Marielle Le Mat
- Department
- Gender Equality
- Title
- Advisor
- Phone
- +31205688252
- m.l.mat@kit.nl
- Visit LinkedIn profile
Marielle Le Mat MSc PhD is an expert in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender, young people, and education. She carries out research, training, and advisory work in low- and middle-income countries, with a focus on countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Her research focuses on SRHR, education, and social and gender justice in sub-Saharan Africa. She obtained her PhD on comprehensive sexuality education and gender-based violence in schools in Ethiopia, from the University of Amsterdam. She has published in high-quality international academic journals and her work is widely read and used by a diverse audience. Marielle is experienced in youth participatory, qualitative, and mixed methods, and comparative research.
Marielle is an experienced teacher and trainer. She has taught various university bachelor and master courses, supervised master theses, and facilitated interactive workshops for professional audiences. In addition to research and training, Marielle has carried out advisory work on SRHR, skills education, and out-of-school youth for civil society organisations, international organisations and bilateral donors.
Marielle works in international and interdisciplinary teams and in her work she actively seeks to establish links between research, policy, and practice. With her strong analytical skills, interdisciplinary perspectives, and practical orientation, she arrives at holistic evaluations and advice. She is committed to putting her skills and expertise to use to benefit the lives of young men and women globally.
Projects
Publications
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Adolescents’ and young people’s perspectives on school-based sexuality education in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review
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Article
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Review
Sexuality education is essential for adolescents’ and young people’s health, well-being, and rights. While recognised in policies worldwide, gaps remain in its implementation. This review explores youth perspectives on school-based sexuality education in low- and middle-income countries to understand their needs, experiences, and preferences. A scoping review was conducted across five academic databases and key […]
- Year of publication
- October 2025
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Break Free! Exploring intergenerational divides around sexual and reproductive health and rights
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Study
The Break Free! (BF!) Programme aims to strengthen young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and promote gender equality in nine African countries and is funded by and implemented in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Strengthening Civil Society for SRHR partnership fund for the period from January 2021 […]
- Year of publication
- September 2025
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Community bylaws concerning sexual and reproductive health and rights in Traditional Authority Chiwalo, Machinga district, southern Malawi
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Study
Community bylaws are commonly accepted mechanisms to influence behaviour change to achieve better health and development outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the uses, benefits, and potential downsides of community bylaws are largely unclear, especially regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of young people. The objective of this study was to determine the extent […]
- Year of publication
- 2023
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Youth-led Advocacy in Ethiopia
Young people on their successes, challenges, and motivations for youth-led SRHR advocacy in Ethiopia Youth-led advocacy as a concept is becoming increasingly familiar in development programmes, and in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programmes specifically. Yet, research on this topic is rather scarce. Youth-led advocacy is usually understood as young people meaningfully involved […]
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Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) Programme – Final Evaluation Report
The Our Rights, Our Lives, Our Future (O3) programme was implemented by UNESCO in partnership with Ministries of Education and other organisations in 33 African countries between 2018 and June 2023. Being the largest in-school comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) programme in Africa, O3 focused on 1) securing and sustaining strong political commitment and support for […]
Academic Publications
- Miedema, E.A.J., Le Mat, M.L.J., Hague, F. (2020). But is it comprehensive? Unpacking the ‘comprehensive’ in Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Health Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896920915960
- Le Mat, M.L.J., Miedema, E.A.J., Aniley, Siyane A., & Altinyelken, H.K. (2019). Moulding the teacher: factors shaping teacher enactment of comprehensive sexuality education policy. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2019.1682967
- Le Mat, M.L.J., Altinyelken, H.K., Bos, H.M.W., & Volman, M.L.L. (2019). Mechanisms of adopting and reformulating comprehensive sexuality education policy in Ethiopia. Journal of Education Policy. DOI: 10.1080/02680939.2019.1618918
- Datzberger, S. and Le Mat, M.L.J. (2019). Schools as change agents? Education and individual political agency in Uganda. International Journal of Educational Development, 67, 18-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2019.02.007
- Le Mat, M.L.J. (2019). Empowering Adolescent Girls in Developing Countries: Gender Justice and Norm Change (Book Review). Forum for Development Studies. DOI: 10.1080/08039410.2019.1589969
- Le Mat, M.L.J., Altinyelken, H.K., Bos, H. M. W., & Volman, M.L.L. (2019). Discussing culture and gender-based violence in comprehensive sexuality education in Ethiopia. International Journal of Educational Development, 65, 207-215. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2018.08.004
- Datzberger, S., and Le Mat, M.L.J. (2018). Just add women and stir?: Education, gender and peacebuilding in Uganda. International Journal of Educational Development, 59, 61-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2017.09.006
- Altinyelken, H.K., and Le Mat, M.L.J. (2018). Sexual Violence, Schooling and Silence: Teacher Narratives from a Secondary School in Ethiopia. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 48 (4), 648-664. DOI: 10.1080/03057925.2017.1332517
- Le Mat, M.L.J. (2017). (S)exclusion in the sexuality education classroom: young people on gender and power relations. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society, and Learning, 17 (4), 413-424. DOI: 10.1080/14681811.2017.1301252
- Le Mat, M.L.J. (2016). “Sexual violence is not good for our country’s development”. Students’ interpretations of sexual violence in school in Ethiopia. Gender and Education. 28(4), 562-580, DOI: 10.1080/09540253.2015.1134768
Research Papers
- Miedema, E.A.J., Le Mat, M.L.J., Amentie, S.A. (2018). Moulding the sexuality education teacher: An analysis of comprehensive sexuality education in Ethiopia. University of Amsterdam. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.26214.73281
- Hague, F., Miedema, E.A.J., and Le Mat, M.L.J. (2018). Understanding the ‘Comprehensive’ in Comprehensive Sexuality Education. A literature review. University of Amsterdam. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.24537.01121
- Pouw, N.R.M., Hodgkinson, K.A., Le Mat, M.L.J., and Van Dam, K. (2017). The social exclusion of vulnerable youth: synthesis report. University of Amsterdam. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28830.64320.
- Le Mat, M.L.J. and Pouw, N.R.M. (2017). The social exclusion of vulnerable youth in Kenya. University of Amsterdam. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22539.18727
- Le Mat, M.L.J. and Pouw, N.R.M. (2017). The social exclusion of vulnerable youth in Malawi. University of Amsterdam. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.35960.96008
- Le Mat, M.L.J. and Pouw, N.R.M. (2017). Sociale uitsluiting van kwetsbare jongeren in Nederland. University of Amsterdam. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.15828.30081
- Lopes Cardozo, M.T.A., Higgins, S., Le Mat, M.L.J. (2016). Analyzing (non-) formal education for youth agency in relation to peacebuilding. Synthesis Report on Findings from Myanmar, Pakistan, South Africa and Uganda. University of Amsterdam
- Lopes Cardozo, M.T.A., Higgins, S., Maber, E., Brandt, C.O., Kusmallah, N, Le Mat, M.L.J (2015). Literature Review: Youth Agency, Peacebuilding and Education, University of Amsterdam
PhD Thesis
- Le Mat, M.L.J. (2020). Beyond the facts : Addressing gender-based violence through comprehensive sexuality education in schools in Ethiopia. University of Amsterdam: https://pure.uva.nl/ws/files/44849317/Front_matter.pdf