Women's Economic Empowerment
Strengthening the Economic Resilience of Female Garment Workers during COVID19 – Phase 2
This is the End of Project Evaluation Report for the Strengthening the Economic Resilience of Female Garment Workers during COVID19 – Phase 2 (SER) Project which was implemented in Phnom Penh, Kandal and Kampong Speu provinces. The Project commenced in July 2021 and concluded in February 2022. The goal of the project was to strengthen the economic resilience of female garment workers who are socially and economically marginalized in Cambodia to cope with the negative impacts of COVID-19. In order to conduct the evaluation, data was collected through a comprehensive literature review and fieldwork. The literature review was conducted reviewing reports and documents from the SER Project and also other relevant external publications. The evaluation interviewed 400 people and was conducted in January 2022.
• It should be noted that the project was not wholly a humanitarian type intervention project, which tend to have a short implementation period, rather the project had knowledge, capacity and resilience training elements which require a longer timeframe to implement. For this reason, as well as the delay to the start of the project and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, project staff were faced with a high workload within a challenging environment. Specifically, a longer time period would have given more time to prepare for project interventions such as the training, baseline and rapid situation assessment of the labour market. With more time the baseline and rapid situation assessment of the labour market could have been used to better tailor and inform the development of the training materials and curriculum.
• The focus on social protections in the project interventions was a relative new topic especially for factory workers, who are mostly only aware of the NSSF and the IDPoor. As highlighted as an unexpected result of the project, many project participants directing enquiries to local authorities about social protections. While local authorities are aware of social protections in general, they do not have detailed knowledge, especially since many social protections are administered at the national level and not at the village level. Therefore, more cooperation with local authorities should have been sought in order to prepare the local authorities for this situation.
• The delay in the signing the project’s administrative contract, caused the project to miss opportunities to use the findings of the baseline survey and the rapid situation assessment of the labour market to better inform the development of the project’s training activities.
• The evaluation found that while knowledge of GBV improved, the same was not the case for sexual harassment. Indeed, respondents who could not identify sexual harassment increased from 32% (114/356) at the baseline to 38% (139/362) at the endline. Project staff reported that this was not an unexpected finding as CARE’s previous sexual harassment projects had encountered similar such resistance to changing attitudes.
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• It should be noted that the project was not wholly a humanitarian type intervention project, which tend to have a short implementation period, rather the project had knowledge, capacity and resilience training elements which require a longer timeframe to implement. For this reason, as well as the delay to the start of the project and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, project staff were faced with a high workload within a challenging environment. Specifically, a longer time period would have given more time to prepare for project interventions such as the training, baseline and rapid situation assessment of the labour market. With more time the baseline and rapid situation assessment of the labour market could have been used to better tailor and inform the development of the training materials and curriculum.
• The focus on social protections in the project interventions was a relative new topic especially for factory workers, who are mostly only aware of the NSSF and the IDPoor. As highlighted as an unexpected result of the project, many project participants directing enquiries to local authorities about social protections. While local authorities are aware of social protections in general, they do not have detailed knowledge, especially since many social protections are administered at the national level and not at the village level. Therefore, more cooperation with local authorities should have been sought in order to prepare the local authorities for this situation.
• The delay in the signing the project’s administrative contract, caused the project to miss opportunities to use the findings of the baseline survey and the rapid situation assessment of the labour market to better inform the development of the project’s training activities.
• The evaluation found that while knowledge of GBV improved, the same was not the case for sexual harassment. Indeed, respondents who could not identify sexual harassment increased from 32% (114/356) at the baseline to 38% (139/362) at the endline. Project staff reported that this was not an unexpected finding as CARE’s previous sexual harassment projects had encountered similar such resistance to changing attitudes.
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Analyse du genre, avec un focus en particulier sur les violences basées sur le genre: Diffa, Niger
La présente étude genre mettant un focus particulier sur les Violences Basées sur le Genre (VBG) s’inscrit dans la mise en œuvre du projet bilatéral MARTAWA ZUROMAYE au Niger et au Nigeria: “ visant à renforcer les efforts centrés sur les survivants et informer pour prévenir et répondre , aux Violences Basées sur le Genre (VBG), en particulier les Mutilations Génitales Féminines et ou l’Excision (MFG/E) et le mariage d’enfant et ou forcé (MEF) dans les communautés touchées par les conflits et l’extrémisme violent dans l’Est du Niger et le nord e du Nigeria».
