Gender CED Santo Andre

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Gender and CED: Tools for Empowering Womens Lives in

Santo Andre, Brazil

Diana SmithNorman Sippert

Jason Emmert

Submitted to: Professor Leonora Angeles

PLAN 548M Gender and International DevelopmentSchool of Community and Regional Planning

University of British Columbia

Friday December 6th, 2002


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Purpose of this paper 1Why CED? Women in Brazil 1Santo Andre and the Watershed Protection Area 1

Socio-economic Conditions in the Santo Andre WPA 2Building Community Interest and Involvement in CED 3

What is Community Economic Development (CED)? 4Fundamental Building Blocks: Livelihood Assets 4

Community Capital: Pooling Individual and Household Assets 6Why do we need CED? 8

How can CED address womens issues? 8Women, Economic Assets, and CED 8

Promoting Economic Stability 9

Meeting Womens Diverse Economic Needs 9

CED and Womens Social Development 10Reinforcing Social Assets 11Building Other Assets to Increase Social Capital 12

CED, Women, and Local and Global Natural Capital 13

The Value Natural Assets in the Economy 14Access to Land and Resources 14Food Security 14

Impacts of Waste and Pollution 15

Case Studies 17Projects in Santo Andre and Brazil 17

Developing Co-operatives 17

Focusing on Womens Development 18CED Projects and Seed Ideas 20

Child Care and Mothers Support Programs 20Micro-enterprise development 20Job Training 21

Housing and Infrastructure 22

Conclusion 22

References 23

Appendix A

- Community Economic Development Principles in British Columbia 24Appendix B

- Problems with Conventional Economic Development for

Local and National Economies 25Appendix C

- Case Studies Summaries and Internet Links 26


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Introduction

Purpose of t his Paper

This paper introduces the theory and methods of Community Economic Development (CED), and its potentialfor social and economic transformation amongst women in particular. It is intended to serve as the basis for a

series of workshops or seminars in the Santo Andre Watershed Protection Area (pilot project 3), where CED

and tourism have been identified as priorities. The ideas are transferable to other areas, including CBWM otherpilot project communities.

We have divided the paper into 3 general sections:

- Local context - the need for CED for the women of Brazil and the CBWM project area

- Theory of CED (economic, social and environmental aspects) with sample workshop ideas and activities- Case studies of gender aware CED projects in Brazil and around the world.

The material from the case studies may be used in the workshops to give women examples of successeselsewhere. The workshop ideas are not at the level of detail to stand on their own, but materials can be found in

any number of excellent resource guides for facilitators.1

The need for this information is reflected in the general socio-economic status of women in Brazil, as well as

feedback from women in the pilot project areas. It is our hope that it may assist facilitators and partner NGOs intheir task of working with the women to develop CED projects to make communities that are economically,

socially and environmentally vibrant.

Why CED? Women in Brazil

Gender and development issues have long been on the political radar screen in Brazil where the

government, NGOs, and the private sector have created institutions to address the continuing inequalities

between men and women. Academic dialogue in Brazil on gender issues since the 1980s has had limitedimpact on changing womens everyday reality, but it has had an impact. Although overall income distribution

is frequently cited imbalanced in the world2, the growing income gap between men and women even morestarkly illustrates social inequity in Brazil. The divide is further exacerbated by other social and economic

inequalities based on race, class, and ethnicity. It has been frequently noted that women and Afro-Braziliansreceive lower salaries than other demographic groups. Black women earn only 27.6% of white mens earnings3

Santo Andre and the Wat ershed Prot ect ion Area

The Santo Andre municipality, a city of approximately 100,000 people, is part of the So Paulometropolitan area. It is located to the southeast of So Paulo proper and is bordered to the southeast by Santo

Andr's Watershed Protection Area (WPA). The WPA occupies 55% of the municipal area (96.2 km2), with335 hectares being a biological reserve. A large part of the area is not developed, although impacts could resultfrom future developments, such as the metropolitan ringway, which could be constructed partly through the

WPA. Other relevant facts for the WPA:

1 One example is Mike Lewis & Frank Green Strategic Planning for the Community Economic Development Practitioner, West Coast Development Group, 1992and other works by Mike Lewis2The top 5% of the resident population received 40% of the national income (1993) while the bottom 25% of the economically active population received 6.4% of thenations wealth. Source: Fundao Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatstica3Fundao Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatstica, 1993, in Brasileiro, 1997


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Total population in the WPA is 26,000 (estimate for 1998), 4% of Santo Andr's population; thepopulation within the WPA grew by 102% from 1982 - 1992.

There has been a heavy reliance on legal measures to control settlement areas. There is one large industrial plant located within the area; it owns 1,200 hectares of WPA land. Settlement types include middle-income areas, an historic railway village (Paranapiacaba), illegal

subdivisions, and favelas bordering the Billings Reservoir.

Services in the WPA include solid waste collection, health care, public schools, road maintenance and aregional administrative office of the Municipality.

Socio-economic Condit ions in t he Sant o Andre WPA

The following list of gender issues come from participants at a gender workshop in Santo Andre, which weassume to generally hold true for Paranapiacaba4.

Women are key to popular movements but they do not hold political power. Stress caused by the 'triple burden': homework, workplace, and community work. Assumption that women's

labour is elastic Domestic violence affects the whole family and community. Poverty is aggravated by lack of basic services (e.g. health, education, transportation, infrastructure, day

care); women have to spend much time taking young children to school that now observe four shifts. Invisibility ("ghost work") of women's work contributes to non-recognition of women's capabilities, and

leads to problem of poor self-image among women. Men do not take responsibility for housework and children. No available data on intra- and inter-household conflicts and differential access and control of resources.

Regarding domestic violence, there are numerous statistics for Santo Andr that indicate that domestic

violence and violence against women are serious concerns. 75% of Delegacia de Defesa da Mulher (DDM,Defence of Women Police Stations) cases are due to physical and psychological aggression in the context of

loving relationships. In 1996, the Santo Andr DDM handled 1067 cases; there were 942 cases throughAugust of 1997. Vem Maria was founded in 1998 to provide information and resources to women in violent

situations. In 1999 they attended 531 women, in 2000, the number increased to 1,160, and by 2001, 1,322women were seen5. When one considers that domestic violence is hugely under-reported, this speaks to anenormous problem.

Finally, the following is a list of observations for Paranapiacaba6:

Some training programs exist to have local young women become paid community health stewards as thefirst step towards becoming nurses.

High unemployment, as well as high participation in informal economic activities (selling items on the streetin Santo Andr or Sao Paulo, or in the informal settlements themselves).

Some people practice very limited subsistence agriculture to contribute to their living situation.4Angeles, Leonora C. "Gender and Participation: Some considerations for CBWM project in Santo Andre, Sao Paolo, Brazil", February 1999. p.1-25www.santoandre.sp.gov.br/bn_conteudo.asp?cod=201; also cod=4216Conversation with Alison McNaughton


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What is Community Economic Development (CED)?

The definition of community economic development (CED) should be highly dependent on localecological, social, and economic contexts. Despite the local specificity, there are some commonly held ideas

about CED. The definition and the ten CED principles (Appendix A) offered by the Community EconomicDevelopment Centre (CEDC) at Simon Fraser University reflect some of these ideas.

[CED is]...a community-based and community-directed process that explicitlycombines social and economic development and is directed towards fostering the

economic, social, ecological and cultural well-being of communities and regions...CEDhas emerged as an alternative to conventional approaches to economic development. It isfounded on the belief that problems facing communities - unemployment, poverty, job

loss, environmental degradation, economic instability, and loss of community control -need to be addressed in a holistic and participatory way. (CEDC 1997).

