Consideration of Gender, Underrepresented and Disadvantaged Groups ______________________________________________________________________________________

Consideration of Gender, Consideration of Gender,

Underrepresented and DisadvantagedUnderrepresented and Disadvantaged

GroupsGroups

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Annual Meeting Blacksburg, Virginia 18-20 April 2006

SANREM CRSPSANREM CRSPGender Equity CoordinatorGender Equity Coordinator

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Works across program sites to ensure that Works across program sites to ensure that gender equity is an integral part of planning, gender equity is an integral part of planning, implementation, and impact:implementation, and impact:

Identifying gender implications of SANREM Identifying gender implications of SANREM interventions and assuring that a high level of gender interventions and assuring that a high level of gender scholarship is maintained.scholarship is maintained.

Participate in ME activities and planning, as well as be Participate in ME activities and planning, as well as be

a voting member of the TC.a voting member of the TC.

Assure that all training activities are gender equitable Assure that all training activities are gender equitable and sensitive.and sensitive.

The Concept of GenderThe Concept of Gender

Gender refers to social characteristics of men Gender refers to social characteristics of men and women. and women.

Different roles within family or in farming Different roles within family or in farming

Stereotypical behavior patternsStereotypical behavior patterns

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Underrepresented and Underrepresented and Disadvantaged GroupsDisadvantaged Groups

Women, children, youth, herders, religious and Women, children, youth, herders, religious and ethnic minorities, lower classes, the poor, ethnic minorities, lower classes, the poor, uneducated. uneducated.

Recognize opportunities to utilize space and time Recognize opportunities to utilize space and time for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups to organizeto organize

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Gender SensitivityGender Sensitivity

Examining different (power) positions of Examining different (power) positions of the two sexes in society.the two sexes in society.

Making women and their needs visible in Making women and their needs visible in all aspects of SA and NRM.all aspects of SA and NRM.

Treating women as professionals in their Treating women as professionals in their livelihood endeavorslivelihood endeavors

Being sensitive to different needs, roles Being sensitive to different needs, roles and constraints related to both sexesand constraints related to both sexes

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Constraints to bear in mind Constraints to bear in mind when planning projects/activitieswhen planning projects/activities

Women may :Women may : need husbands’/mother-in-laws’ permission to need husbands’/mother-in-laws’ permission to

attend meetingsattend meetings find it difficult to attend meetings outside their find it difficult to attend meetings outside their

villagesvillages not be allowed to mix with men, so may be unable not be allowed to mix with men, so may be unable

to attend mixed-sex meetingsto attend mixed-sex meetings be unable to speak up in front of menbe unable to speak up in front of men not be free to attend meetings at times convenient not be free to attend meetings at times convenient

to mento men not have access to land or other resourcesnot have access to land or other resources

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Ways of overcoming these Ways of overcoming these constraintsconstraints

Specifically invite women to meetingsSpecifically invite women to meetings Hold meetings in or near their villagesHold meetings in or near their villages Make sure that women have space to speak Make sure that women have space to speak

out.out. Where necessary hold separate meetings for Where necessary hold separate meetings for

womenwomen In Africa women who don’t have their own In Africa women who don’t have their own

land can form associations to get a plot land can form associations to get a plot allocated to themallocated to them

Consult localConsult local rural women rural women leaders to ensure leaders to ensure your intervention is culturally appropriate.your intervention is culturally appropriate.

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Benefits of gender sensitive Benefits of gender sensitive projectsprojects

All crops/practices will be covered.All crops/practices will be covered.

Work won’t be hampered by women’s Work won’t be hampered by women’s ignorance/lack of cooperation.ignorance/lack of cooperation.

Families as a whole will benefitFamilies as a whole will benefit

Incorporating women provides wider Incorporating women provides wider coverage of the populationcoverage of the population

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Gender sensitive SA & NRM Gender sensitive SA & NRM includesincludes

Being aware of gender-specific farming/NRM tasks Being aware of gender-specific farming/NRM tasks

Checking that your recommendations will not over-Checking that your recommendations will not over-burden women’s already heavy work loads burden women’s already heavy work loads

Considering how to help equalize work loads Considering how to help equalize work loads between the sexes.between the sexes.

Paying each laborer individually. Men may not pass Paying each laborer individually. Men may not pass (all) money down to wives and children.(all) money down to wives and children.

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Remember - Scientists are Remember - Scientists are also genderedalso gendered

Women and men have different approaches Women and men have different approaches in the lab as well as the farmin the lab as well as the farm

Including women scientists in your project Including women scientists in your project and taking their particular approaches into and taking their particular approaches into consideration can enrich research experience consideration can enrich research experience and results.and results.

Including women scientists can bring in Including women scientists can bring in women farmers and community leaders. women farmers and community leaders.

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Extension workersExtension workers

Male extension workers often ignore women Male extension workers often ignore women farmers, whereas female extension workers farmers, whereas female extension workers work well with both sexes.work well with both sexes.

Work out strategies to ensure women are Work out strategies to ensure women are included as trainers/extension workers in all included as trainers/extension workers in all your community-based activitiesyour community-based activities

Encourage local NGOs/governments to train Encourage local NGOs/governments to train and employ women as extension workers and and employ women as extension workers and to find ways around cultural and mobility to find ways around cultural and mobility constraints.constraints.

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Gender-Sensitivity in Project Gender-Sensitivity in Project PersonnelPersonnel

Being a woman does not automatically make Being a woman does not automatically make a person gender sensitive.a person gender sensitive.

Being a man does not necessarily make a Being a man does not necessarily make a person insensitive on gender issues.person insensitive on gender issues.

Gender-sensitive male scientists are vital for Gender-sensitive male scientists are vital for supporting male farmers, etc. to become supporting male farmers, etc. to become gender sensitive.gender sensitive.

One SANREM CRSP goal is to sensitize One SANREM CRSP goal is to sensitize host-country scientists and local communities host-country scientists and local communities to gender issues.to gender issues.

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USAID and Gender IssuesUSAID and Gender Issues USAID requires projects to be gender sensitive and USAID requires projects to be gender sensitive and

always incorporate women as well as men unless always incorporate women as well as men unless justification is explicitly providedjustification is explicitly provided

Agricultural research is not gender neutral. Scientific Agricultural research is not gender neutral. Scientific work affects men and women differentiallywork affects men and women differentially

Men and women think differently, so include both to Men and women think differently, so include both to get a more balanced outlook from scientists, get a more balanced outlook from scientists, extension workers and farmers. extension workers and farmers.

Make all report writing and project proposals explicit Make all report writing and project proposals explicit in regard to the sex of participants – e.g., men and in regard to the sex of participants – e.g., men and women farmers.women farmers.

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Documents

Consideration of Gender, Underrepresented and Disadvantaged Groups ______________________________________________________________________________________