Ilana Seff

Multiple factors during an outbreak interact to raise the risk of exploitation and violence. Clovera/iStock via Getty Images

May 5, 2026

Financial strain, lockdowns and fear of infection during disease outbreaks magnify violence against women and girls − new research

Lindsay Stark, Washington University in St. Louis and Ilana Seff, Washington University in St. Louis

Disease outbreaks can make women and girls especially vulnerable to violence, but health surveillance systems do a poor job tracking these trends.

The Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County, Kenya. Charles Onyango/Xinhua via Getty Images

January 15, 2026

Refugee families are more likely to become self‑reliant if provided with support outside of camp settings

Lindsay Stark, Washington University in St. Louis and Ilana Seff, Washington University in St. Louis

With targeted support, refugees are more likely to gain employment, increase their savings and find safety if not housed in camps, study finds.

Anwar Albrnaoy, a refugee from Nigeria, works at the Baeckerei Berger bakery in Germany thanks to a government initiative. Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images

October 4, 2021

Refugee aid should be about achieving self‑reliance: how we’re measuring it

Lindsay Stark, Washington University in St. Louis and Ilana Seff, Washington University in St. Louis

Our “Self-Reliance Index” helps organisations and governments assess how their programmes are doing in helping refugees to become self-reliant.

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Financial strain, lockdowns and fear of infection during disease outbreaks magnify violence against women and girls − new research

Refugee families are more likely to become self‑reliant if provided with support outside of camp settings

Refugee aid should be about achieving self‑reliance: how we’re measuring it

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