Final Report: Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) for the Education Sector

The study was conducted by AidData at William & Mary from August 2018 to September 2021, with funding from USAID's Bureau for Africa. The study focused on three countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Zambia. In Côte d'Ivoire, the analysis found correlations between violence and gender-related attitudes, including recognition of women's rights as a major national problem and support for female political leaders. The study also found correlations between violence and education-related attitudes, such as prioritization of government education spending and prevalence of educational bribes. In Kenya, the analysis found that the prevalence of educational bribes was significantly higher in areas with higher levels of violence. The study also found that recognition of education as a major national problem was associated with lower levels of violence. In Zambia, the analysis found that the prevalence of educational bribes was significantly higher in areas with lower levels of access to educational services. The study used a variety of data sources, including the VACS, Afrobarometer, and GADM department shapefile. The VACS data were merged with Afrobarometer data to generate correlations between violence and various attitudes and behaviors. The study found that recognition of women's rights and education as major national problems was associated with lower levels of violence. The study's findings have implications for the education sector, particularly in terms of addressing violence and promoting education-related attitudes and behaviors. The study recommends that policymakers and practitioners prioritize education-related interventions that address violence and promote positive attitudes and behaviors. The study's methodology involved merging VACS and Afrobarometer data to generate correlations between violence and various attitudes and behaviors. The study used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to analyze the data and identify significant correlations. The study's findings were discussed in the context of the education sector and the need for policymakers and practitioners to address violence and promote education-related attitudes and behaviors. The study's results highlight the importance of addressing violence and promoting education-related attitudes and behaviors in the education sector. The study's findings have implications for policymakers and practitioners working in the education sector, particularly in terms of developing effective interventions to address violence and promote positive attitudes and behaviors.