L’étude a combiné la méthode quantitative, probabiliste auprès des ménages à celle non probabiliste et qualitative à travers les focus groupes et des entretiens auprès des informateurs clés (chef de villages et ou quartiers, leaders d’associations de femmes, et jeunes, leaders religieux, leaders d’associations de professionnels, services techniques impliqués dans la mise en œuvre de la Politique Nationale Genre du Niger, etc.). La combinaison de ces deux approches a permis de mesurer l’ampleur du phénomène et d’en déterminer des causes et conséquences sous-jacentes.
Les résultats de l’étude révèlent que le phénomène des VBG à l’instar de toutes les régions du Niger est une réalité dans la région de Diffa et particulièrement dans les six communes d’intervention du projet. La particularité de cette région est liée à la crise humanitaire en cours qui a aggravé certaines violences et fragiliser davantage les mécanismes de réponses existants.
Les réponses à la question qui porte sur les VBG montrent que la résolution de ces cas est plus du ressort des mécanismes communautaires traditionnels ou familiaux que du système de protection formel.
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L’étude a combiné la méthode quantitative, probabiliste auprès des ménages à celle non probabiliste et qualitative à travers les focus groupes et des entretiens auprès des informateurs clés (chef de villages et ou quartiers, leaders d’associations de femmes, et jeunes, leaders religieux, leaders d’associations de professionnels, services techniques impliqués dans la mise en œuvre de la Politique Nationale Genre du Niger, etc.). La combinaison de ces deux approches a permis de mesurer l’ampleur du phénomène et d’en déterminer des causes et conséquences sous-jacentes.
Les résultats de l’étude révèlent que le phénomène des VBG à l’instar de toutes les régions du Niger est une réalité dans la région de Diffa et particulièrement dans les six communes d’intervention du projet. La particularité de cette région est liée à la crise humanitaire en cours qui a aggravé certaines violences et fragiliser davantage les mécanismes de réponses existants.
Les réponses à la question qui porte sur les VBG montrent que la résolution de ces cas est plus du ressort des mécanismes communautaires traditionnels ou familiaux que du système de protection formel.
Read More...
CARE Afghanistan Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment MULTI SECTOR NEEDS ASSESSMENT – KEY FINDINGS February 2022
The purpose of this MSNA was to identify key gaps and needs where CARE operates, with the view to inform future programming priorities and better understand the impacts of the current situation on humanitarian needs.
A total of 364 households were interviewed from 20 districts across 8 provinces (Herat, Kandahar, Ghazni, Khost, Paktia, Parwan, Kapisa, and Balkh) in December 2021. An average of 18 interviews were collected per district. The survey administered a household questionnaire and a focus group discussion (2 per community –female and male) in each district.
Key Findings on Education, Gender, Humanitarian Access, and Food Insecurity are presented here. For more data and information, please refer to the full MSNA report.
The top 5 concerns raised by the communities were all related to the consequences of Afghanistan’s current economic and humanitarian crisis:
1. food security (72% of respondents),
2. lack of employment opportunities (66%),
3. livelihood and economic empowerment (56%),
4. lack of access to humanitarian aid (36%), and
5. lack of access to shelter/ housing options (36%). Read More...
A total of 364 households were interviewed from 20 districts across 8 provinces (Herat, Kandahar, Ghazni, Khost, Paktia, Parwan, Kapisa, and Balkh) in December 2021. An average of 18 interviews were collected per district. The survey administered a household questionnaire and a focus group discussion (2 per community –female and male) in each district.
Key Findings on Education, Gender, Humanitarian Access, and Food Insecurity are presented here. For more data and information, please refer to the full MSNA report.
The top 5 concerns raised by the communities were all related to the consequences of Afghanistan’s current economic and humanitarian crisis:
1. food security (72% of respondents),
2. lack of employment opportunities (66%),
3. livelihood and economic empowerment (56%),
4. lack of access to humanitarian aid (36%), and
5. lack of access to shelter/ housing options (36%). Read More...
