregivers, helping children thrive in all regions of the world. Yet too many children grow up in homes characterised by violence directed at them and/or their mothers or female caregivers. Violent discipline — which includes physical punishment and psychological aggression by parents and caregivers — and intimate partner violence (IPV) are the most common forms of violence that children and women experience, respectively. 1 2 Often, these two forms of violence co-occur. 3

Both types of violence undermine children’s health, development, and well-being. Women who experience IPV face a multitude of health, social, and economic consequences. The use or experience of violence may affect parents’ ability to bond with their children and provide responsive care.4 5 6 While very few parenting programmes explicitly seek to reduce both violence against children (VAC) and violence against their mothers, emerging evidence demonstrates that parenting programmes can reduce both simultaneously — particularly when they adopt a ‘gender-transformative’ approach. Programmes such as Parenting for Respectability , REAL Fathers , and Bandebereho have found significant reductions in both VAC and IPV.7 Such programmes can also impart new, more gender equitable ideas, which can strengthen relationships between caregivers and encourage parents to treat their children more equally in terms of roles, responsibilities and opportunities. However, questions still remain. Apart from the gender-transformative programmes that have been rigorously documented and evaluated, how are other parenting programmes currently addressing harmful gender attitudes and reducing violence? Which parenting programmes have the potential to expand the evidence on how these approaches can create safer and more equitable families? To understand this better, Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH), the Prevention Collaborative, and UNICEF carried out a global mapping of parenting programmes.

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create safer and more equitable families? To understand this better, Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH), the Prevention Collaborative, and UNICEF carried out a global mapping of parenting programmes.

© UNICEF

1 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESGender-transformative parenting programmes intentionally seek to address the root causes of gender-based inequalities and to challenge or transform harmful gender roles, norms, and power imbalances between women and men, girls and boys.8 They work with both female and male parents and caregivers to build and sustain healthy, non-violent relationships with their partners and children. To learn more about gender-transformative parenting programmes, see the complete Parenting Programmes to Prevent Violence Against Children and Women series: What are Gender-Transformative Parenting Programmes? Why gender-transformative parenting programming is important?

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How to adapt programmes to address both types of violence.

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What gender-transformative programmes look like.

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How to measure change.

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2 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMES• A growing number of parenting programmes are working to address both violence against women and violence against children or are in terested in doing so. • Many programmes remain at early or partial stages of integrating gender equitable approaches and reflections to more deeply address power relations and the harmful gender equitable approaches and reflections that drive violence. • There is a broad diversity in implementing stakeholders, ranging from local NGOs and international NGOs to government–NGO partnerships an d university collaborations. • Programmes vary in delivery format — some are in-person group sessions, while others combine digital engagement, community mobilisation, and professional capacity building for social workers and f acilitators. Examples include home-visiting, blended online models using messaging apps, and father-focused community groups. • Most programmes operate at community or household levels, with fewer examples of institutional or policy-level engagement.

mobilisation, and professional capacity building for social workers and f acilitators. Examples include home-visiting, blended online models using messaging apps, and father-focused community groups. • Most programmes operate at community or household levels, with fewer examples of institutional or policy-level engagement. • Many programmes are documenting impact, but there remains a need t o evaluate evidence on gender-transformative outcomes. Main take-aways See this interactive map on Genially, which captures some of the key highlights of this mapping of parenting and caregiver programmes!

Disclaimer: This map does not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers.

3 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESThe purpose of this rapid mapping was to identify and learn about programmes that can address VAC and violence against women (VAW) and gender inequality, and also to better understand the wider environments in which these programmes operate. This mapping was not meant to be exhaustive, but rather a snapshot of parenting programmes globally, with a focus on those implemented in the Global South. Broadly, we sought to identify programmes that work directly with parents and caregivers and fit at least two or more of the following criteria. Programmes did not have to be traditional parenting programmes focused on child development, as we recognised that there is much to be learned from programmes working with parents and caregivers in other ways. • Address gender norms, violence, and equitable relationships and couple dynamics. • Describe themselves as ‘gender-transformative’, but may or may not include content on VAC and/or IPV. • Focus on VAC, but may not include IPV or gender. • Have the potential to build new evidence in the areas of parenting, violence prevention, and gender equality (e.g. working with underrepresented groups or using new methodologies). • Engage men as caregivers.