Fundamental Building Blocks:

Livelihood Assets

At its heart, CED recognizes thatthere are many dynamic components that

support the development of sustainablelivelihoods that go beyond increasingmonetary wealth. One approach is to focus

on utilizing and building livelihood assets.Livelihood assets are all the valuedresources that individuals, households, and

communities possess or strive to possessthat sustain and improve their lives. These

assets include not only material items suchas food and a house, but also skills, good

health, and support networks that enablehouseholds and individuals that give valueto life in their own right and enable

utilization of material resources in aneffective way. Assets are interconnected in

a complex web of everyday relationshipswherein developing or degrading one asset

Workshop Activities #1

Defining a CED vision for Your Community

Explanation Collectively defining what economic development or improving quality of life means in theircommunitys context can a help a community prioritize and strategize activities to meet present and future community

needs. A vision process should draw on perspectives on all community members including the most sociallymarginalized. This may require offering different forms of expression including speaking, writing, drawing, performing,and many other forms of expression.

Talking Points

What would you like to see change in our community?What are the most important places, people, and aspects of our community?

Have there been plans to improve our community before? How did they fail or succeed?

Activity

Draw or write your vision of the community in 10 years. Include places you would like to see stay the same and places

that you would like to see change.


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often supports or limits the improvement of

other assets.Individuals and households all have

assets and identifying livelihood assetspossessed at any one time can help anindividual or household determine its

strengths and weaknesses. Knowingstrengths can empower individuals and

households to realize what they have to

offer a CED process. By the same token,

identifying crucial asset deficiencies canfocus a CED process towards the most

urgent or strategic asset need. Diagram 1divides livelihood assets into fivecategories: social, personal, physical,

financial, and human assets. Each set ofassets plays a vital role in peoples total

capacity to improve their lives.

Diagram 1

FinancialAssets

Human

Assets

Physical

Assets

SocialAssets

PersonalAssets

Income from productive activity(employment/self-employment)

Available financial savings Regular inflows of money from:

Government transfers Family Gifts In-kind

Credit rating Access to credit

Cooperation Networks, interconnectedness Family support Friendships Relationships of trust/exchanges Partnership and collaboration Political participation

Motivation Self-esteem Self-confidence Emotional well-being Assertiveness Spirituality

Skills (includingtechnical andinterpersonal)

Knowledge Ability Employability and

earning power Good health Leadership

Child/elder care Secure shelter Clean affordable energy Information Banking and access to related

services Basic consumer needs e.g. local

grocery store and other services Affordable transportation Tools and equipment Natural resources Air and water quality


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Community Capital: Pooling

Individual and Household Assets

The total value of accumulated

assets within a community can be termed acommunitys capital. More than the sumtotal of the assets held by all the individuals

and households, community capital followsthe old adage, the whole is greater than thesum of its parts. The complex interaction

between individuals and households in thecommunity can create new assets such as

networks, institutions, attitudes etc. Oneexample of community capital may be trustbuilt among neighbours from lending

money, watching each others children, andother small favours that occur over time.

This trust is not held in one person orhousehold, but is created through positiveinteraction among numerous people. Other

examples include an informal street market,

lending circles, and a community-built

sewage system. Community capital servesas the stock of assets that individuals andhouseholds can draw upon to improve theirown livelihood assets

Like assets, community capital canbe divided into categories to better

understand the capital held by a specificcommunity (see box below). Ideally,community capital is not depleted over

time, but is being constantly maintainedand renewed as capital is being used.

Ultimately, CED looks to foster processesthat build and strengthen communitycapital which in turn expand the pool of

livelihood assets available to theindividuals and households within that

community.


CED empowering the many aspects of womens lives

Explanation CED can give women more power over their own lives. One of the most empowering activities is the

recognition of the personal assets that women already have and the importance of their energy and time. Then identifyingsome of the external factors that disempower women can help strategically address these concerns.

Talking points

When do you feel most empowered (i.e. confident, safe, assertive, motivated, effective)?When do you feel most disempowered (sad, insecure, ineffective, unmotivated)?

Activity

Make a calendar of times during a given week that you feel empowered and disempowered and describe the moments.

Talking points

What activities are most important to in your daily life?

What activities would you like to invest more time, energy, and resources in?

Activity

Identify the most important activities that concern you in any given week and which activities you would like to invest moretime, energy, and resources in.


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Different Types of Community Capital

Social Capital All the features of acommunitys social organization such as

networks, norms, and social trust that facilitatecoordination and cooperation for mutual benefit.

Examples: Sense of cooperation, social trust,levels of community participation, and informalnetworks.

Natural Capital The totality of natural systemsthat provide current and future flows of servicesand/or goods that are utilized by humans and

other creatures. Examples include a functioningforest ecosystems, wetlands, climate, and lakes

Human Capital The collective pool of skills,knowledge, talents, education, labour, and other

human resources in a community. Example:Craftsmanship, medical training, and ecologicalknowledge,

Financial Capital The stock monetaryresources available to the community forinvestment in the production of goods, services,and the creation of new capital. Examples: Credit,

trust funds, and lending circles.

Manufactured Capital The stock of human-made resources available to the community thatcan be used in the production of goods, services,

and new capital. Examples: Equipment,machinery, buildings, and infrastructure

Institutional Capital The institutionsaccessible to the community that provide support,

access to decision-making and resources, and

organizational capacity. Examples: Governmentoffices, churches, schools, and non-governmental

organizations.


Building on Community Capital through

Cooperation were stronger together than we

are separately

Explanation - Every community has assets (define assets)

to build on and CED can help us organize and mobilizeour own assets to benefit our community. This requiresparticipation from all community members to work

together to devise community economic plans andactivities. As part of the CED process we will identifyexisting community assets, discuss ways to strengthen

existing assets and cooperation in the community, andcreate new community assets.

Talking Points

What is community capital?

Define community capital using the model forexplanation

Activity

Identify community capital on maps of the community(examples: houses, roads, gardens, tools, naturalresources, financial (hidden), skills, leadership, networks,

friendships, emotion well-being, self esteem,assertiveness, motivation

Talking points

Why is cooperation vital to CED? What are some wayswe can cooperatively strengthen and increase communitycapital?

Activity

Identify existing points of cooperation and ways that

these could be improved.Identify how can your own assets strengthen assets in thecommunity. i.e. womans skill in childcare and time

offered to her neighbours would give her neighboursextra time to give to the community.


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Why do we need CED?

In contrast to the above definition and principles of CED, the conventional, neo-liberalforms of economic development pursued over the last 50 or more years increase financial and

manufactured assets with little or no priority given to associated cultural, social or environmentalcosts (Boothroyd and Davis, 1993). Consequently, conventional economic objectives usually

focus exclusively on raising short-term employment and tax revenue primarily through attractingoutside investment. This often leads to long-term economic disadvantages such as loss ofcommunity economic control, increased economic instability, and greater disparity between the

wealthy and the poor. As an alternative approach, CED considers the importance of maintaininglabour, environmental, and health standards to total community well-being and aims to support

the production of various forms of community capital with the intention that community survivalis not primarily dependent on outside investment.

Another key component to the conventional economic development model is the

promotion of export-led growth, where a community specializes in producing certain products orcrops for export according to its comparative advantage (i.e. lower labor costs, unique products,better climate or land, weaker environmental regulations) in relation to other areas around the

world. CED prioritizes the control of community capital to meet needs of the local communitybefore risking export into the global market. By meeting community needs first, if the

community decides to invest in the global market it is better able to adapt to its fluctuations.Further explanation of the terminology and problems with conventional economic approach arein Appendix B.

How can CED address womens issues7?

