DHS in the News - COVID-19

Journalists worldwide write about The DHS Program results. The dissemination of DHS, SPA and HIV data is often widely covered by media in survey countries, but journalists also use The DHS Program data throughout the year as background information for their stories, or to compare health and development indicators across countries. These data are also used by journalists in the United States and other developed countries, as it is considered the gold standard of population, health and nutrition data. Below are some examples of recent news coverage. Please note: The links below are to websites outside The DHS Program.

Mar 18, 2021
Did Covid-19 erode progress in fighting gender-based violence?

Violet Alinda
DAILY MONITOR (Kampala, Uganda)

"...In 2016, the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) showed that one in four (22 per cent) women aged 15 to 49 experienced sexual violence at some point..."

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/did-covid-19-erode-progress-in-fighting-gender-based-violence--3327200
Feb 25, 2021
Global charity patches together stat about African teen lockdown pregnancies

Mandy Lombo and Cayley Clifford
AFRICA CHECK (Johannesburg, South Africa)

"...World Vision told Africa Check it used two statistics to calculate the figure. The first was on pregnancies in women aged 15 to 19 from the 2015/16 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey. It showed that 10% of these were among young women with some level of secondary education or higher. This figure was used as a 'regional proxy' to represent the situation across sub-Saharan Africa..."

https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/reports/global-charity-patches-together-stat-about-african-teen-lockdown-pregnancies
Feb 21, 2021
OPINION: FGM is a serious cultural, health problem that must be stopped

Alvin Mwangi
CITIZEN DIGITAL (Nairobi, Kenya)

"...According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2014, 21% of girls and women aged 15-49 have been circumcised..."

https://citizentv.co.ke/blogs/opinion-fgm-is-a-serious-cultural-health-problem-that-must-be-stopped-6909103/
Feb 16, 2021
Solon seeks probe into rising cases of abuse vs women, kids during pandemic

Neil Arwin Mercado
INQUIRER.NET (Manila, Philippines)

"...Citing the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority, Villar said only one out of three Filipino women who have experienced abuse sought help to stop it..."

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1396402/solon-seeks-probe-into-rising-cases-of-abuse-vs-women-kids-during-pandemic
Feb 12, 2021
Gender violence: Kenya’s growing shadow epidemic

John Muchangi
THE STAR (Kenya)

"...The 2014 Demographic and Health Survey showed at least 45 per cent of women and girls aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence and 14 per cent have experienced sexual violence..."

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2021-02-12-gender-violence-kenyas-growing-shadow-epidemic/