Our goals
Our research
Why child marriage?
Child marriage is a major issue in Uganda. Estimates suggest that 40% of women aged 20-24 years were first married before the age of 18. A 2011 study found that 65% of women have suffered domestic violence. The notion of domestic violence is largely unknown in Ugandan society, with many citizens believing the term refers only to the most serious cases.
What are we doing about it?
The None in Three model uses a mixed methods research approach:
- We conduct interviews and focus groups with survivors and perpetrators of child marriage to gain a deep understanding of young people’s experiences.
- We also conduct large surveys with more than 10,000 young people in schools and other institutions to understand their exposure and attitudes to gender-based violence.
- The outcomes from our research inform the development of an interactive educational computer game for young people to play.
- We use further anonymous surveys to evaluate the impact on young people of the game.
- A teaching resource pack will accompany the game, once its effectiveness has been measured, to ensure players have sufficient time to reflect on the issues and debate the characters’ attitudes and behaviours.

How?
- We work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to understand the important work they do, and to interview the survivors and perpetrators of gender violence they support.
- We also work closely with schools and with young people, some of whom will act as consultants helping us to develop a realistic and dynamic computer game.
About Makerere University
The None in Three Research Centre (Ni3) is housed in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, School of Social Sciences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Since its inception in 1969, the Department has provided consultancy services to government departments, UN agencies, and local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The Department of SWSA has a proven track record in designing and implementing large-scale research and evaluation projects focusing on women, children and youth.

Get in touch
Contact Makerere University
Contact Ni3
Uganda
References
1O’Sullivan, Rao, Banerjee, Gulati & Vinez (2014), Levelling the field : improving opportunities for women farmers in Africa, World Bank
2Global Gender Gap Report 2018, World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-gender-gap-report-2018
3Petroni, Seinhaus, Fenn, Stoebenau & Gregowski, (2017), New Findings on Child Marriage in Sub-Saharan Africa, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
4Clarke, Paralay, Allen, Knight, Naker & Devries, (2016)