Quarterly Performance Report #6 (April 1 – June 30, 2020) for A Mixed Method Study on Gender Differentiated Drivers of Violent Extremism in Central Sahel

The project, funded by USAID/West Africa, aims to provide a robust and evidence-based analysis of gender-differentiated violent extremism drivers in the three target countries. The overarching research question is: What are the key violent extremism drivers in three Central Sahelian countries — Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — and how do these drivers differ by gender? The project consists of two components: a quantitative study examining the effects of individual characteristics and context on male and female attitudes towards violent extremism, and a qualitative study using data from different types of interviews that unpacks the relationship between male/female attitudes towards violent extremism and violent extremism drivers. The combined study intends to provide actionable recommendations to USAID and their implementing partners. Key activities and achievements include co-facilitating trainings for local enumerators in Mali and Niger, completing field data collection in two communities in Mali, and selecting an alternate target community in Niger due to violent extremist events. The project also expanded the scope of a local research partner in Niger to take over field data collection activities from the originally selected partner in Burkina Faso. Additionally, an unfunded extension modification request was submitted to USAID/West Africa. The political environment in Mali has deteriorated significantly in the past quarter, with tensions observed since the beginning of the year. The transitional authorities, dominated by the military, announced a series of milestones aimed at returning power to civilians by mid-2022. In Niger, the security situation remains challenging, with violent extremist events preventing field data collection in one of the target communities. In Burkina Faso, the security situation is also concerning, with a high risk of violent extremist events. The project's qualitative study is using data from key informant interviews, community-level interviews, and in-depth interviews to unpack the relationship between male/female attitudes towards violent extremism and violent extremism drivers. The study aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the complex interactions between individual characteristics, context, and gender in shaping attitudes towards violent extremism. The findings of the study will inform the development of targeted interventions to address the root causes of violent extremism in the Liptako-Gourma region. The project's quantitative study is examining the effects of individual characteristics and context on male and female attitudes towards violent extremism. The study is using a mixed-methods approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative data to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationships between individual characteristics, context, and gender in shaping attitudes towards violent extremism. The findings of the study will inform the development of evidence-based interventions to address the root causes of violent extremism in the Liptako-Gourma region. The project's dissemination plan aims to share the findings of the study with key stakeholders, including USAID, implementing partners, and local communities. The plan includes the development of a final report, presentation of the findings at a regional conference, and the dissemination of the findings through social media and other channels. The project's success stories highlight the importance of engaging local communities in the research process and the need for targeted interventions to address the root causes of violent extremism in the Liptako-Gourma region.