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Gina at Young Lives 2006 - 2022

Our wonderful colleague and dear friend Gina Crivello passed away on Monday April 11th after a short and sudden illness. 

On this page we share a snapshot of Gina's work with Young Lives. If you worked with Gina and would like us to include a piece of joint research, or message, please contact our Communications Manager, julia.tilford@qeh.ox.ac.uk

Gina joined Young Lives in 2006, having previously worked at the Refugee Studies Centre in Oxford University's Department of International Development. She worked with the then Young Lives Director, Jo Boyden and the team on an ambitious plan to design a series of in-depth child-focused (qualitative) studies to complement the large-scale surveys.

Gina played a critical role at every stage, over 16 years and was a core member of the Young Lives team. She worked very closely with the four study countries, Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam, championing the context, the people, the methods and the ethics of the research, and managing the team.

Gina carved out important intellectual frontiers on children’s aspirations, children’s work, migration, transitions to adulthood, gender, and methods for research with children and young people. She noticed lines of enquiry through her close attention to the qualitative data – that fed into the survey, for example, the importance of migration.

Publications

Gina’s 80 plus publications testify to her scholarship, and to her commitment to improving the lives of children, with titles covering poverty, migration, early marriage and young parenthood, gender, methods and ethics. Example of her recent work is here, please go to our publications work for all Gina's Young Lives published work. 

Ethics and Methodologies

Crivello, G., and G. Morrow (2021) ‘Ethics Learning from Young Lives: 20 Years On’, Oxford: Young Lives

Boyden, J., G. Crivello, A. Dawes, and C. Porter (2021) ‘Designing Comparative, Longitudinal Cohort Research: Learning from Young Lives’, Oxford: Young Lives

Young Marriage and Early Parenthood

Crivello, G., and G. Mann (eds) (2020) Dreaming of a Better Life: Child Marriage Through Adolescent Eyes, Oxford: Young Lives/Ottawa: International Development Research Centre

Crivello, G. and G. Mann (2020) ‘Young Marriage, Parenthood and Divorce: A Comparative Study in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Zambia’, Research Report, Oxford: Young Lives.

Tafere, Y., N. Chuta, A. Pankhurst, and G. Crivello (2020) ‘Young Marriage, Parenthood and Divorce in Ethiopia’, Research Report, Oxford: Young Lives.n

Transitions to Adulthood

Pankhurst, A., and G. Crivello (2020) 'When Things Fall Apart: Separation and Divorce Among Adolescents and Young Couples in Ethiopia' Oxford: Working Paper 193: Young Lives

Journal articles

Crivello, G., J. Boyden and A. Pankhurst (2019) ‘“Motherhood in Childhood”: Generational Change in Ethiopia’, Feminist Encounters 3.1-2: 12.

Academic Supervision

Gina made a huge contribution to teaching in Oxford Department of International Development, and across the University – lecturing, supervising, and examining countless Masters and Doctoral students. Her loss will also be felt by the academic community around the world -  and the contribution she made through often hidden work of collaborating, reviewing, and supporting researchers.

Research communications

Gina was always looking for new ways to communicate Young Lives research and tell the life stories of the children and young people we follow whilst protecting their anonymity. Projects she worked on ranged from video abstracts, to illustrated blogs and digital stories.  Follow the links for a snapshot of her work.

Digital StoriesAnimationIllustrationsVideo abstractsBlogsStories

Second Chances: Young Marriage, Parenthood and Cohabitation
From her colleagues
Quotation Marks
Gina was a warm, bright and generous person, and a wonderful colleague to work with. She cared deeply about our work, our colleagues and the young people. We will miss her sorely and her memory will remain with us and encourage us to keep alive the qualitative contribution of Young Lives.
Alula Pankhurst, Country Director, Ethiopia
Quotation Marks
When I ask myself what made Gina so endearing, many things come to mind - her optimism, her beatific smile, her genuine caring which blurred lines between personal and professional relations, her absolute belief and commitment to qualitative research, and last but not least, her ability to adapt and embrace people from diverse cultures.
Dr Renu Singh, Country Director, India
Quotation Marks
Gina was one of the core people that built up the Qualitative Research in Young Lives. She was the connecting thread between Young Lives at Oxford and country teams. Gina was not just a colleague but a family member to all of us.  It is really sad to see the sudden collapse of the work and family bonds that have been built over the years! Researchers, the study children and their families in Ethiopia and other countries will miss the kind and generous person, GINA.
Yisak Tafere, Qualitative Research Lead, Ethiopia
Quotation Marks
Gina was so important in our academic reflections as a qualitative team, always bringing that vital energy that left us with more desire to reflect on our work – we will not be the same without her. Her respect for diversity was never just an academic argument. Our international team has witnessed her respect for each of us and our cultures. She always highly valued our contributions and was incredibly sensitive in addressing our needs—personal and professional concerns in these 15 years of working with her. She had a beautiful soul and we will miss her very much.
Vanessa Rojas, Qualitative Research Lead, Peru
Quotation Marks
Dear Gina: I was so shocked and so sad to hear the news. In this time of mourning, I would like to say that I love you so much. I will keep, forever, memories of you as a passionate anthropologist, a kind colleague and a very warm friend. 
Huong Vu, Qualitative Researcher, Vietnam
Quotation Marks
Gina was a smart, humble and friendly colleague I worked with. Through her contributions to Young Lives Qualitative research in Ethiopia, I learned a lot working with her. I am also sure Young Lives study children and families will dearly miss GINA’s smiles and the beautiful conversations she had with them. I keep your memories alive with me, GINA.
Nardos Chuta, Qualitative Researcher, Ethiopia
Gina at Young Lives 2006 - 2022

Our wonderful colleague and dear friend Gina Crivello passed away on Monday April 11th after a short and sudden illness. 