Conventional economic development attempts to limit government social programs and

state-run enterprises in favour of lowering taxes to increase the exchange of financial capital.This approach ignores both the structural disadvantage of women and the specific needs of

women (as well as other groups) that are not necessary met by rising incomes.On the most basic level CED addresses womens issues by including both men andwomen in community economic decision-making. As CED is based on the principle of

participatory development, addressing previous inequalities between women and men ineconomic policy-making, project planning, and other economic decision-making becomes apriority. Furthermore, by specifically focusing CED towards womens issues local economies

can be shaped to address womens economic disadvantages such as access to new jobs, controlof household income, valuing womens unpaid labor, etc. Through CED economies can also

begin to fulfill womens needs that are not necessarily met by increases in financial assetsincluding social issues, inequalities, environmental and health concerns. The next three sectionsthis paper will discuss specifically how CED may build community capital and livelihood assets

to address economic, social, and environmental issues related to women.

Women, Economic Assets, and CED

Increasing the stock of financial and manufactured capital controlled by and accessible to

the community can help create new jobs and access to new financial and material assets forhouseholds and individuals. However, the size of this pool does not insure that these resources

7 This paper focuses on the needs of women, but recognizes that the condition of men and women are inextricably

linked and that an CED strategy that successfully meets the needs of women must have active involvement of men.


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are distributed fairly or that this capital is stable and will remain in the community. Historically,

women have been on the losing end of uneven distribution of economic resources and benefitsand often suffer the worst consequences from economic instability. Women most often have

lower wages than men, less access to credit, and other forms of financial capital as well as lesspreference to higher paying jobs. They are often the first to lose their jobs in the face ofeconomic downturn and their lower salaries means inflation and wage cuts hurt womens buying

power proportionally more than men.

Promot ing Economic St abi l i t y

Through CED communities take greater control over where economic resources are allocated within thecommunity and they can specifically direct them to economic concerns of women They can place higher valueon more stable economic activities and meeting basic needs within the community.

Here are nine CED principles that can help ensure long-term economic stability and independence:

1) The purpose of CED is to increase community solidarity, distributive justice, and broadly definedquality of life.

2) Reduce dependence on outside decision-makers by increasing local control over resource management3) Diversify external investment sources4) Reduce dependence on external investments by increasing local ownership5) Reduce dependence on traditional exports by diversifying products or markets for existing products6) Reduce the need for exports in general by substituting local production for imports paid for by exports7) Reduce dependence on money as the bases for local exchange by strengthening the local non-cash and

informal economy.

8) Economic institutions should be organized to promote cooperation rather than competition (i.e., theyshould combine social development with economic development)

9) All community members (including women) must be empowered to participate in planning anddecision-making processes that shape the community's economy

(Boothroyd and Davis 1993, p.234).

Meet ing Womens Diverse Economic Needs

In addition to promoting economic stability within communities, CED takes into account the diversity of

economic needs of a community including the needs of women. Some of womens needs may includeequalizing differences in income and employment opportunities, valuing the womens non-paid labour in the

home and in the community, and improving women's access to credit. CED prescriptions for narrowing theincome gap between men and women may include establishing policies of equal pay for equal work andpromoting enterprises that pay women equally. Similarly, enterprises that can provide quality work

opportunities for women can be supported through a CED process. Womens non-paid labor can be valued

through cooperative efforts where non-paid labor is exchanged for other non-paid labor or goods rather thancurrency (e.g. childcare cooperatives). Womens participation in the informal sector8 can be supported throughskills training that allow women to better participate in the informal sector and connecting womens informalsector activities with other support services. An important economic empowerment strategy for women that has

been used in other parts of the world is improving womens access to credit and other financial assets. CEDfacilitates access to financial assets by helping women pool their own financial resources for creating a self-

contained credit system. Additionally, it establishes stable, organized groups that are more attractive to outside

8 The informal sector refers to the economic activity that falls outside of the traditional economic system of taxation and regulation.

The informal sector plays a vital role in supporting people who can not access the traditional economic system.


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lenders. Finally, CED helps protect womens enterprise (as well as other enterprises) from fluctuations in the

global economy. Based on the nine principles discussed earlier, CED can establish local exchange tradingsystems and diversify womens economic activities to make them less vulnerable to further marginalization if

the market should fall on one particular product or service. Once again it should be emphasized these issues arenot addressed in isolation, but in conjunction with the social, cultural and ecological context.

CED and Womens Social Development

A social fabric of relationships within and between communities that includes relationships betweenmen and women underlies all economic activity. The positive strength of this social fabric may be calledcommunity social capital (see box above) which includes not only the web of complex interpersonal

relationships, but also the values, attitudes, and behaviours built over time that define these relationships.Attitudes and values such as trust, responsibility, mutual benefit, and cooperation can contribute to moreequitable distribution of resources, mitigate destructive forms of competition and making effective use of assets

within a community. CED ascribes to the notion that social capital is essential for long-term community well-being and economic development that meets the needs of women and other marginalized groups. A CED

process should tap into existing social capital to mobilize human, financial, and manufactured capital and at the


Take control of your own economy

Explanation CED can put more control of economic activities in the hands of our community. This helps

us define the priorities for our local economy. We can determine how we can create wealth and how is usedin our community.

Talking PointsWhat parts of the economy are currently controlled by the community and which arent?

What parts of the economy would the we like to see locally controlled? What is your ideal vision of the localeconomy?

Activity

Identify locally controlled economic assets and activities and those controlled by outsidersPrioritize local economic activities for local control

Talking Point

Which economic activities are currently most feasible for local control? And in the long-term?

Activity

Think about what empowers you and what you like to devote more of yourself to (Workshop Activity 1).

Considering community vision for economic development, existing assets especially locally controlledeconomic assets, and priorities for local control of economic activities, identify the some of most feasibleshort-term and long-term CED activities (Workshop 1 & 3)


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same time supporting attitudes of cooperation and trust, strengthen both formal and informal community

networks, and foster ideas of mutual benefit.

Reinf orcing Social Asset s

At the individual and household level the inter-related nature of individual and household assets meansthat as some assets are built, it becomes easier to build other assets. However, this also means that individualproblems, or personal and human assets, are connected to community problems and social capital.

Economically marginalized women are more likely than middle or upper-class women to lack humanassets, and by association possibly have fewer social and personal assets. In addition, lack of financial and

physical assets are core dimensions of social marginalization. This increases marginalized womensvulnerability to violence against women including domestic violence, drug use and abuse, lower levels ofeducation and literacy, and persistent health problems. These problems are entrenched in the lack of positive

social capital and are reinforced in the ways that people relate to one another and their environment.One way that CED may address womens strategic needs is by increasing access to community social

capital. Increasing access to community social capital can help women leave situations of violence, increase

their level of formal education, and increase their ability to live in healthy environments and access high-quality

health care. Increasing assets through better access to community social capital can also address strategic needsfor social change by changing attitudes as women are seen as more empowered and effective, and removing

barriers that were limiting. Power relations can also be altered as women themselves experience changes in

Stronger Human and FinancialAssets

Able to work and earn income for

the family. Can work less hoursbecause have to pay less for

childcare

Stronger Social Assets

Good relationship withneighbors who provide childcare

while at work in exchange forhelp with housework

Stronger Personal Assets

Higher self-esteem fromproviding for family and

better able to maintainpositive relationships withfriends and famil

Positively Reinforcing Livelihood Assets


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personal assets and increased human assets. Empowerment and changes in social assets such as stronger, more

fulfilling relationships with friends and family can also affect attitudes and power relations.Successful CED builds social and human assets for individuals and households, and particularly

personal assets.. It has been widely recognised that CED is an excellent tool for increasing self-esteem, self-efficacy, and perceptions of well-being which can be immensely empowering. These personal assets are built asparticipants find that they can increasingly rely on themselves and make a difference in their own and others

lives. CED builds social assets by strengthening networks and increasing their reach, as well as possiblyreducing family vulnerability and increasing positive relationships. Human assets are built through increased

skills, abilities, and employability, as well as better health through increased access to resources. Openingpathways to social capital for women will be key to building their assets for social development. Because theseissues are not isolated, they need to be addressed in the context of the community, due to their entrenched, inter-

connected nature.Vem Maria, an organisation in Santo Andr that addresses needs connected to violence against women,

suggests that domestic violence is a result of the cultura machista, which allows for violence as a form ofdomination in male-female relationships. Vem Maria also declares that domestic violence is not only a problemof the poor; middle and upper-class women are affected as well 9. While this is true, poor women face more

difficulties in leaving violent situations due to their relative lack of assets.

