GRG EFFORTS DURING 2008-09

To enhance the GRG members' capacities to make strategic inputs into programme design and implementation, RSPN invited external experts to deliver sessions for GRG on qualitative research methods, analytical skills and report writing. RSPN has provided four GRG members with the opportunity to a month-long gender training organised by Sangat South Asia, and three others to attend the Sangat South Asia's 14th Feminist Capacity Building Course 'Gender, Sustainable Livelihoods and Human Rights and Peace'.

At another level, the RSPN Gender and Development Section assisted the GRG members in conducting gender analyses of RSPN-RSP programmes with a view to maximising the impact of RSP programmes on women. As part of the review, the GRG members critically assess the design and plan of action through a 'gender lens', visit the target areas, hold meetings with women and men community members, and make recommendations for course correction.

During 2008-9, the GRG also conducted a gender analysis of two major RSP programmes: the Prime Minister's Special Initiative for Livestock (PMSIL) and the RSPN-NRSP Union Council Poverty Reduction Plan (UCPRP) model project in Mianwali. In the PMSIL project, the analysis identified a number of weak areas, including low women's participation in the Community Livestock Extension Workers' programme and mobility issues of women of Veterinary Medicine, and made recommendations for improvement. On the UCPRP, the GRG members recommended: that women's involvement in several trainings be enhanced; that women enumerators be involved in the PSC exercise, and that focus group discussions be held for conducting a situation analysis and preparing action plans. These were discussed and agreed to by NRSP and RSPN for the UCPRP model and will be incorporated in to the upcoming UCPRP programmes.

GRG Efforts During 2009-10

At the 4th Quarter 2009 GRG meeting, the focus was on a report by a GRG member who had attended the Sangat Gender training in Kathmandu, Nepal, in October-November 2009. The GRG members present were requested to write concept notes applying what they had learned about the Sangat syllabus to the RSP programmes they are engaged in.    

The first quarter 2010 GRG meeting was held on April 15-16. The objective was to give input to the Bachcha Khan Poverty alleviation plan being implemented by SRSP. This programme is the equivalent of the Union Council Poverty Alleviation Plan. On the first day, the NRSP Gender Programme Manager presented the details of the pilot UC Plan which she had implemented in UC Kamar Mashani. The GRG member from SRSO then discussed the progress and issues arising from implementing the UC Plan in 5 Districts of Sindh. The SRSP District Programme Officer for Mardan then presented the details of the Bacha Khan Poverty Alleviation Plan programme. The GRG members visited women’s and men’s COs to discuss the programme with them. So far, it has been possible to form 85 (of 483) women’s COs under the programme. SRSP is working in a cultural environment in which men traditionally lead the way, and working with women follows when this is deemed appropriate. The programme interventions for women include the Community Investment Fund (CIF) and skills training. The dialogues held at the time of social mobilization highlight the benefits to the poor and marginalized, especially women, thus making their participation and organization mandatory in the entire process.

Following the visit, the GRG members recommended: a gender-balanced approach to staffing, regular ‘gender reviews’, baseline research on qualitative, women-specific indicators, and a gender-focussed review of the PC-1. During the field visit, women and men indicated their willingness to work as Community Resource Persons and to take the social mobilization message forward. Women were eager to acquire non-traditional skills such as mobile repair, electronic assembly and cane weaving. The GRG recommended that the CMST and LMST modules be revised to integrate an understanding of gender: gender sessions have since been added and delivered. When it is culturally acceptable, exposure visits for men and women LSO and VO office bearers and CRPs would also be useful.

At the second quarter 2010 GRG meeting, held on July 1st, the objective was to share new initiatives taken by the members. Three of them presented a ‘gender analysis’ of programmes and projects: these are described in more detail below. The findings will be shared with the senior management of the RSPs.

2.1 GRG Members' Research Initiatives in 2009-10

Women’s Empowerment: A GRG member from SRSP conducted a study of ‘women’s empowerment’ as it relates to the SRSP Urban Micro Finance Programme. The study was conducted in Nowshera and Peshawar. The objectives were to gain an understanding of the cultural and socio economic status of urban women micro-credit clients, the SRSP MF package and its value to low income urban women, and the exploration of women’s ‘empowerment’ in the Micro Finance package design.

The study focused on women’s mobility and their interaction with formal institutions; gaining technical and practical understanding regarding the credit process, and studying the personality aspects such as confidence and interpersonal skills, vital for women if they are to interact in public with men and other women. Some of the main findings were:

• The monthly incomes of the women clients have increased substantially and 95% of the women are utilizing the credit for their own productive purposes.
• Many women have been to the SRSP Micro Finance branches for the first time and travelled by themselves. The programme increases women’s interpersonal skills as well as their understanding of credit procedures.