On this page we share a snapshot of Gina's work with Young Lives. If you worked with Gina and would like us to include a piece of joint research, or message, please contact our Communications Manager, julia.tilford@qeh.ox.ac.uk

Gina joined Young Lives in 2006, having previously worked at the Refugee Studies Centre in Oxford University's Department of International Development. She worked with the then Young Lives Director, Jo Boyden and the team on an ambitious plan to design a series of in-depth child-focused (qualitative) studies to complement the large-scale surveys.

Gina played a critical role at every stage, over 16 years and was a core member of the Young Lives team. She worked very closely with the four study countries, Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam, championing the context, the people, the methods and the ethics of the research, and managing the team.

Gina carved out important intellectual frontiers on children’s aspirations, children’s work, migration, transitions to adulthood, gender, and methods for research with children and young people. She noticed lines of enquiry through her close attention to the qualitative data – that fed into the survey, for example, the importance of migration.

Publications

Gina’s 80 plus publications testify to her scholarship, and to her commitment to improving the lives of children, with titles covering poverty, migration, early marriage and young parenthood, gender, methods and ethics. Example of her recent work is here, please go to our publications work for all Gina's Young Lives published work. 

Ethics and Methodologies

Crivello, G., and G. Morrow (2021) ‘Ethics Learning from Young Lives: 20 Years On’, Oxford: Young Lives

Boyden, J., G. Crivello, A. Dawes, and C. Porter (2021) ‘Designing Comparative, Longitudinal Cohort Research: Learning from Young Lives’, Oxford: Young Lives

Young Marriage and Early Parenthood

Crivello, G., and G. Mann (eds) (2020) Dreaming of a Better Life: Child Marriage Through Adolescent Eyes, Oxford: Young Lives/Ottawa: International Development Research Centre

Crivello, G. and G. Mann (2020) ‘Young Marriage, Parenthood and Divorce: A Comparative Study in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Zambia’, Research Report, Oxford: Young Lives.

Tafere, Y., N. Chuta, A. Pankhurst, and G. Crivello (2020) ‘Young Marriage, Parenthood and Divorce in Ethiopia’, Research Report, Oxford: Young Lives.n

Transitions to Adulthood

Pankhurst, A., and G. Crivello (2020) 'When Things Fall Apart: Separation and Divorce Among Adolescents and Young Couples in Ethiopia' Oxford: Working Paper 193: Young Lives

Journal articles

Crivello, G., J. Boyden and A. Pankhurst (2019) ‘“Motherhood in Childhood”: Generational Change in Ethiopia’, Feminist Encounters 3.1-2: 12.

Academic Supervision

Gina made a huge contribution to teaching in Oxford Department of International Development, and across the University – lecturing, supervising, and examining countless Masters and Doctoral students. Her loss will also be felt by the academic community around the world -  and the contribution she made through often hidden work of collaborating, reviewing, and supporting researchers.

Research communications

Gina was always looking for new ways to communicate Young Lives research and tell the life stories of the children and young people we follow whilst protecting their anonymity. Projects she worked on ranged from video abstracts, to illustrated blogs and digital stories.  Follow the links for a snapshot of her work.

Digital StoriesAnimationIllustrationsVideo abstractsBlogsStories

Second Chances: Young Marriage, Parenthood and Cohabitation
From her colleagues
Quotation Marks
Gina was a warm, bright and generous person, and a wonderful colleague to work with. She cared deeply about our work, our colleagues and the young people. We will miss her sorely and her memory will remain with us and encourage us to keep alive the qualitative contribution of Young Lives.
Alula Pankhurst, Country Director, Ethiopia
Quotation Marks
When I ask myself what made Gina so endearing, many things come to mind - her optimism, her beatific smile, her genuine caring which blurred lines between personal and professional relations, her absolute belief and commitment to qualitative research, and last but not least, her ability to adapt and embrace people from diverse cultures.
Dr Renu Singh, Country Director, India
Quotation Marks
Gina was one of the core people that built up the Qualitative Research in Young Lives. She was the connecting thread between Young Lives at Oxford and country teams. Gina was not just a colleague but a family member to all of us.  It is really sad to see the sudden collapse of the work and family bonds that have been built over the years! Researchers, the study children and their families in Ethiopia and other countries will miss the kind and generous person, GINA.
Yisak Tafere, Qualitative Research Lead, Ethiopia
Quotation Marks
Gina was so important in our academic reflections as a qualitative team, always bringing that vital energy that left us with more desire to reflect on our work – we will not be the same without her. Her respect for diversity was never just an academic argument. Our international team has witnessed her respect for each of us and our cultures. She always highly valued our contributions and was incredibly sensitive in addressing our needs—personal and professional concerns in these 15 years of working with her. She had a beautiful soul and we will miss her very much.
Vanessa Rojas, Qualitative Research Lead, Peru
Quotation Marks
Dear Gina: I was so shocked and so sad to hear the news. In this time of mourning, I would like to say that I love you so much. I will keep, forever, memories of you as a passionate anthropologist, a kind colleague and a very warm friend. 
Huong Vu, Qualitative Researcher, Vietnam
Quotation Marks
Gina was a smart, humble and friendly colleague I worked with. Through her contributions to Young Lives Qualitative research in Ethiopia, I learned a lot working with her. I am also sure Young Lives study children and families will dearly miss GINA’s smiles and the beautiful conversations she had with them. I keep your memories alive with me, GINA.
Nardos Chuta, Qualitative Researcher, Ethiopia