Buil ding Ot her Assets to Increase Social Capi t al

While these possible repercussions of CED building social assets are far in the future and uncertain,CED has more immediate, practical results related to womens needs arising from systemic, societal problems.

CED approaches, through empowerment and increased access to physical and natural assets, can result in thecreation of institutions, infrastructure, and networks that address social needs. An example of this is the creationof a support network for victims of domestic violence, the creation of a community-based organisation to

address domestic violence issues, or building a safe house for victims of domestic violence.A holistic approach allows for a more successful program, as Vem Maria seems to recognise in its

program in Parque Andreense. This program looks at illiteracy, health, and political participation, not justdomestic violence. It seeks to reduce discrimination and exclusion, increase quality of life for communities, andguarantee environmental preservation by working with women and recognising their traditional roles as social

educators in homes, schools, and communities.One aspect of CED that we have seen repeatedly throughout this discussion is the importance of

capacity building and community building throughout projects. This allows for empowerment, which in turnallows for some of the most dramatic results. Many organisations have found that by attending to issues relatedto self-esteem, self-efficacy, and other assets they can be more successful because their efforts are not being

undercut.As social assets form the basis for economic interaction, local and global ecosystems sustain both

economies and societies. The next section will discuss how CED can ensure that both women and ecologicalsystems are integrated into economic development.

9http://www.santoandre.sp.gov.br/bn_conteudo.asp?cod=201


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CED, Women, and Local and Global Natural Capital

As the base of all economic activity, natural capital refers to the self-renewing ecological system thatproduces the natural resources that humans use, called natural assets 10 (i.e. trees, water, minerals, etc.). A

sustainable economy ideally uses the natural assets without depleting the natural capital stocks so that they cancontinue to provide for resources in the future. CED looks at how the local economies can meet local needswithin the limits of global and local ecological systems. Women are an important voice in understanding how

to better live within the limits of ecosystems. However, women often have more limited access to existingresources and little say in how they are managed. Paradoxically, they are more adversely affected by

environmental degradation. CED can be applied to address these inequities that women face in relation to thephysical environment.

The nature of a womans interaction with their physical environment is highly dependent on specificbiophysical characteristics of the local ecosystems and the local class, cultural, social, and economic factors thatform that womans reality. But there are certain commonalities that exist across the globe that point to the

common social construction of gender and the environment that have led to parallel systematic exploitation ofwomen and the environment (Levy 1992). Gender relationships to the physical environment reflect broadergender relations in society in which women have been disadvantaged in their access to assets (financial, social,

and political) and have carried a disproportionate share of the negative impacts of societal organization and

10 This is often called natural income, but for the purposes of consistent terminology will be called natural assets in this paper.


Mapping Our Social Network

Explanation Often it is difficult to recognize how important social networks are for supporting ourwell-being. They can be a resource to draw upon if used in a respectful and reciprocal manner.

Talking Points

Who do you spend your time meeting?

Where do meet most of you friends?What are the different social groups that you identify with?

Activity

Make a diagram showing your personal network. Try to find common connection between personalnetworks

Talking Points

What are ways we can strengthen networks?What are ways that networks can be damaged or destroyed?

Activity

List ways that you have strengthened or hurt your personal networks in the past month.


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function (i.e. systemic poverty, triple work day). Patriarchal social relations between men and women

disadvantage women from the access to the same natural capital which provides material or income value tomen.

The inclusion of a wide range of women in the CED process can infuse womens multiplicity ofinterests into economic development planning including improving their access to natural resources andreducing the impact of pollution and waste on womens lives.

The Value Nat ural Assets in the Economy

The conventional economic development model discussed earlier values natural resources only for theirprice value on the market and generally exclude the value that natural capital may have serving other functions

such as maintaining ecosystem vitality, providing food and nutrition to marginalized populations, and absorbingand cleaning wastes. These other functions and worth of natural assets maybe more highly valued by women

than the value of natural assets on the local and especially the national and international markets. For example,the nutritional value of home grown fruits and vegetables maybe more important to women (and possibly men)than the income received by selling them on the local market. The full value of natural assets can be taken into

account through CED strategies such as local exchange trading systems (LETS), local currency, and full costaccounting (see cases studies).

Access to Land and Resources

Womenare often disadvantaged by a number of cultural, social, and legal barriers to access land andresources. At the core of access to land and resources are property/tenure rights. Although ownership of land

title is an important component of access to natural capital, often the systems of access to resources are muchmore complex than simple ownership. For example, even if a woman owns property her social norms may

prevent her from using certain resources on the land for economic benefit. Conversely, women may not haveequal access to land title as men, but maybe able to use the resources from land owned by men. This alsorelates to womens access to natural capital versus natural assets. Access to natural assets (i.e. wood, water,)

does not necessarily mean that women have a part in control of natural capital (i.e. forest and water resourcesmanagement), the source of natural assets.

Exclusion from natural management could mean that women have no power to halt overexploitation ofnatural capital that they value. Thus, the natural capital resources that are important to women are oftenundervalued and overexploited and women must bear the consequences. CED can empower women by giving

greater control over the management of natural capital through community-based natural resource managementand deciding which natural assets should be exploited for the local economy.

In many locations, access to financial capital can translate into better access to natural assets, although,as mentioned earlier, often there are other social, cultural, and political barriers that prevent women fromgaining equal access to natural capital. Micro-credit, lending groups, credit unions, and community

development corporations can provide sources of financial capital for women to purchase natural assets.

Food Secur i t y

Food security is vitally important to both men and women, but often womens responsibilities in thehousehold put the task of providing food in their hands. Access to food in the market, seeds, arable land, andwater for irrigation can all play a role in food security for women as well as agricultural and nutritional

knowledge. Food security is dependent both on the quantity and quality of the food available. Some CEDstrategies to improve food security could include increasing access to arable land, providing training on

agriculture and nutrition, developing a programme for urban agriculture, and setting up a food assistanceprogram. Having a secure source of adequate quantity and quality food is key to womens good health andability to live a quality life.


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Impacts of Wast e and Poll ut ion

At the same time women are disproportionately affected by degradation to the environment includingloss of natural assets (i.e. deforestation, depletion of water resources, etc.), contact with waste streams (i.e.

untreated sewage, solid waste disposal), and the effects of industrial and household pollution (i.e. indoor andoutdoor air pollutants, toxic waste, etc.). The negative health effects and the loss of natural capital capacityfrom human-made waste and pollution often disproportionately affect women. In the traditional female realm,

women (especially marginalized women) often work in close proximity or over long periods of time in contactwith waste streams (e.g. household sewage, municipal solid waste) increasing potential for exposure to diseaseand other health problems. Women working in the informal sector are even more likely to be working with or

near waste streams. CED can focus economic activity towards waste infrastructure and service provision (e.g.building sewage pipelines, providing regular solid waste recycling and removal, etc.), either formal or informal,

to minimize the impact of waste on womens health. Other issues related to waste contamination ofcommunity watersheds can also be included as part of a CED strategy to devote community time and assets towater protection.

The impact of pollution and waste are especially relevant in the urban environment where numerousfactors have forced women into vulnerable positions where they are more exposed to these hazards. Some of

these factors include the feminization of the industrial labour (combined with low occupational health and

safety standards) (Wasserman 1997), increasing geographic marginalization in informal settlements that haveinadequate waste infrastructure and service, lax enforcement of environmental quality standards, and increasing

income marginalization that forces women into informal economic activity that may expose them to moreenvironmentally/health hazardous conditions.Recent trends show that more and more women are working in

industries in Latin America that produce high levels of toxic and hazardous waste such as furniture, chemical,and industrial equipment.

