Independent researcher on public health, gender and development
Designing community interventions does entail a risk of not attending to real community needs or tackling root causes of problems. For example, exclusively targeting women, in the name of gender equality and women’s empowerment, without paying attention to their other family member’s needs, be it their husbands or children, can actually disturb family dynamics and relations and create more problems. Often, targeting men can be the solution to women’s problems! Similarly, targeting refugees in developing countries necessitates examining their host communities which might be in need of support as much as the refugees they host. Communities ought to be approached holistically and comprehensively, otherwise, results will not be sustainable. That said, cultural relevance and appropriateness of interventions become important factors, necessitating thorough research and community participation in order to collect data and gain insights.