AGRO SOURCE PROJECT
The AgroSource project in Ghana was initially designed as a two and half year project implemented between July 2018 and December 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, necessitated a 6-months extension, thus making it a 3-year project that extended into 2021. The project aimed to support smallholder women farmers to:
• Increase availability and access to good quality agricultural inputs in rural communities by 50% through a private sector-led agro-dealership scheme that will establish and support 50 women and men rural agro-dealers by the year 2020.
• Increase availability of and access to certified seed through a community seed production system in partnership with the private sector, which will engage 200 smallholder women, farmers, as out-growers.
• Improve utilization of good quality agricultural inputs by enhancing knowledge of smallholder farmers through input fairs, demonstration plots, and training.
• Create an enabling environment for women in agri-input systems through improving gender responsiveness of both private and government sector partners. Read More...
• Increase availability and access to good quality agricultural inputs in rural communities by 50% through a private sector-led agro-dealership scheme that will establish and support 50 women and men rural agro-dealers by the year 2020.
• Increase availability of and access to certified seed through a community seed production system in partnership with the private sector, which will engage 200 smallholder women, farmers, as out-growers.
• Improve utilization of good quality agricultural inputs by enhancing knowledge of smallholder farmers through input fairs, demonstration plots, and training.
• Create an enabling environment for women in agri-input systems through improving gender responsiveness of both private and government sector partners. Read More...
Sustaining Women’s Livelihoods: Stories of Recovery 7 Years Post-Haiyan (Yolanda)
From July 2014 to November 2016, CARE Philippines launched Women Enterprise Fund (WEF), a women-targeted livelihood recovery programming that worked on women's entrepreneurship development. The project assisted the beneficiaries from the most vulnerable households affected by Typhoon Haiyan to establish sustainable livelihoods to help them secure their basic needs, generate employment and other economic opportunities by contributing to long-term solutions of addressing social and gender inequality and increasing the resilience among women. Read More...
Worker Wellbeing Project in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam Endline Evaluation
This endline evaluation was conducted to assess change and impact resulting from the Worker Wellbeing Project in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam. It was carried out independently by Rapid Asia to conduct an endline evaluation of the Worker Well-Being Project to provide a final report to the donor, capture details on impact and analyse lessons learned to be applied to future programming. The purpose of the Worker Wellbeing Project is to improve wellbeing for garment workers through access to dignified working conditions, legal and social protections and gender-equitable relationships. Findings from the evaluation will also be used to learn from and develop the Dignified Work portfolio and promote women's economic justice worldwide.
This evaluation sought to identify the extent to which the project achieved meaningful change in women workers’ lives both at home, community and in the workplace through the activities in each country by identifying outcomes from project activities and outputs to understand linkages between those outcomes and the projects outputs.
Key Findings
The EKATA engagement model
The EKATA model proved to be highly successful in greatly enacting change for women garment workers in the factories and at home. Women workers consistently highlighted the usefulness of the training had on their daily lives. Through the training, the women learnt how to reclaim those voices and negotiate at work for better conditions.
Engagement with men
Recognising the crucial role that men play in delivering gender-transformative impac by engaging them as stakeholders proved to be successful. Men were found to be receptive in recognising gender as a social construct, which then formed the basis for understanding the value of women and why domestic responsibilities should be shared and that sexual harassment of women is unacceptable.
Duty bearers’ responsiveness
Garment factory management staff believed they could see not only the benefit of the project but also an improvement in the conditions of the women workers, which they recognised as having a positive impact on their business. Employers appeared to welcome women garment workers raising their concerns, mainly due to the workers' improved communication skills.
Outcomes and their relation to activities
9
Beneficiaries of EKATA training found the sessions on financial management, gender equality, labour rights, leadership and communication the most valuable and impactful in their daily lives. It was found however, that such training alone would not be enough to deliver true impact. Evidence demonstrated that establishing committees from where women can launch collective demands was a significant trigger to exercising women’s rights.
Project sustainability
There is great potential for women recognising labour violations and unfair practices, gender inequality, and the capacity to take action without a considerable reliance on outside support. Sustainability is also underpinned by network activities, namely the linking of community worker association to local federations and trade unions and local service providers. Read More...