The impacts on women and their children could be acute and it could have a devastating effect on

fertility and birth defect levels. CED can help create and protect safer, healthier employment and providegreater livelihood security so that women can be more selective about the type of employment they choose to

accept.


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Workshop Activity #6

Connecting our Lives to Local and Global Ecosystems

Explanation All of us use products of the natural environment and many of us are affected byenvironmental pollution and waste. It is impact to understand our impact on the environment and ourenvironments impact on us.

Talking Points

Where does my food come from?What materials were used to build my house? Where did they come from?Where does my household waste get disposed of?

Activity

Identify the most inexpensive, but important natural resource in the community. Discuss why it isinexpensive. Identify to more difficult and important natural resource to obtain and discuss why.

Talking Points

What are some sources of disease in the community?What are sources of pollution in the community?What are other places that people in the community may be in contact with pollution?

Activity

Map sources of pollution and waste in the community. Discuss how people may be exposed and the

consequences of exposure.


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Case Studies

The following cases, unless otherwise noted, were taken from the UN-Habitat Best Practices Database website,which lists over "1600 proven solutions from more than 140 countries to the common social, economic and

environmental problems of an urbanizing world"11. The cases on the website are structured around a commonformat with the following categories: summary, establishment of priorities, formulation of objectives and

strategies, mobilization of resources, process, results achieved, sustainability, lessons learned, transferability,key dates, references, contacts, partners and financial profile. They are thus overviews of the cases and do notusually include details of implementation, although some detail can be found under the 'process' category.

For our purposes we have chosen 10 case studies from this database. The appendix gives a brief description

from the website of each case study. The links provided in the appendix will direct you to the full text of thecases highlighted. If you wish to search for other cases on the website, free access is currently being offered. Goto www.bestpractices.org, click on 'search database' and use the password 'gen26'.

We have divided the 10 cases into 2 categories. The first is projects in Santo Andre and other areas of Brazilthat may provide resources for future projects. The second category is cases that are more detailed and offer

seed ideas. These cases come from around the world, with a few occurring in Brazil.

Project s in Santo Andre and Brazi l

These projects highlight some of the institutional capital available to the community. Therefore, in thiscategory the references, contacts and partners are important as leads to further information on how the programscan benefit the watershed protection area. This type of capital is useful to the community in pursuing CED

projects since it can provide funding and supportbut where possible, the principle of maximizing peoplesparticipation in the projects should be used. In other cases lobbying for certain government programs or services

may help build more supportive institutional capital, which in turn can lead to the development of more self-directed projects.

Developing Co-operat ives

Case #1 - Community-based Co-operative Incubator Program in Santo Andre

The purpose of this project is to help new coops start and grow through an incubation process that bringstogether technical assistance, professional education and permanent assistance.

A 4 stage process is used that can be summarized as follows:

1) Group organization - organization activities and identification of groups potentially ready for incubation.2) Group pre-incubation - elaboration of profile of group members; signing of Incubation Term of Commitmentand the study of the economic feasibility of the enterprise.

3) Group incubation - strategic planning of the group incubation process, courses, follow-up and consultancy inthe co-operative validation process.

4) Co-operative consolidation and graduation - follow-up and a series of considerations, so that, along with themembers of the co-operative, they may be discussed, planned and orientation given regarding their activities.

11 UN-Habitat Best Practices website at http://www.bestpractices.org


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This program was launched in November 1999, with the first co-operative from the project graduating from the

program in September 2000. Some of the partners in this project that may be useful to contact are the UnitedCo-operatives of the State of Sao Paulo (Unisol) and the Local Network of Solidarity Economy (Politeuo).

The program has been of interest to other municipalities:

The Secretariat of Economic Development and Labor has hosted several municipal administration delegationsfrom different Brazilian States interested in getting to know this experience, such as: Campinas (Sao Paulo),

Maringa (Parana), Petropolis (Rio de Janeiro), Varginha (Minas Gerais), Recife (Pernambuco), among others.

(Any CED project that would entail the creation of a co-operative could make use of this program.)

Focusing on Womens Development

We have identified 3 cases that attend to womens development, each using a different method. The importance

of building social capital in any CED project has already been noted and these projects assist women in doingso.

Case # 2 - Gender & Citizenship in the Integrated Program for Social Inclusion, Santo Andre

This program follows the holistic model for CED that has been discussed in this paper and recognizes the manyfactors that can lead to social exclusion, including an emphasis on gender. Therefore this program is acombination of many approaches, from discussion groups to raise awareness to the setting up of co-operatives.

It does this in a participatory framework that has resulted in a high percentage of community members involvedin the management of the projects.

Some of the results they have achieved:

A significant portion of the population report that their self-esteem has improved, and that they have takenincreasing pride in their place of residence, progressively assuming roles in building their own future and that of

the city as a whole.

A total of 112 discussion groups, gender awareness courses, and campaigns to stop violence against women

were held, involving approximately six thousand people. These activities inject reflection on gender issues intothe PIIS, fostering interaction between team members and the community with a new perspective towards

relations between men and women.

Progress has also been made in other areas, like guaranteed property rights on the lots and housing units, with

titles registered in the women's names, an increase in prenatal care to 95% coverage and in maternalbreastfeeding to 93% of children from 0 to 3 months of age. Based on the work and income generation

activities, a tailoring co-operative was set up, consisting exclusively of women. A social inclusion micro-credit

line was set by the Banco do Povo (People's Bank) which granted 60 loans in the first six months to micro-entrepreneurs in the PIIS areas, of whom 46% were women.

Case #3 - Zabele House Project - Project of Support to Young Woman

This project focused on the development of young women between 10 and 17 years of age. It also uses a multi-dimensional approach by offering a variety of activities covering such areas as social-educational, cultural,

sports, leisure and health actions.

The following are the kinds of services offered at the House:


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- Medical and dental care.- Socio-psychological assistance.

- Food supplementation.- Workshops on dance, body expressions, theatre, volleyball, saloon ball, supervised recreation activities, tours,festivities.

- Provision of support and accommodations to homeless pregnant young women.- Provide a pre-professional education to young women over 14 years old.

- Workshop on paper recycling and manufacture of paper, cards, diaries, cases, etc.- Fabric patterning.- Manufacture of ornaments and make-up

- Guarantee (re)admission and performance in formal schools.- Complementary pedagogical activities.

- ASA/SEMCADSEMIC: Develop orientation actions and socio-familiar and economic support.- Family diagnosis.- Sensitization concerning the role of families in the rearing of children.

- Professional training courses to families- Citizen scholarship grants.

- Emergency food grants to families with extreme economic vulnerability.

- Housing improvements to families living under inadequate housing conditions.

This emphasis on young women is useful for long-term social capital. By developing their individual assets,they will participate more fully in the community as they grow older. By addressing their needs early in life, the

possibility of being exploited in informal labour or on the streets is reduced.

Case #4 - Strengthening Women's Leadership Through The Use Of Radio In Brazil

Community radio is very popular in Brazil with over 10,000 community radio stations. These are helpful to

women since it allows them to communicate their issues of concern and can replace the distorted and oftendisempowering images of Western media. This project seeks to involve women in running their own radio

stations and supplying the programming they feel is relevant to their local area.

The project highlights some of the important benefits of radio:

1.Radio has a high potential to reach the ones that are most in need and excluded. It is highly benefited by thefact that people do not have to know how to write and read. Radio does not require electricity to run. Radio can

be listened while doing other tasks, which in the case of women is essential. As a matter of fact 80% of thelisteners are women that work at home, as housewives or maids.