• Focus on parental/maternal mental health (and so may also be attentive to IPV). • Focus on promoting early childhood development (cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development). • Demonstrate an organisational capacity to deliver at scale.

Based on these criteria, each partner organisation reached out through their networks to identify programmes for inclusion in the mapping. For instance, PLH contacted their implementing partners and country managers, UNICEF connected with country office staff and regional advisors, and Equimundo and the Prevention Collaborative engaged their local partners and parenting experts and conducted a rapid review of the literature. Once each organisation had identified at least 12 programmes, additional information was collected through online searches and follow-up conversations with programme teams. These discussions helped gather details on each programme’s reach, target groups, main activities, delivery model, and content, as well as any available evidence supporting the programme’s theory of change and intended outcomes. All the information was entered into a shared scored spreadsheet created for the purpose of this mapping exercise. Throughout these processes, the mapping partners met monthly to discuss their findings. After the mapping was completed, each partner recommended at least three programmes with whom to conduct one-on-one interviews to better understand their approaches to addressing gender and preventing violence and their capacities to implement at scale. Three of these programmes are highlighted in the case studies further below. Methodology 4 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESThe Bandebereho (‘role model’) programme in Rwanda works with fathers of young children alongside mothers to promote reproductive, maternal, and child health, men’s caregiving, and healthier couple relations. Fatherhood and the prenatal period are used as entry points to work with fathers. The 17-session curriculum applies a gendertransformative approach to build skills in caregiving, couple communication, and non-violent relationships. Seven sessions are for men only and 10 are for couples. The programme was piloted by the Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre, Equimundo, and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre between 2013 and 2015. A randomised controlled trial with 1,199 couples showed significant and sustained

non-violent relationships. Seven sessions are for men only and 10 are for couples. The programme was piloted by the Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre, Equimundo, and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre between 2013 and 2015. A randomised controlled trial with 1,199 couples showed significant and sustained reductions for up to six years in both intimate partner violence (physical, sexual, emotional, and economic) and parents’ use of violent discipline with children. The study also showed greater participation of men in caregiving, improved couple communication, joint decisionmaking, and relationship quality alongside better child behavioural outcomes. The programme is now being taken to scale through the Rwandan health system by training community health workers to deliver the approach as part of their routine work — and has already reached more than 60,000 parents. The Bandebereho experience underscores the importance of strong government collaboration and long-term commitment for successful scale-up.

Case Study: Bandebereho - An Example of a Rigorously

Evaluated Gender-Transformative Parenting Intervention

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5 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESIn total, 69 parenting programmes were mapped across 43 countries. Programme Implementation and Evaluation Partners The parenting programmes included in this mapping are implemented by a wide variety of organisations and partnerships. Most are led by well-established local ( 21 programmes, 28 percent) and/or international (17 programmes, 25 percent) non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Many others are delivered through partnerships between governments and NGOs — either local or international — representing 25 of the programmes mapped (36 percent). For example, Parentalidades Comprometidas con la Primera Infancia (PPC) in Uruguay is implemented through a partnership between the government state agency, Instituto del Niño y Adolescente del Uruguay (INAU), the country’s Integrated National Care System (Sistema Nacional Integrado de Cuidados, or SNIC), and local civil society organisations that manage childcare centres. A smaller number of programmes ( four programmes , five percent) are implemented through