This evaluation sought to identify the extent to which the project achieved meaningful change in women workers’ lives both at home, community and in the workplace through the activities in each country by identifying outcomes from project activities and outputs to understand linkages between those outcomes and the projects outputs.
Key Findings
The EKATA engagement model
The EKATA model proved to be highly successful in greatly enacting change for women garment workers in the factories and at home. Women workers consistently highlighted the usefulness of the training had on their daily lives. Through the training, the women learnt how to reclaim those voices and negotiate at work for better conditions.
Engagement with men
Recognising the crucial role that men play in delivering gender-transformative impac by engaging them as stakeholders proved to be successful. Men were found to be receptive in recognising gender as a social construct, which then formed the basis for understanding the value of women and why domestic responsibilities should be shared and that sexual harassment of women is unacceptable.
Duty bearers’ responsiveness
Garment factory management staff believed they could see not only the benefit of the project but also an improvement in the conditions of the women workers, which they recognised as having a positive impact on their business. Employers appeared to welcome women garment workers raising their concerns, mainly due to the workers' improved communication skills.
Outcomes and their relation to activities
9
Beneficiaries of EKATA training found the sessions on financial management, gender equality, labour rights, leadership and communication the most valuable and impactful in their daily lives. It was found however, that such training alone would not be enough to deliver true impact. Evidence demonstrated that establishing committees from where women can launch collective demands was a significant trigger to exercising women’s rights.
Project sustainability
There is great potential for women recognising labour violations and unfair practices, gender inequality, and the capacity to take action without a considerable reliance on outside support. Sustainability is also underpinned by network activities, namely the linking of community worker association to local federations and trade unions and local service providers. Read More...
Dignified and Violence-Free World of Work: A Study on Women Working in Informal Sectors in Nepal
A significant percentage (66.5%)1 of women in Nepal work in informal sectors and are vulnerable to all forms of violence and exploitation. The violence experienced by women in informal sectors ranges from physical, sexual, and verbal harassment to labor and economic exploitation by employers, co-workers and family members. Existing legal provisions such as Sexual Harassment (Elimination) at Workplace Act, 2015 do not have specific provisions for informal sectors whereas other mechanisms to address violence against women, in general, remain ineffective in implementation. In addition, socio-cultural norms and structures limit women’s access to justice-seeking mechanisms. Despite pervasive instances of violence and harassment experienced by women in informal sectors, there is a dearth of comprehensive documentation and evidence building on this issue. In this light, the paper examines the existing status, nature and experiences of violence faced by women working in diverse areas of the informal economy. It also critically analyses key gaps in existing legal provisions/policies and barriers to implementation from the perspective of informal sector workers.
The paper is based on the findings from 36 case studies of women working in 15 different informal sectors, Gendered Political Economy Analysis (GPEA) with community and policy stakeholders and desk review of relevant policies/legal provisions. The paper shows that women’s gendered social roles, lack of collectivisation and representation in decision-making bodies puts them in a weaker bargaining position to voice against instances of violence or to make it a priority agenda of advocacy for policymakers. Similarly, the findings of the paper indicate that lack of adequate and effective polices/provisions on safe working conditions and their implementation leads to invisiblisation of violence at the workplace, enabling powerholders to continue cycles of violence and exploitation without accountability. The paper contributes towards mainstreaming discourses around dignified work for women in the informal economy. It also serves as an evidence-based advocacy document to influence governments to ratify ILO Violence and Harassment Convention No. 190, which is a binding international treaty that protects all workers in formal and informal economy. Read More...
The paper is based on the findings from 36 case studies of women working in 15 different informal sectors, Gendered Political Economy Analysis (GPEA) with community and policy stakeholders and desk review of relevant policies/legal provisions. The paper shows that women’s gendered social roles, lack of collectivisation and representation in decision-making bodies puts them in a weaker bargaining position to voice against instances of violence or to make it a priority agenda of advocacy for policymakers. Similarly, the findings of the paper indicate that lack of adequate and effective polices/provisions on safe working conditions and their implementation leads to invisiblisation of violence at the workplace, enabling powerholders to continue cycles of violence and exploitation without accountability. The paper contributes towards mainstreaming discourses around dignified work for women in the informal economy. It also serves as an evidence-based advocacy document to influence governments to ratify ILO Violence and Harassment Convention No. 190, which is a binding international treaty that protects all workers in formal and informal economy. Read More...