2.Radio is a source of empowerment for community organising and networking. This was one of our mostimportant assumptions, and over the years we have realised how much of the community organisation has

happened by having radio as a point of convergence of the activities.

3.Radio can be a very important tool of education that triggers behaviour change. It allows the use of multiplelanguages such as music, drama and other cultural forms of expressions. Radio transmits emotion which is oneof the most powerful sources of connection among human beings.


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CED Projects and Seed Ideas

CED projects are being implemented all over the world. There are many successful programs that can

inspire ideas for new projects and inform us about what kinds of processes go into the design of a successfulCED project. In the following section we will present CED projects that deal with micro-enterprisedevelopment, job training, housing and infrastructure, and child care and mothers support. The programs

presented herein have occurred in various countries, but all have aspects that are transferable to the watershedprotection area. Basic information about the programs will be outlined below; please see the attached appendix

for further information.

Chil d Care and Mothers Support Programs

In Quezon City, Philippines, there is great unmet need for daycare. In response to this need, a group of

urban poor female parents developed a community-based early childhood care and development (ECCD)program. (see Appendix, Case Study #6) The parents initially began a single centre to service 30 children, butthere are now 12 centres reaching 600 children annually. The parents contribute small amounts to cover

operation costs. In Hamburg, Germany, a network of mother centres was begun through a grassrootsmovement. (see Appendix, Case Study #5) These centres claim public attention and space for the interests of

neighbourhood women and their families and create channels for womens leadership, participation, andempowerment. As such, these centres are particularly effective at strengthening and creating communitydevelopment, thus building social capital. They increase human and personal assets by breaking isolation and

marginalisation. In addition, they decrease womens triple burden by freeing time through childcare or bybuilding networks that can then help women fulfil their reproductive responsibilities.

This type of program fits nicely into CED because of this inherent capacity to decrease demands onwomens time. If women are to participate in a financial capital-building activity, it should not be at the expenseof adding further stressors to their lives by increasing the triple burden. In addition, creating a community-based

childcare program or womens centre requires co-operation, which builds social capital. By building social

capital, trust, and an institution before beginning a further CED project, the community would be increasing thelikelihood of their success later on. Therefore, the creation of such a program would fit well within the localcontext. Since this type of project requires co-operation and distribution of labour, a co-operative or a labourexchange would be a particularly good format.

Micro-ent erpr ise development

We have identified two case studies that relate to micro-enterprise development. They represent

different types of micro-credit support programs and come from Nepal and India. In Nepal, the WomensEmpowerment Program (WEP) has formed a program that integrates action-oriented literacy, micro-finance andmicro-enterprise training, and understanding of legal rights and advocacy. (see Case Study #7) WEP uses an

asset-based approach and provides no subsidies. All money for micro-enterprise development comes fromnominal membership and book fees. These fees are kept at a low level, but provide enough money while

empowering women through the realisation that they are doing this on their own. WEP provides trainers andsupport services. In India, the Institute for Motivating Self-employment (IMSE) operates a credit managementprogram in a Calcutta slum. (see Case Study #8) IMSE does not train borrowers to businesses, and it did not

require collateral. Rather, it provided groups of five individuals with training related to loan rules andregulations, decision-making skills, and development of business plans. It then provides funding to group

members on a progressive basis. Participation in group meetings is an important part of the program forachieving empowerment and self-efficacy.


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These two examples are quite different. In the WEP program, women rely on their own resources and

micro-enterprise is seen as a tool to bolster other assets. Women also are truly in control of their funds and onlyreceive the support they want from NGOs. In the IMSE program, the NGO maintains more control over the

program, but external funding is also available. In addition, the process of working with groups seems to beparticularly effective and empowering, as well as good at strengthening community networks. Elements fromboth of these programs could be used in forming a community-based micro-enterprise organisation in one of the

towns in the watershed protection area. Alternately, if one of the pre-existing Santo Andre programs describedabove were tapped as a source, the programs presented here could be used to form a community support group.

Such a group could promote learning or could be a forum for discussing problems. It could also incorporatesome of the CED ideas presented in the following two sections.

Job Tr aining

One successful job training case study comes from Brazil. In Rio de Janeiro, a local Afro-Brazilian hair-stylist collaborated with the Association in Support of Community Solidarity (AAPCS) to create the Income

Generation, Dignity and Citizenship (IGDC) project. (see Case Study #9) IGDC trains young women, aged 14-21 years, from favelas and neighbouring districts how to be Afro-Brazilian Beauty Specialists. The projectseeks to give the young women marketable skills while increasing self-esteem and valorising cultural identity.

Women are selected through semi-structured interviews, trained in Afro-hair styling, facial make-up, depilation,

and manicure/pedicure. An apprenticeship is part of the program, which helps prepare participants for insertioninto the workforce. The project, which began in 1996, has been highly successful with an 80% level ofemployment. It trained 50-70 women each year for three years, before expanding further. The program wasparticularly effective because it identified an unmet market demand, in this case for trained Afro-Brazilian hair-

stylists. In addition, the combination of training and an apprenticeship created high levels of competence andconfidence. Women were able to not only join pre-existing businesses, but also form their own private

businesses or co-operatives.This case is particularly relevant to the watershed protection area because it occurred a low-income area

with Afro-Brazilian women. If a market demand could be identified in close proximity to the town a job

training project was to be implemented in, and a person with appropriate skills could be found to train women,this model could easily be applied. Governmental or NGO workers could be pulled into the project to facilitate

the identification of a market opportunity, an appropriate trainer, and the facilities necessary for training. Aprogram that explicitly fosters increased self-esteem and empowerment, as well as preparing women for therealities of the employment sector would be a particularly good fit. To begin such a project, a womens group

would have to be formed, and it would need to have some way of agreeing on an objective.

Housing and Infrast ruct ure

A successful housing development case study comes from Brazil. In Sao Paulo, the project Team Work

to Mothers Head of Families is helping unwed, illiterate or semi-literate mothers without professional trainingbuild decent housing. (see Case Study #10) Participants come from tenement homes, favelas, or rented homes,usually located in the bottoms of valleys or degraded places. It has helped these women build a conjunto

habitacional (a group of houses built in order to form a community). The housing units have water, sewage

systems, paved streets, schools, health units, and day nurseries. Solidarity and unity are developed throughbuilding housing and constant improvement of infrastructure. The program improves womens standard of

living, increases literacy, and helps many obtain professional skills as carpenters, electricians, joiners, etc.While this project receives governmental support, it is possible that the women in the watershed

protection area could form a co-operative and mobilise to receive governmental support for a similar program.A different possibility is that a womens co-operative could pool resources and through an LETS-type systemtrade skills to improve existing housing or build new housing.


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Conclusion

We have presented various models of CED and seed ideas for pilot projects related to them, as well asideas for existing programs in Santo Andre that such projects could link into. In addition, we have presented

inspirational ideas for what is possible in the long term. We feel that it is also necessary to present somecautions about developing a CED project. In particular it is important that the community self-assess its needs

before it begins. This will give the project designers a better idea of what the participants need, as well as whatwould fit best in regards to the current market context. They should also identify the current economic functionsof the community, formal and informal, to avoid replicating current efforts and/or displacing others from their

current economic niche.

The discussions in the beginning section of this paper provided many ideas for how CED can aid acommunity. They showed how assets are part of an interconnected web, so that strengthening one strengthensothers. By using one type of assets you can access others. This allows financial, community, and personal

development through seemingly unrelated projects. We also presented a case for how designing andimplementing projects in a participatory, open manner is even more effective.


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References

Angeles, Leonora C. "Gender and Participation: Some considerations for CBWM project in Santo Andre, SaoPaolo, Brazil", February 1999.

Boothroyd, Peter and H. Craig Davis "Community Economic Development: Three Approaches",Journal of

Planning Education and Research, 1993, 12:230-240, p.230

Chambers, Robert (1983). Rural Development: Putting the Last First. London: Longman Inc.

