Our Research
Our research covers a broad spectrum of themes which relate to improving the lives of adolescents in resource-limited settings. This work is centred around an effort to achieve positive outcomes within education, food security and poverty reduction, gender-sensitive programming, health and HIV, social protection and economic strengthening, and violence prevention. Our work also includes a focus on supporting the COVID-19 response as well as methodology innovation to inform interventions.
Food security and poverty reduction
Significant challenges remain in the fight against food and nutritional insecurity in all its forms. The Accelerate Hub highlights the role of food in the fight to reduce poverty.
Health and HIV
Challenges persist in ensuring that every child and adolescent has the right to good health. Communicable diseases such as HIV continue to endanger children and adolescents across the continent. The Accelerate Hub is committed to strengthening knowledge around adolescent experiences of health and healthcare.
Education
Education is the greatest global opportunity for preparing adolescents for life, work, and active citizenship. The Accelerate Hub investigates the barriers and opportunities for education and schooling in Africa, and their wider implications on health, wellbeing, and livelihoods.
Gender-transformative programming
Adolescent girls continue to face gender-based hardships and discrimination in their lives. The Accelerate Hub aims to keep a spotlight on gendered issues and their intersections with all our work – including in our studies and data analysis.
COVID-19 and shock response
The Accelerate Hub team has been responding to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on supporting children, adolescents, and parents.
Methodology innovation
The Accelerate Hub collaborates with global researchers to understand and resolve methodological findings that arise in generating evidence around development accelerators.
Social protection and economic strengthening
Social protection covers the range of policies and programmes to alleviate extreme poverty — including cash transfers, child grants, and school meals — that guard against social and economic insecurity. The Accelerate Hub examines the crucial role social protection can play in preventing economic hardship and advancing inclusive development.
Violence prevention
Violence has no place in the lives of children and adolescents. The Accelerate Hub’s research focuses on preventing multiple forms of psychological and physical violence, contributing to secure environments for Africa’s adolescents and to providing safe transitions to adulthood.
