Building a project WEAI

GAAP2 for pro-WEAI

From 2012-2015

Along with the roll-out of WEAI to Feed the Future countries, there has also been take up and adaptation by projects for their own use (as of now, there have been 20 documented adaptations of the WEAI by CARE, ILRI, IFAD…)

Adaptations undertaken to better meet projects’ objectives (topical focus) as well as budgets (often, more limited resources)

But comparability of WEAI across projects is difficult, if not impossible

Cannot judge what approach works best in empowering women if we do not have common metrics!

What projects want from WEAI--1

More streamlined, easier to collect indicators, that can be part of regular M&E

Better adaptability to their own project contexts, specifics of their own interventions

Better understanding of the qualitative aspects of empowerment (how and why?)

In some cases, modules related to mobility, gender-based violence, reproductive health, self-confidence, political participation (CARE), ownership of an identity card (ILRI), shocks/resilience (FAO/IFAD), agricultural extension (iDE/IWMI), etc.

What projects want from WEAI--2

In some cases, greater emphasis on autonomy in different spheres (control over income or participation in labor force, not necessarily agricultural decisions)

More detail on some areas (livestock), less detail in others (crops)

Applicability outside agriculture

Ability to tackle dimensions of empowerment that relate to health and nutrition outcomes

How to achieve this, but still have comparability?How to know what strategy works best, if metrics are different?

Fortunately, we have experience from the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project (GAAP)!

GAAP2 for pro-WEAI

A second phase of the Gender, Agriculture, and Assets Project (GAAP) has been approved by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation!

Builds on approach of GAAP1:

Portfolio of projects, in South Asia and Africa

Work with agricultural development projects to develop a WEAI for project use (pro-WEAI)

Projects will be invited to submit applications for participation in a portfolio depending on: (1) commodity focus (crop or livestock/dairy) and (2) objective (value chain/income or health/nutrition)

Portfolio approach will aim to develop comparable metrics for empowerment, across different types of commodities/project objectives

Two “frontier” areas to be discussed in plenary

What does measurement of autonomy mean, and how can it be relevant for projects?—Sabina Alkire

What dimensions of empowerment matter for health and nutrition outcomes?—Jessica Heckert

Small-group discussions on adaptations for project and other uses of WEAI

Session A: Let’s talk about Autonomy

Session B: Women’s empowerment, health, and nutrition

Session C: Women’s empowerment in crop and horticulture projects

Session D: Women’s empowerment in livestock projects

Session E: Implications for Large-scale surveys

Guide questions for autonomy working group

1. How can the WEAI better capture AUTONOMY in the context of a specific projects? Please describe any additional domains that you deem essential. What type of indicators would be needed for an additional domain?

What indicators are essential to determining changes in women’s economic and social status as a result of a specific project?

Please determine any context/ project-specific information that will be critical to the tabulation of your proposed indicators. Describe why the additional information is needed to measure changes in women’s status.

Please describe any additional indicators that you deem essential to measuring changes in women’s status.

Guide questions for health & nutrition/value chain/livestock projects or large-scale surveys

2. Which indicators will be essential to include in a modified WEAI for [HEALTH AND NUTRITION/VALUE CHAIN/LIVESTOCK projects or LARGE-SCALE SURVEYS]? Why do you believe they are essential to determining changes in women’s economic and social status in this type of project/survey? Please describe any additional indicators that you deem essential.

Please determine any context/project-specific information that will be critical to the tabulation of your proposed indicators. Describe why the additional information is needed to measure changes in women’s status in this type of project/survey.

Please describe any additional indicators that you deem essential to measuring changes in women’s status as in this type of project/survey.