Leslie-Rule Wins IAS/ANRS Young Investigator Award

On July 21, 2010, Michaela Leslie-Rule received an IAS/ANRS Young Investigator Award for work she did with EngenderHealth’s CHAMPION Project. The award, which is funded by the International AIDS Society (IAS) and the Agence nationale de recherche sur le sida et le hépatitis virales (ANRS), was awarded to Leslie-Rule for her master’s thesis, “The Language of Love: Tanzanian Women Define Intimacy, Sexuality, and Violence in the 21st Century.”  She was recognized during the opening plenary that day.

From July to December 2009, Leslie-Rule worked with the CHAMPION Project in Tanzania collecting data on women’s beliefs and perspectives on gender-based violence. Leslie-Rule also made a 10-minute film on the subject called “Wanawake 8/8 Women,” which was an official selection at the 2010 Zanzibar International Film Festival.

“It’s been incredible,” Leslie-Rule said of the reaction to her research and the award recognizing young, innovative researchers. “I feel really grateful and honored.”

Leslie-Rule will be returning to Tanzania soon to work with the CHAMPION Project on their mass media campaign to combat gender violence.