Profile of a Women’s CO:
Two GRG members, one from NRSP and one from SRSP, conducted a qualitative study which resulted in a profile of a 16-member women’s CO in a village Mora Darogha of UC Lodhra, in the NRSP Rawalpindi Region. The purpose was to learn the degree of ‘empowerment’ made possible by the women’s CO membership. The women’s CO was formed 2 years before the men’s CO. Most of the villages (and CO members) are literate and the social context is one which does not restrict women’s mobility and interaction within the village.

The GRG members interviewed WCO members and the president and the activist, and held FGDs with members and non-members. They learned that, as with many women’s COs, savings, credit and trainings held in the village were attractive to the members. None of the CO members expressed any ‘mobility’ problems. The CO members cashed their own credit cheques at a commercial bank, which is a significant indicator of mobility and control over this resource. Two CO members are LHWs and one is a teacher. All are literate. The CO members were aware of a small number of other development organizations, including PAIMAN, which provides health awareness. The activist and two members belonged to a health management committee and one member was interacting with the NGO Al-Huda. Several of the CO members were in contact with the school management, but none had interacted with the local Government. CO members who have borrowed have found it valuable. Most women have bought livestock.

The members were asked to rank several ‘quality of life’ indictors. All of them noted that their incomes had increased as a result of access to micro-credit. Some indicated they were better aware of their own abilities and now found it easier to discuss issues within their homes. Some also said their opinions were now sought on household decisions, although ultimate control remained with the men. Their knowledge of the credit and banking systems and procedures had increased, which they found significant.

A number of men CO members were asked the same questions about the women: they indicated that the women had become more aware of community problems and that their role in household management (including budgeting) and decision making had improved.

LSOs in Chitral:
A GRG member from Chitral analysed LSOs in the area, with a view to aiding the AKRSP management in improving the gender-equity strategies for LSOs. Her focus was on women’s roles in decision-making at the village level and UC level organisations. She found that there are fewer women in the LSO Boards, because of social constraints (e.g. women are unable to travel without men, and transportation costs are high), because of traditional assumptions about men being the rightful decision-makers, and because of the fact that there has been no proactive effort to ensure that women are equipped to play a role in decision-making bodies. She also noted that the strong focus on women’s activities has meant that the men, particularly the younger men, are being left out of development activities. The analyst recommended gender sensitization and analysis sessions for the LSO Board of Directors. 

 

GRG Efforts During 2010-2011

During the 3rd Quarter 2010 GRG meeting in September 2010, the focus was on the numerous aspects of gender issues in flood relief. All of the RSPs present (GBTI, SGA and AJKRSP were not present) shared their experiences and activities in flood relief. This data, information and analysis were presented as input towards developing a Gender-Focused DRR and Rehabilitation Strategy Guidelines for Humanitarian Emergencies. Ms. Fareeha Ummar and Ms. Aliya Sethi (consultants) shared a framework of Gender Analysis, Awareness and Actions for Equality, which will be used in developing gender strategy guidelines for emergencies for the RSPs. The GRG members noted that their RSPs are working in camp management, food and nutrition, livestock, WASH, NFIs and health. The GRG members highlighted the issues they have encountered and addressed in their relief activities:

• There are many security issues, such as young girls missing from the camps at night but these are not reported anywhere
• Single women face the problem of renewing documents in order to access aid and to establish their right to compensation
• Some men are having problems collecting aid and food, so they are sending the women in their families to the collection points. The women resent this and feel that their respectability is compromised. Some have faced harassment and some have been assaulted.

The last quarter 2010 GRG meeting was held in December 2010. In this meeting AKRSP, SRSP, NRSP and BRSP presented draft gender strategies for emergency settings based on Ms. Fareeha and Ms. Aliya’s guidelines based on the discussion in the previous meeting. It was decided that the main common points of the draft DRR strategies will combine into one document and will be presented in the RSPs annual retreat. The details of “Guidelines on Dimensions of Gender Equality in Emergency Settings” are given below.

The first GRG meeting in 2011, held in July 2011, aimed to share and discuss Ms. Maliha Hussain research study, “Social Mobilisation and its Effect on Women’s Life". The purpose of the session was to discuss the study findings in order to draw some way forward. An awareness session on the recently passed sexual harassment law “The Protection Against Harassment of Women Acts 2010” was facilitated by AASHA. In the last session, AKRSP presented the logical framework of their upcoming CIDA funded project “Enhancing Employability and Leadership for Youth Development (EELY)” for gender review by GRG members. GRG input was as under:

• Women skills and opportunities should not be restricted to traditional and stereotyped roles, and be expanded beyond these domains
• The outreach systems of information and opportunities should reach out to women.
• Women should have equal access to opportunities and equity-based approaches should be followed to account for women's lack of choices or limited domain