Oral PhD Defense for Ran van der Wal

About the Research

Ran van der Wal is a PhD candidate in the Department of Family Medicine. Her dissertation addressed structural drivers of HIV infection like poverty, lack of education and gender inequality. Her research explored how existing social protection programs in Botswana could be made more inclusive of the HIV-vulnerable group of unemployed and out-of-school young women. She systematically reviewed best practices of HIV-sensitive social protection in East and Southern Africa. A qualitative exploratory study explored barriers and solutions in Botswana (in press). The regional and local evidence contributed alternative policy and practice options that young women and frontline service providers assessed and prioritized in a modified Policy Delphi. The findings reveal extensive socioeconomic disadvantage of unemployed and out-of-school young women in Botswana and ample policy space to make existing programs more HIV-sensitive.

Presenter: Ran van der Wal

Subject: Structural Drivers of HIV Infection (Oral PhD Defense)

Date: Tuesday October 31, 9 am to 12 pm

Where: 5858 Côte-des-Neiges, Suite 307 (in-person only)

PhD supervisor: Neil Andersson

PhD advisory committee: Anne Cockcroft, Isabelle Vedel, Mira Johri

No registration is required.

Ran’s research was supported by A Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship—CIHR; Fonds de recherche du Québec—santé doctoral scholarship; Lloyd Carr Harris Fellowship—Faculty of Medicine recruitment scholarship; Réseau de recherche en santé des populations du Québec – conference and publication awards; McGill Global Health fellowship and grants; McGill Faculty of Medicine Graduate Mobility awards; Department of Family Medicine awards.