Could a Parenting Program be Adapted to Address Both Violence Against Children and Against Women? Views from Stakeholders in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC) tend to concurrently affect families and share a number of risk factors. Parenting programs are an evidence-based strategy for addressing VAC, and potentially a non-stigmatizing means of curbing VAW through teaching conflict transformation skills and emphasizing co-parenting. This study explored how the Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH) for Parents and Teens program could be adapted to incorporate an explicit effort to prevent violence against women, including, necessarily, engaging fathers in the Zimbabwean context. Participants were recruited from Mazowe, Zimbabwe, and included 20 mothers and teens who had previously completed the PLH program, as well as four people who had facilitated it; and 10 mothers, 10 fathers and 10 teens who had no PLH experience. Data were collected during COVID-19 lockdowns, and thus individual interviews with the facilitators were conducted on Zoom and focus group discussions with the other participants were conducted via WhatsApp. There was enthusiasm for such a program, with fathers emphasizing a desire to acquire better relationship skills and mothers emphasizing the need for income generation. Findings also pointed to the importance of taking a gender-transformative approach and purposely focusing on engaging fathers during recruitment and program sessions. This study’s recommendations contribute to the broader effort to prevent VAW and VAC concurrently, offering a comprehensive strategy for creating safer and more resilient family environments.