Community Economic Development Centre at Simon Fraser University (CEDC). (1997) Statement of CED

Principles. http://www.sfu.ca/cedc/gateway/sharing/principles.htm

Levy, Caren. (1992). Gender and the Environment: the challenge of cross-cutting issues in development policy

and planning,Environment and Urbanization. 4(1): 134-149.

Lewis, Mike & Frank Green Strategic Planning for the Community Economic Development Practitioner, West

Coast Development Group, 1992

Murray, Janet and Mary Ferguson. (2001). Women in Transition Out of Poverty, Women and EconomicDevelopment Consortium (WEDC) at Canadian Womens Foundation.

Myrah, Kyleen. (1995) Gender and Community Economic Development, Common Ground. 14 (1) March, p.16 Conference Report.

Todaro, Michael P.Economic Development, 5th Ed., 1994, Longman Publishing, New York.

Wasserman, Ellen. (1997). Environment, Health, and Gender in Latin America: Trends and Research Issues,

Environmental Research Section A 80: 253-273.

Other Resources:

British Department for International Development (DFID) / University of Sussex, England, Institute forDevelopment Studies (IDS), Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets (Website:http://www.livelihoods.org/info/info_guidanceSheets.html). The Guidance Sheets are DFIDs evolving core

guidance on the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. They can be viewed online, saved for offline viewing orprinted out. Theres also a distance-learning version and now French and Spanish translations (Murray and

Ferguson 2001).


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Appendices

Appendix A

Community Economic Development Principles in British Columbia

These ten principles were developed at part of a process undertaken by the British Columbia Working Group on

CED formed in 1991. Over 30 groups in BC have endorsed these principles (CEDC 1997).

Equity: CED is based on the principle of fairness, and the belief that community members should have equitablaccess to community decision-making processes, resources and the benefits of CED projects, regardless of race

gender, country of origin, class, religion, sexual orientation, geographic location, income, age and ability.

Participation: CED encourages the active participation of all members of the community in the planning,

decision-making and benefits of CED initiatives, and works to remove the barriers that limit the participation ofmarginalized citizens. In particular, CED needs to encourage the active participation of women, youth, seniors,

differently-able people, racial/ethnic groups, the poor and First Nations peoples in the public life of thecommunity.

Community-building: CED seeks to build a sense of community by fostering relationships of acceptance,understanding and mutual respect.

Cooperation and collaboration: CED recognizes that there are important linkages and connections both withincommunities and between communities and regions, and that many problems cant be addressed in isolation.

CED therefore encourages relationships based on cooperation and collaboration.

Integration: CED recognizes that the healthy development of communities requires a holistic approach that

addresses the social, economic, cultural, and ecological dimensions of community well being. InterdependenceCED recognizes that the local communities exist within the context of a larger, complex web of relationships an

that its decisions can have an impact far beyond its own boundaries. Therefore, CED embraces strategies that aito benefit both the local and larger community.

Living within ecological limits: CED recognizes that the social, cultural and economic well-being of thecommunity depends on healthy local, bioregional and global ecosystems, and that there are real ecological limit

to human economic activities. Therefore, CED encourages processes, structures and initiatives that respect theseecological limits and supports work that is sustaining, regenerating and nurturing of both the community and theearth.

Self-reliance and community control: CED builds on local strengths, creativity and resources, and actively

seeks to decrease dependency on, and vulnerability to, economic interests outside the community and region.Furthermore, CED supports decentralized, non-hierarchical decision-making processes that strengthen autonomof the individual, the community and the region.

Capacity-building : CED contributes to self-reliance by encouraging the acquisition of relevant skills and the

development of supportive structures and institutions.

Diversity: CED contributes to self-reliance by encouraging economic activities that are diverse and appropriate

to the expressed needs within the community and region. As a result, CED looks different in each community.

Appropriate Indicators : CED monitors and evaluates its progress through community-derived and appropriateeconomic, social, cultural and ecological indicators, rather than through conventional measures and standards.


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Appendix B

Problems with Conventional Economic Development for Local and NationalEconomies

Although the results of less regulated trade, structural adjustment programmes, and other neo-liberal

approaches to economic development have varied from country to country, region to region, and localityto locality, several trends are now common in many parts of the world. Here are some common

phenomenon and related terms:

"Smokestack chasing" occurs where a community tries to lure a large company to set up locallywith the purpose of attracting jobs to a city or community. Cities and communities often offerincentives such as lower taxes, less wage protection, and relaxed occupational and environmentalregulations.

Race to the bottom - As a result of competition to attract outside investment the community thatoffers least protection for health, safety, wages, and environment receive the immediate tax andemployment (low-wage) benefits of large outside investment.

Company towns - once a company is established in a small community then the local economybecomes dependent on the low-wage jobs as the only jobs (often large companies drive out local

competitors) and the tax revenue that the company provides to the local government. Financial Capital Flight - In this situation the company receives almost all the benefits from

production, turning the savings from low wages, taxes, and less stringent regulations into profit and

the community is left to address related consequences (i.e. social service provision for low paid andtemporary workers, environmental clean-up, etc.).

Financial Capital Mobility- the movement of investment capital from locality to locality is furthersupported by the free trade laws and regulations which allows companies to move their operationseasily to the community which is most profitable.

Export-led Development Development strategy based on the development of products that canbe exported to generate cash for the economy as opposed to import substitution which looks tosupport local production of goods that are usually imported.

Global Market Instability Exports can generate revenues for a community , but focusing solely onexports can leave communities vulnerable to fluctuations in international markets which are highly

dependent on factors such as international monetary policy, currency values, and other determinantsoutside of community control. Given these fluctuations in the world economy, contrary to the

world-bank and other trade optimists, an outward-oriented policy is not necessarily valid for allLDCs [Less Developed Countries] (Todaro 1994, p. 507).


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Appendix C

CED Case Studies

Case Study #1: Community Based Co-operative Incubator In Santo Andre - Brazil

http://www.bestpractices.org/cgi-bin/bp98.cgi?cmd=detail&id=20568&key=rpybfkbfe

The Community-based Co-operative Incubator Program in Santo Andre is an extremely relevant

public policy alternative for the municipality. This is proven by the fact that it is at presentsupported by a share in the city's participatory budget, justified by the need of finding a way outfor social inclusion and income acquisition, since the social distress caused by unemployment

reaches approximately 60 thousand people in the city.

The innovative aspect of the program must be noted here, since it offers condition for thegeneration of new opportunities for income and public revenue, starting from the organization,validation and consolidation of authentic co-operatives for production and services rendered.

That is, the incubation process that brings together technical assistance, professional education

and permanent assistance, makes it possible for these co-operatives to have access to the marketof products and services and the economic insertion of those who are outcasts in the labormarket.

Process

The work proposed for the Community-based Co-operative Incubator Program in Santo Andreconsists of four stages. It should be noted that the procedures and process of incubation presentedhere are of a representative nature and may be adapted in view of needs and/or specifications of

the groups being incubated.

The first stage is group organization that includes organization activities and indication of groupspotentially ready for incubation. The second stage, group pre-incubation, corresponds to theinitial activities of the incubation process and consists of 3 steps: elaboration of profile of group

members; signing of Incubation Term of Commitment and the study of the economic feasibilityof the enterprise.

The third stage, group incubation, consists of three steps: strategic planning of the groupincubation process, courses, follow-up and consultancy in the co-operative validation process.

The fourth stage, co-operative consolidation and graduation, mainly consists follow-up and aseries of considerations, so that, along with the members of the co-operative, they may be

discussed, planned and orientation given regarding their activities. In this way they will be

working toward institutional empowerment and economic feasibility of the co-operative.

