BACKGROUND In the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) programs targeting women are implemented. In the context of the 'Mawe Tatu' program more equitable intra-household decision-making is stipulated by accompanying women's participation in VSLAs with efforts to engage men for more gender equality, expecting a positive effect of this combined intervention on the household economy, on child nutritional status, on the use of reproductive health services including family planning, and on reducing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). METHODS A longitudinal parallel mixed method study is conducted among women participating in VSLAs in randomly selected project areas and among a control group matched for socioeconomic characteristics. Descriptive statistics will be calculated and differences between intervention and control groups will be assessed by Chi2 tests for different degrees of freedom for categorical data or by t-tests for continuous data. Structural equation modelling (SEM) will be conducted to investigate the complex and multidimensional pathways that will affect household economic status, child nutritional status and use of reproductive health services. Analysis will be conducted with STATA V.15. Concomitantly, qualitative data collection will shed light on the intra-household processes related to gender power-relations that may be linked to women's participation in economic activities and may lead to improvements of maternal and child health. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews will be conducted. All narrative data will be coded (open coding) with the help of qualitative data analysis software (Atlas TI). DISCUSSION Women's empowerment has long been identified as being able to bring about progress in various areas, including health. It has been shown that men's commitment to transforming gender norms is a sinequanone factor for greater equity and better health, especially in terms of reproductive health and child nutrition. This study is one of the first in this genre in DRC and results will serve as a guide for policies aimed at improving the involvement of men in changing attitudes towards gender norms for higher household productivity and better health.

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刚果民主共和国东部地区复杂的性别转变干预措施对母婴健康结局的影响：纵向平行混合方法研究的方案。

背景技术在刚果民主共和国（DRC）的东部，实施了针对妇女的乡村储蓄和贷款协会（VSLA）计划。在“ Mawe Tatu”计划的背景下，伴随妇女参与VSLA并努力使男子参与以实现更多的性别平等，规定了更公平的家庭内部决策，期望这种联合干预措施对家庭经济产生积极影响。儿童营养状况，使用生殖健康服务（包括计划生育）以及减少性暴力和基于性别的暴力（SGBV）。方法在参与随机选择的项目区域的VSLA中的妇女和与社会经济特征相匹配的对照组中进行纵向平行混合方法研究。通过分类数据的不同自由度的Chi2检验或连续数据的t检验，将计算描述性统计数据，并通过干预来评估干预组与对照组之间的差异。将进行结构方程模型（SEM）来研究复杂和多维的途径，这些途径将影响家庭经济状况，儿童营养状况和生殖健康服务的使用。将使用STATA V.15进行分析。同时，定性数据收集将揭示与性别权力关系有关的家庭内部过程，这可能与妇女参与经济活动有关，并可能改善母婴健康。将进行焦点小组讨论和深入访谈。所有叙述性数据将借助定性数据分析软件（Atlas TI）进行编码（开放编码）。讨论长期以来，增强妇女能力一直被认为能够在包括卫生在内的各个领域取得进步。事实表明，男人致力于改变性别规范是实现更大的公平和更好的健康的一个正当理由，特别是在生殖健康和儿童营养方面。这项研究是刚果民主共和国这一流派中的首批研究之一，其结果将为旨在改善男子参与改变对性别规范的态度，以提高家庭生产率和改善健康的政策提供指导。包括健康。事实表明，男人致力于改变性别规范是实现更大的公平和更好的健康的一个正当理由，特别是在生殖健康和儿童营养方面。这项研究是刚果民主共和国这一流派中的首批研究之一，其结果将为旨在改善男子参与改变对性别规范的态度，以提高家庭生产率和改善健康的政策提供指导。包括健康。事实表明，男人致力于改变性别规范是实现更大的公平和更好的健康的一个正当理由，特别是在生殖健康和儿童营养方面。这项研究是刚果民主共和国这一流派中的首批研究之一，其结果将为旨在改善男子参与改变对性别规范的态度，以提高家庭生产率和改善健康的政策提供指导。