Miranda van Reeuwijk #FR#

Miranda is a medical anthropologist (PhD) and senior researcher for Rutgers International. Her key interest is in adolescents sexuality: how they experience puberty and sexual- and gender socialisation; how they give meaning to love, sex and relationships; and what factors support or undermine their positive and healthy sexuality development.

Information from research that understands the daily realities of adolescents and what matters to them, is key for developing and improving interventions that are responsive to their needs and effective to support their sexual development and sexual wellbeing.

Meaningful engagement of adolescents and youth

Meaningful engagement of adolescents and youth as co-researchers is critical to get quality information on their needs and realities, in order to develop relevant, attractive and responsive programs. Miranda developed a methodology for meaningful youth participation in research that we implement in our operational research and evaluations, and that enhances youth engagement in the dissemination and utilisation of research results. Access the Explore Toolkit.

She currently leads the Rutgers Explore4Action research programme (2018-2022) that evaluates our comprehensive sexuality education intervention in Indonesia and investigates factors that influence gender attitude formation and sexual wellbeing in very young adolescents.

Her PhD research (2009) studied why children and adolescents in Tanzania engage in sex and what sex and relationships mean for them: Because of Temptations: Children, Sex and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.

Publications

2021

Kågesten, A., & van Reeuwijk, M. (2021). Adolescent Healthy Sexuality: A Conceptual Framework. Accepted by Sexual Reproductive Health Matters.

Vanwesenbeeck, I., Cense, M., Van Reeuwijk, M., Westeneng, J. (2021) Understanding sexual agency. Implications for sexual health programming. Sexes 2021, 2(4), 378-396;

Page, A., Cense, M., Van Reeuwijk, M. (2021) Working with young peer researchers in sexuality studies: Benefits, Challenges and Lessons Learnt (under peer review with SRHM Matters)

Kakal, T., Nalwadda, C., Van Reeuwijk, M., Van Veen, M., Kusters, L., Chatterjee, O., Owekmeno, C., Kwagala, E., Kok, M. (2021) Young people’s choice and voice concerning sex and relationships: effects of the multicomponent Get Up Speak Out! Programme in Iganga, Uganda. Submitted at BMC Public Health (17 September 2021).

De Meyer, S., Kemigisha, E., Van Reeuwijk, M., Kagesten, A., Michielsen, K. (2021) Young people’s perspectives on sexual wellbeing and sexual consent: A qualitative study in Ecuador and Uganda. Report for Plan International. Rutgers, Utrecht.

De Meyer, S., Van Reeuwijk, M., Rost, L., Lau, K., Kagesten, A., Michielsen, K. (2021) Young people’s perspectives on sexual wellbeing and consent: A literature review. Plan International, London, UK.

Kågesten, A., Pinandari, A., Page, A., Wilopo, S., Van Reeuwijk, M. (2021) Sexual wellbeing among young adolescent boys and girls in Indonesia. BMJ Reproductive Health 18 (1).

Yu, C., Kågesten, A., De Meyer, S., Moreau, C., Van Reeuwijk, M., Lou, C. (2021) Pornography use and perceived gender norms among young adolescents in urban poor environments: a cross-site study. Journal of Adolescent Health 69(1):S31-S38.

El Halabi, S. & Annerstedt, K. S. (2021) Cost analysis of a comprehensive sexuality education intervention in Indonesia – SETARA program. Report (Miranda van Reeuwijk commissioned and contributed to this study and report). Rutgers WPF Indonesia. Jakarta, Indonesia.

2020

Van Reeuwijk, M., Kågesten, A.E. (2020) Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Adolescent Sexual Wellbeing: Setara Theory of Change [White paper]. Utrecht, Rutgers.

Igras, S., Van Reeuwijk, M., Priester, M., Both, R., Van Zorge, R., Van Veen, M. (2020) A Multi-Component Systems Approach to Enhance and Sustain Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Wellbeing at Scale [White paper]. Utrecht, Rutgers.