Cast Study #2: Gender & Citizenship in the Integrated Program for Social Inclusion, Santo

Andre -Brazil


Summary


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The Integrated Program for Social Inclusion (PIIS) aims to develop various joint and

simultaneous actions, in the same urban territory, focused on social inclusion and managed witha participatory approach. The Program is based on the concept that social exclusion is

multidimensional, involving economic, social, urban, cultural, and political factors that articulateand reinforce each other. To deal with social exclusion thus demands an intervention strategythat is both multidimensional, through the set of intervention programs, the matrix-based

management and implementation of activities, creating possibilities for the sustainable socialinclusion of families. The set of programs highlights the urban, economic and social dimensions

and moves beyond the material level to promote self-esteem, feelings of belonging to thecommunity, gender and citizens' awareness, etc.

Considering that gender differences lead to conflicts and violence in social and affectiverelations, given the ways in which men and women experience their differences at both the

household and social levels, the Gender and Citizenship Program, which is part of the IntegratedProgram for Social Inclusion (PIIS), proposes to foster male/female awareness, making thebiological, psychological, cultural, and social differences explicit, encouraging development of,

and collective experimentation with new experiences, behaviours and institutional arrangementsthat help reduce conflicts, working simultaneously with the community and program teams to

introduce these issues.

The Gender and Citizenship Program resulted primarily in the strengthening of women's roles in

decision-making processes and family relations in the community and the city. The IntegratedProgram for Social Inclusion has directly benefited 3,600 families, improving their quality of life

and access to social policies, work, and income, especially in achieving their rights as citizens.At the management level, the Program's greatest triumph has been its intra- and inter-institutional integration, contributing to the operational consolidation and collaboration of the

respective work teams, thereby expanding each program's efficacy.

Case Study #3: Zabele House Project - Project of Support to Young Woman -Brazil


Summary

Zabel ouse Project is a pioneer in Piau tate, for it is a partnership experience in orientedproviding assistance to young women. It is a very unique innovation in the defense and guaranteeof their rights. Zabel ouse is a public facility to female children and adolescents in social and

personal risk situation, being a space ... (and a time) for them to have conditions to entirelydevelop themselves as women and citizens. Aiming at offering psycho-social-educative

assistance to this portion of the population, the Project includes varied daily activities, ofpedagogical, sportive artistic and professionalization nature, covering a total of 100 youngwomen aged between 10 and 17 years old.

Among the results obtained, besides the accomplishment of the physical goal of the Project (with

a great demand for assistance), a change en every young woman's behavior can be noted both enher relationship with herself and with the others. The interest of the young women and of theassisted families in seeking and building more decent conditions for themselves. The Project

gives the opportunity of access to basic rights to a population which isn't aware of their rightsand many times doesn't know how to seek the public services.

The Project managed to reach the most destitute portion of the population and has provided theseyoung women with a decent and caring assistance which can be confirmed with their recognition


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as persons with rights and obligations, and by the growing society awareness of their limitations,

typical of human beings in the process of development, and of their conditions of capablepersons.

Case Study #4: Strengthening Women's Leadership Through The Use Of Radio InBrazil


SummaryCEMINA was founded in 1989 as a non-profit organization inspired by the need to promote

women's rights and vision in the media. CEMINA found radio to be the most effective means ofcommunication to reach women and give them voice. Radio reaches the world of poor women,

which is the household. Women can listen to the radio while doing domestic tasks. The radiomedia is very popular and a true social phenomena in Brazil, which counts 60 millions radio sets,3.000 commercial radio stations and 10.000 community radio stations.

CEMINA is recognized nationally and regionally (Latin America) as a focal point of women's

radio networks. The organization has broadcast the program Fala Mulher daily since 1990 in Rio

de Janeiro provided training workshops for women radio broadcasters since 1993 and producedspecial feature radio programs and campaigns since 1992. In 1994, CEMINA founded the

Network of Women's Radio Programs, which is its main accomplishment, on request of thewomen's radio stations participating in the workshops. CEMINA has also promoted the

Documentation Center PAGU, which gathers information on gender and supports the women'sradio programs. The titles are available for the general public at Cemina's headquarters and canalso be consulted online at www.pagu.org.br

The activities generated by CEMINA and its women's radio program partners is generating

information, education and mobilizing thousands of people, especially women. Issues treated inthe programs range from violence, health, education, work, political participation, citizenship,

culture, child-mother relationship, reproductive rights, breastfeeding, AIDS and STDs, thespecial law for children and teenagers, environment and sustainability in connection to Agenda21.

Case Study #5: Mother Centres - Germany


Summary:

The National Association of Mother Centres Germany was founded 1989 in Hamburg to create anetwork for mother centres. Mother centres claim public attention and space for the interests of

neighbourhood women and their families and create new channels for grassroots femaleleadership and participation in the communities valuing everyday life experience as expertise andqualification. They recreate neighbourhood structures and neighbourhood services that

industrialisation has degraded. They are an innovative model of how to strengthen civil societyand democracy by strengthening neighbourhoods. Mother centres are places that break through

the isolation and marginalisation of women as mothers, creating melting pots in the communityfor women of diverse class and ethnic backgrounds where they are empowered by the experience


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of motherhood and own it on their own terms. They give mothers a political voice. The "success

story" of the mother centres is a lesson in transferability and in fruitful partnerships.

Narrative:

Process: The aim was to differ from the usual social work deficit oriented approach asking: Do

you have a problem? Then come to us, the experts, for help! The understanding in the mothercentre project was that every mother is good at least one thing that she can contribute to the

mother centre and back into the neighbourhood and the community. Mother centres are selfmanaged, the mothers are the experts, and the mothers themselves carry out all activities.The core of the project is a daily drop-in coffee shop with childcare included. Activities in the

centres are paid, usually on an hourly basis, and involve projects that help lower expenses forfamilies like second hand shop hair cutting, midday meals, sewing classes, repair services and

that support families in their everyday chores as well as in times of crisis. Training, like languagecourses, computer and job retraining courses, that expands skills and helps facilitate re-entry tothe labour market, as well as relaxation and holistic health services are part of the daily program.

When the first three model centres were implemented, an important strategy was to make theresults of this "experiment" known. A key for the sparking off of the mother centre movement

was that the experiences of the first 3 mother centres were written up by the mothers themselves,

creating an animated and inspiring book. When other mothers read their stories they felt inspiredand encouraged to replicate this for themselves.

The mobilisation of resources for the next mother centres was undertaken initially by the localmother centre initiatives themselves, then foundation funds and state funds were allocated by the

mother centre network, the regional mother offices and the National Association of MotherCentres.

Case Study #6: Community-based Early Childhood Care and Development Program -Philippines


Summary:

In the second district of Quezon City, Philippines, where there is a very large concentration ofurban poor families, only 7.9 % of children who need Early Childhood Care and Development(ECCD) services are reached by the public daycare service. Early childhood is a very crucial

phase in human development. Rapid physical growth and mental development characterise thisformative stage. Children at this stage have to be exposed to appropriate mental, physical and

emotional development.Early childhood comes only once in everyone's lifetime. Thus, some urban poor parents decidednot to wait for early childcare services that might come too late. A group of women from Sitio

Talanay in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City asked HASIK to help them develop acommunity-based ECCD program. This partnership has since established community-managed

daycare centres. >From a single centre initially servicing 30 children, the program now includes12 daycare centres reaching more than 600 children annually. The centres are fully supported bythe community with parents contributing small amounts to cover cost of operations.

Narrative:

Process: The women's objective was to set up a community-based daycare program that wouldprovide ECCD activities for urban poor children. They conducted household surveys and parent


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women's progress is crippled by tradition. It had to be implemented in 21 remote and ethnically

diverse districts and address post-literacy maintenance.Process: Using an approach based on Appreciative Planning and Action (APA) that was

developed in Nepal and encourages women to build on their strengths has been key toovercoming obsta

Documents

Gender CED Santo Andre