del Uruguay (INAU), the country’s Integrated National Care System (Sistema Nacional Integrado de Cuidados, or SNIC), and local civil society organisations that manage childcare centres. A smaller number of programmes ( four programmes , five percent) are implemented through collaborations between universities, research institutions, and NGOs, with one partner typically leading implementation while the other focuses on research and evaluation. Main findings 28% Led by well-established local NGOs. 5% Implemented through collaborations 25% Led by well-established international NGOs 36% Delivered through partnerships 6 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESProgramme Reach and Audience A significant number of programmes have been implemented for three or more years ( 29 programmes , 42 percent), followed by one to three years ( 20 programmes , 29 percent), and 11 programmes (16 percent) have been implemented for one year or less. Most parenting programmes ( 55 programmes , 80 percent) were still actively being implemented at the time of this mapping (August–December 2024). Nine programmes did not have data on the duration of implementation. At the time of the mapping, 80% of programmes were still being implemented. Unsurprisingly, parenting programmes with longer-term implementation tend to reach larger audiences. In total, 39 programmes (56 percent) have reached more than 1,000 participants. Most of the programmes that fell into this category represented partnerships between governments and NGOs. Eight programmes (12 percent) reached between 300 and 1,000 participants, while 11 programmes (16 percent) reached fewer than 300 participants — typically those that had been running for three years or less. There was no data on this for 10 programmes mapped. The parenting programmes mapped engage a wide array of groups, with male and female caregivers being the most common target groups in all programmes. In addition to this, 11 programmes worked with adolescents and caregivers, eight programmes explicitly targeted programming to work with vulnerable families living in rural areas, seven programmes worked with migrant and/or conflict-affected caregivers, and four programmes worked specifically with

caregivers being the most common target groups in all programmes. In addition to this, 11 programmes worked with adolescents and caregivers, eight programmes explicitly targeted programming to work with vulnerable families living in rural areas, seven programmes worked with migrant and/or conflict-affected caregivers, and four programmes worked specifically with parents with disabilities. Working with caregivers in conflict-affected areas is an area that requires more research. In the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the locally known ‘Healthy Families’ programme, an adaptation of Equimundo’s Programme H and Programme P by SEED Foundation, worked to prevent and reduce gender-based by engaging men and boys as allies for gender equality. It involved both fathers and their adolescent sons (ages 14–19) to reduce intergenerational violence and promote caring, supportive family relationships. The programme reached members of the Kurdish host community, internally displaced persons, and the Syrian refugee population. Three or more years 42% One to three years 29% One year or less 16% Duration unclear 13% 7 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESNotably, 46 programmes (67 percent) sought to work with men, whether solely with male caregivers or with couples. Twenty-three of the 46 programmes working with men (50 percent) contained content that is tailored to participating men, such as encouraging fathers to invest more time in the care and development of their children and challenging some of the harmful masculine norms that drive violence against women and children. Goals and Outcomes of Mapped Parenting Programmes The mapping also captured the main goals and outcomes of programmes that work with caregivers. Unsurprisingly, the majority of parenting programmes mapped mainly focused on improving the way parents and caregivers interact with and raise their children. For example, most programmes mapped aimed to foster positive parenting practices, encouraging nurturing care, and managing child behaviour. There were also a significant number of outcomes focused on improving communication between caregivers and children and reducing corporal punishment and harsh parenting methods, as evidenced in the table below. Goal/Outcome Area Description # Programmes addressing this goal Positive Parenting and

care, and managing child behaviour. There were also a significant number of outcomes focused on improving communication between caregivers and children and reducing corporal punishment and harsh parenting methods, as evidenced in the table below. Goal/Outcome Area Description # Programmes addressing this goal Positive Parenting and Nurturing Care Focused on strengthening caregiver–child interactions through positive parenting practices, nurturing care, and improved behaviour management. 69 Reduction of Harsh Parenting/Corporal Punishment Targeted reduction of violent or harsh disciplinary practices. 45 Improved Communication Aimed to enhance communication between caregivers and children. 40 Prevention of Violence Against Children (VAC) Explicitly addressed VAC such as physical/emotional abuse and neglect, focusing on child protection and safety. 34 Child Well-being Included goals around early stimulation, learning, health and nutrition, and social-emotional development. 25 Gender Equality and Male Engagement Promoted gender-equitable caregiving, challenged rigid gender roles, and increased fathers’ involvement in childcare. 17 Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Sought to reduce domestic violence and IPV, recognising its impact on children and family well-being. 12 Caregiver Mental Health and Well-being Included outcomes related to reducing parental stress, enhancing coping skills, strengthening social support, and linking caregivers to services. 10 8 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESAmong the 69 programmes mapped, 67 (97 percent) sought to prevent or reduce violence against children and 34 sought to prevent or reduce violence against women (49 percent). A third of the programmes (33 percent) sought to address both forms of violence, demonstrating that though many of the parenting programmes mapped were already working at the intersection of both forms of violence, there was ample opportunity for more parenting programmes to strengthen violence prevention and advance gender equality. Practitioners from programmes that were addressing violence against children, but not violence against women, highlighted similar concerns about addressing violence against women. This

