EVIDENCE
This workstream is one of three iterative workstreams around which the work of GEMMS will centre. It is led by Amita Bhide and Thobeka Nkomo.
The objective of this workstream is to evaluate existing evidence and service gaps to inform the design of research and intervention tools, and centres around three research questions:
- What is the existing evidence relating to the intersecting risks of gendered violence and poor mental health among migrants in precarious situations in India, Myanmar, South Africa and Zimbabwe?
- What tools exist to capture these risks in migrant populations over time and place, as they move across different precarious situations? and,
- What current services and approaches address gendered violence and mental health in India, Myanmar, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and how responsive are these to the needs of migrants?
To answer these questions we will be identifying, reviewing, and analysing existing literature, data, and research tools on the topic through a systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. Existing literature includes work by GEMMS members, for example from research exploring approaches to understanding and addressing the health needs of migrant agricultural workers; and more recent work exploring the impact of Covid-19 and responses to the pandemic on migrants in precarious contexts. A review of existing methodological tools will build on existing work by group members in order to develop our methodological approach for understanding the health experiences of diverse migrant groups over time and in ‘hidden spaces.’ This will include exploring the possibilities offered by diverse methods, including face-to-face and telephonic surveys, arts-based and creative research methods, and the use of remote technology, such as WhatsApp Messenger, as research tools.
Secondary analysis will be undertaken of data collected in a recent cross-sectional survey exploring the health and psychosocial needs of migrants in Beitbridge and Musina. In addition, during this exploratory process we hope to identify and analyse additional data sources and assess key gaps in this data by conducting a systematic review of published and grey literature.
The second part of this workstream involves stakeholder and policy identification and analysis. This will include a desk review of relevant local, national, and global policies and processes, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Here we plan to use the Intersectionality Based Policy Analysis Approach (IBPA) to examine the extent to which policies address interactions between the social determinants of gendered violence and mental health, identify who are excluded from policy processes, and determine spaces for action.
Findings from this Workstream will inform the design of research tools for the experience workstream.
To answer these questions we will be identifying, reviewing, and analysing existing literature, data, and research tools on the topic through a systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. Existing literature includes work by GEMMS members, for example from research exploring approaches to understanding and addressing the health needs of migrant agricultural workers; and more recent work exploring the impact of Covid-19 and responses to the pandemic on migrants in precarious contexts. A review of existing methodological tools will build on existing work by group members in order to develop our methodological approach for understanding the health experiences of diverse migrant groups over time and in ‘hidden spaces.’ This will include exploring the possibilities offered by diverse methods, including face-to-face and telephonic surveys, arts-based and creative research methods, and the use of remote technology, such as WhatsApp Messenger, as research tools.
Secondary analysis will be undertaken of data collected in a recent cross-sectional survey exploring the health and psychosocial needs of migrants in Beitbridge and Musina. In addition, during this exploratory process we hope to identify and analyse additional data sources and assess key gaps in this data by conducting a systematic review of published and grey literature.
The second part of this workstream involves stakeholder and policy identification and analysis. This will include a desk review of relevant local, national, and global policies and processes, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Here we plan to use the Intersectionality Based Policy Analysis Approach (IBPA) to examine the extent to which policies address interactions between the social determinants of gendered violence and mental health, identify who are excluded from policy processes, and determine spaces for action.
Findings from this Workstream will inform the design of research tools for the experience workstream.
📷 Madoda Mkhobeni