Page, A., Baeha, W., Praptiwi, K., Van Reeuwijk, M. Making the case for sexuality education in Indonesia using Global Early Adolescent Study data. ANSWER publication “ Five years of global academic collaboration building evidence for sexual and reproductive health and rights policies” A Ghent University led initiative.

Co-author for Explore4Actions publications:

• Gender Norms and Adolescent Development, Health and Wellbeing in Indonesia. Results from the Global Early Adolescent Study and the Youth Voices Research conducted in Indonesia between July 2018 and July 2019. Rutgers WPF, Jakarta. Available here.
• Navigating complex, conflicting norms: Young Indonesians’ experiences of gender and sexuality. Youth Voices Research Phase One Report. Rutgers WPF, Jakarta. Available here.
• Early Adolescents’ Voices in Indonesia: A qualitative exploration of results from the Global Early Adolescent Study 2020

2018

Van Reeuwijk, M., A. Singh (2018) Meaningful Youth Participation as a way to achieving success – Results from operational research on meaningful youth participation in a large-scale youth SRHR program in Africa and Asia. Canadian Journal of Children’s Rights Vol. 5 No.1.

Burke, E., A. le May, F. Kebe, I. Wittebrood-Flink, M. van Reeuwijk (2018) Experiences of being, and working with, young people with disabilities as peer researchers in Senegal: The impact on data quality, analysis, and well-being. Qualitative Social Work 0(0) 1–18.

Vanwesenbeeck, I., J. Westeneng, I. Wittebrood-Flink, M. van Reeuwijk. Not by CSE Alone… Further Reflections on International Cooperation in Sex Education. SEX EDUCATION 2019, VOL. 19, NO. 3, 297-312.

Chau, K., M. van Reeuwijk, S. Mbaye (2017) Perceptions and results of youth participation: The youth focal point model in a Sexual and Reproductive Health programme in Senegal. Unpublished

2017

Burke, E., F. Kebe, I. Wittebrood-Flink, M. van Reeuwijk, A. le May. (2017) A qualitative study to explore the barriers and enablers for young people with disabilities to access sexual and reproductive health services in Senegal. Reproductive Health Matters 2017;0(0):1–12.

2015

Co-author of the Operational Research Symposium Magazine “What Works”.

Co-author of many of the research reports resulting from the operational research projects under the SRHR alliance ‘ASK’ programme.

2014

Article on Dutch development website OneWorld.

2013

Van Reeuwijk, M. & P. Nahar (2013) The importance of a positive approach to sexuality in sexual health programmes for unmarried adolescents in Bangladesh. Reproductive Health Matters 2013; 21 (41): 69 – 77.

Nahar, P., M. van Reeuwijk and R. Reis (2013) Contextualising sexual harassment of adolescent girls in Bangladesh. Reproductive Health Matters 2013; 21 (41): 78 – 86.

Umuhoza, C., B. Oosters, M. van Reeuwijk and I. Vanwesenbeeck (2013) Advocating for safe abortion in Rwanda: how young people and the personal stories of young women in prison brought about change. Reproductive Health Matters 2013; 21 (41): 49 – 56.

· EXPLORE Toolkit – Toolkit for involving young people as researchers in SRHR programmes. Consisting of toolkit instructions and three manuals for Research, M&E and Peer Review. Developed and published by Rutgers and IPPF.

Joanne N Leerlooijer, Arjan ER Bos, Robert AC Ruiter, Miranda AJ Van Reeuwijk, Liesbeth E Rijsdijk, Nathan Nshakira and Gerjo Kok (2013) Qualitative evaluation of the Teenage Mothers Project in Uganda: A community-based empowerment intervention for unmarried teenage mothers. BMC Public Health 13: 816.

Van Reeuwijk, M. Kinderen en seksualiteit. Kinderen als medeonderzoekers naar seksualiteit en seksueel gedrag in Tanzania. Case study for book: C. Dedding et al. (2013) Kinderen en jongeren actief in wetenschappelijk onderzoek. Ethiek, methoden en resultaten van onderzoek. Uitgeverij LannooCampus