many of the parenting programmes mapped were already working at the intersection of both forms of violence, there was ample opportunity for more parenting programmes to strengthen violence prevention and advance gender equality. Practitioners from programmes that were addressing violence against children, but not violence against women, highlighted similar concerns about addressing violence against women. This included concerns about overloading programme curricula, which already addressed many topics, staff knowledge, and capacity; concerns about how to effectively engage fathers in caregiving; and being able to adequately respond to and refer women who were experiencing violence to services. Addressing Gender Equity The mapping aimed to assess to what extent programmes were already addressing gender in the programmatic design, content, delivery, and assessment of outcomes. More specifically: • Did the objectives and expected outcomes include reference to shifting gender roles, attitudes, or norms? • To what extent did the programme content address gender issues with the aim of challenging restrictive gender attitudes and practices and promoting more equitable ones? • How were the main activities designed to create opportunities to promote gender equality in the family? • What evidence was there that the programme was able to shift restrictive gender norms? Addressing the Intersections of VAW and VAC 9 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESAfter reviewing openly available published materials (e.g. curricula, facilitator manuals, programme briefs, evaluation reports, and consulting with partners, advisors, and staff, the parenting programmes were categorised into the following: • Opportunities for Integration — Defined as programmes that have many opportunities to integrate gender as the programme made little to no mention of gender, gender norms, or the different roles/needs of women, men, girls, or boys. Æ 18.8 percent of programmes fit into this category. • Early Stages of Integration — The programme made initial references to gender (e.g., mentioned mothers and fathers) but did not address power dynamics, roles, or equality. Æ 33.3 percent of programmes fit into this category. • Some Integration — The programme integrated gender considerations in some activities or content (e.g., encouraged involvement of both caregivers, acknowledged unequal roles or

mothers and fathers) but did not address power dynamics, roles, or equality. Æ 33.3 percent of programmes fit into this category. • Some Integration — The programme integrated gender considerations in some activities or content (e.g., encouraged involvement of both caregivers, acknowledged unequal roles or norms), but it was not systematic or transformative. Æ 17.3 percent of programmes fit into this category. • Gender-Transformative — The programme consistently and intentionally addressed gender equality and power dynamics and included this focus as an integral part of its objectives and expected outcomes (e.g., promoted shared caregiving, challenges harmful gender norms, supports equitable decision-making, and worked to promote more equal, and non-violent relationships overall). Æ 30.4 percent of programmes fit into this category. Opportunities for integration 18.8% Early stages of integration 33.3% Some integration 17.3% Gender-transformative 30.4% 10 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESMany practitioners we spoke with were eager to strengthen the gender transformative content of their programs and were taking active steps to do so. However, many noted that they struggled with how to identify the key opportunities or entry points where their programme could be strengthened, and how to thoughtfully facilitate reflection on gender norms – particularly in the face of rising backlash against gender equality. Practitioners struggled with how to deepen their existing content to provoke meaningful critical reflection (i.e., going beyond superficial changes to content). They also focused less on re-thinking programme design and implementation quality in addition to shifting programme content. Programme Delivery - Main Activities The programmes mapped were implemented in a variety of ways such as in-person interactive learning (e.g., discussion groups), digital delivery, and community mobilisation to promote positive parenting practices and prevent violence. Thirty-eight programmes (55 percent) were delivered mostly in-person with parents and caregivers in homes, schools, health centres, and even at the workplace. For example, ‘Free to Grow’ is a workplace-based programme that addresses violence in the home by supporting working parents and caregivers. Designed to be delivered

