Prof Lucie Cluver, Lecturer at Universities of Oxford and Cape Town, has been awarded the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 'Outstanding International Impact Award'.

Professor Cluver's research on adolescents infected with HIV and AIDS in Africa showed that providing families with social welfare payments 'Cash plus Care' can vastly reduce the risk of HIV among young people. This evidence has led to the rollout of many 'Cash plus Care' programmes in 10 African countries.

Evidence from Lucie Cluver's research team has been the base for some of RIATT-ESA advocacy for children affected by HIV in the region. This research has been used to inform RIATT-ESA publications, webinars and policy briefs. In 2015 RIATT-ESA commissioned an analyses of existing data to improve the understanding and build the evidence base around the kinds of interventions which are most effective for children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. Prof. Lucie Cluver’s research team were an integral part of this process.

Click here to for the policy briefs.

About the Award

In East and Southern Africa, 35% of women are married before age 18. Globally, over 650 million women alive today were married as children. Child marriage is rooted in gender inequality and is exacerbated by poverty, insecurity and conflict.

Launched in 2018, RIATT-ESA in partnership with the the African Union and with support from Media Monitoring Africa, launched an award for journalists reporting on Child Marriage. The award was developed in support the African Union Campaign to End Child Marriage Campaign, in an effort to enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of girls and women in Africa. The primary objective of the Award is to promote reporting of child marriage issues; hence raising public awareness, understanding and galvanizing action against child marriage.

The first awards were handed out in 2019 during the during the 3rd STC & SDLE of the African Union.