Sugu Yiriwa etude de base (Baseline for Mali’s Sugu Yiriwa project)
L’étude de base pour l’établissement de la situation de référence des indicateurs de performance est une investigation initiée par Feed the Future Mali Sugu Yiriwa dans les cercles des régions de Mopti (Tenenkou, Youwarou, Douentza, Koro, Bankass, Bandiagara, Djenné et Mopti) et Tombouctou (Tombouctou, Goundam, Niafounké et Diré) dans le but de disposer d’une base de référence de certains indicateurs de performance afin de mieux suivre leur évolution ou changement.
Spécifiquement, il s’agit de connaître le niveau de référence de :
● L’indice de la capacité à se remettre des chocs et stress de la zone d’intervention ;
● La valeur des ventes annuelles des exploitations et des entreprises recevant l’assistance du Gouvernement Américain ;
● Pourcentage de changement dans l’offre des produits agricoles sur les marchés ciblés ;
● Pourcentage de changement des prix des produits agricoles sur les marchés ciblés ;
● Le nombre d’hectares sous pratiques de gestion ou de technologies améliorées qui font la promotion des pratiques améliorées de réduction des risques climatiques et/ou de gestion des ressources naturelles avec l’aide du gouvernement américain ;
● Le nombre d’individus dans le système agricole qui ont appliqué des pratiques améliorées de gestion ou des technologies avec l'aide du gouvernement américain ;
● La propriété des actifs ;
● L’accès au crédit et décisions à la matière ;
● Le pourcentage de participants qui déclarent une augmentation des aliments riches en micronutriments sur le marché local au cours des 12 derniers mois
● Augmentation en pourcentage d'aliments riches en micronutriments dans les marchés ciblés ;
● Le pourcentage des participants aux activités agricoles sensibles à la nutrition de l’USG consommant un régime alimentaire d’une diversité minimale.
Au total, 1,301 ménages et 132 structures (organisations des producteurs, associations villageoises d’épargne et de crédit et entreprises incluant les agro-dealers et vendeurs individuels) ont été enquêtées dans les deux régions concernées par l’étude. Read More...
Spécifiquement, il s’agit de connaître le niveau de référence de :
● L’indice de la capacité à se remettre des chocs et stress de la zone d’intervention ;
● La valeur des ventes annuelles des exploitations et des entreprises recevant l’assistance du Gouvernement Américain ;
● Pourcentage de changement dans l’offre des produits agricoles sur les marchés ciblés ;
● Pourcentage de changement des prix des produits agricoles sur les marchés ciblés ;
● Le nombre d’hectares sous pratiques de gestion ou de technologies améliorées qui font la promotion des pratiques améliorées de réduction des risques climatiques et/ou de gestion des ressources naturelles avec l’aide du gouvernement américain ;
● Le nombre d’individus dans le système agricole qui ont appliqué des pratiques améliorées de gestion ou des technologies avec l'aide du gouvernement américain ;
● La propriété des actifs ;
● L’accès au crédit et décisions à la matière ;
● Le pourcentage de participants qui déclarent une augmentation des aliments riches en micronutriments sur le marché local au cours des 12 derniers mois
● Augmentation en pourcentage d'aliments riches en micronutriments dans les marchés ciblés ;
● Le pourcentage des participants aux activités agricoles sensibles à la nutrition de l’USG consommant un régime alimentaire d’une diversité minimale.
Au total, 1,301 ménages et 132 structures (organisations des producteurs, associations villageoises d’épargne et de crédit et entreprises incluant les agro-dealers et vendeurs individuels) ont été enquêtées dans les deux régions concernées par l’étude. Read More...
Enquête Trimestrielle pour le Rapportage du Plan de Mesure de Performance Projets “OLAM VSLA” & “TOUTON VSLA”
Dans le cadre de cette enquête trimestrielle, la méthode d’échantillonnage utilisée est le sondage aléatoire systématique stratifié au premier degré. La taille de l'échantillon de l'enquête trimestrielle des projets OLAM VSLA et TOUTON VSLA a été calculée et s’établit à 339 membres de VSLA. [7 pages] Read More...