mostly in-person with parents and caregivers in homes, schools, health centres, and even at the workplace. For example, ‘Free to Grow’ is a workplace-based programme that addresses violence in the home by supporting working parents and caregivers. Designed to be delivered during working hours, it helped employees build stronger families and better work relationships — reducing home conflict. Several programmes coupled this with community-based approaches such as ‘Safe Families’, a programme for use in development and humanitarian contexts to reduce physical and humiliating punishment against children. The approach engages men and women in parenting group sessions, adult–child interactions, and community mobilisation activities. Twenty-five programmes (36%) were delivered using a blend of in-person and online approaches, with the latter including the use of tools such as instant messaging apps and social media to deliver programme content. For example, the ‘PLH for Young Children’ in Thailand promoted positive discipline and support caregiver well-being, using a blend of in-person sessions and reinforcement of messages through a phone messaging app. Digitisation through the use of online tools such as chatbots and instant messaging apps was increasingly seen as a low-cost and effective way to deliver and scale up parenting programmes. Potential for Scale The vast majority of the parenting programmes mapped were implemented primarily at the community and household levels, aiming to influence behavioural changes and skills-building among parents and caregivers. Most activities, as described above, involved group sessions or workshops for parents and direct parent–child engagement activities. Though still significant, a smaller proportion of programmes included community mobilisation such as through community dialogues or sensitisation campaigns, or peer-led models that built local support networks. Some programmes involved government or NGO partners for implementation and mostly focused on programme delivery. For example, see the case study on ‘Early Journey of Life’, an early childhood development programme with a focus on maternal and child mental health in Vietnam. 11 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESEarly Journey of Life (EJOL) is a parenting programme that addresses key risk factors for maternal mental and physical health and early childhood development in Vietnam and was

development programme with a focus on maternal and child mental health in Vietnam. 11 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESEarly Journey of Life (EJOL) is a parenting programme that addresses key risk factors for maternal mental and physical health and early childhood development in Vietnam and was developed by the Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD) in Hanoi and Monash University in Melbourne. Originally focused on the first 1,000 days of life, it has expanded to cover pregnancy through to age five (the first 2,000 days). The programme offers in-person, hybrid, and online formats. The hybrid model includes 12 group sessions integrated into routine immunisation visits, delivered in-person during the 30-minute post-vaccination waiting period, organised by age cohorts, and four optional online courses. Sessions are also offered in paediatric and obstetrics departments. The online courses are also available for parents who are unable to attend in person. The sessions and courses cover nine topics, including pregnancy, childbirth preparation, newborn care, child–caregiver interactions, injury prevention, perinatal mental health, and gender empowerment. The programme actively encourages fathers to participate in responsive caregiving and supportive partnerships. Materials and imagery (e.g., videos, storybooks, toys) deliberately portray mothers and fathers in non-traditional roles. The EJOL team has analysed the programme’s gender transformative and violence prevention elements and continues strengthening these components. A cluster randomised controlled trial of an earlier version of EJOL (2018 to 2021) found that children who participated in the programme showed higher cognitive, motor, and language development than the comparison group. The programme also improved parents’ responsive care and early learning activities, including fathers’ behaviours. EJOL is currently being scaled up together with the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour Vietnam and is expected to reach seven of Vietnam’s 34 provinces by 2028, reaching more than 12 percent of the country’s population. The programme is also being adapted to reach 16 ethnic minority groups across the country.

General Confederation of Labour Vietnam and is expected to reach seven of Vietnam’s 34 provinces by 2028, reaching more than 12 percent of the country’s population. The programme is also being adapted to reach 16 ethnic minority groups across the country. The team is working to institutionalise EJOL in the national health system through health worker training, policy integration, indicator reporting, and promotion of positive caregiving practices nationally. Given its reach, deliberate and effective scale-up strategy, and focus on multiple risk factors, EJOL has enormous potential to prevent IPV and VAC and promote more equitable relationships. For more information, see: ejol.vn/ejol-in-english

Case Study: Early Journey of Life (Vietnam)

12 RESULTS FROM A GLOBAL MAPPING OF PARENT AND CAREGIVER PROGRAMMESAt the same time, the mapping found that systemic or institutional engagement remained limited. This means that there were potential areas for future investment especial