A Little Gender Handbook for Emergencies or Just Plain Common Sense

8/2/2019 A Little Gender Handbook for Emergencies or Just Plain Common Sense

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A Little GenderHandbook

for Emergencies

or

Just PlainCommon Sense



2



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Table of Contents

Why We Care About Gender 3

Cautionary Notes 4

Using a Gender Approach Means… 5

Situation Assessment 8

Participatory Methods 12

Planning 16

Watsan in Particular 21

Implementation 23

Monitoring 24Evaluation 26

Assessing Project Proposals 28

Food for Further Thought 33

Conclusion 35References 36



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1. Why We Care About Gender

• Well-balanced relations between men andwomen are essential for human andeconomic development.

• Failure to improve the social and economicsituation of women, who make up a hugelydisproportionate majority of the poor aroundthe world, makes sustainable developmentimpossible.

•

Oxfam believes that equality is mosteffectively approached by changing theunequal relations of men and women to oneanother, rather than by changing the situationof women in isolation.

• Emergency response is always conducted withthe long term goal of gender equality in mind.



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2. Cautionary Notes and

Assumptions• Individual men are not personallyresponsible for systemic inequality; blameand defensiveness are unnecessary andunhelpful.

• The conditioning of centuries will not beundone by reading a book or attending aworkshop. It’s going to be a long haul.

• Most intelligent men are as frustrated and

baffled as women that decades of work andactivism have not yet brought about equalityfor women.

• Gender stereotypes and inequality alsocause problems for men, but because theseare less obvious than women’s, they areeasily overlooked by both sexes.



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3. Using A Gender Approach Means:

Differentiating target groups. Gender-differentiated approaches are essential inALL interventions with target-group relatedobjectives. Whenever a response isassociated with or directed to a particulartarget group, it will have different impacts onmen and women. These must be separatelyaddressed.

Use of generic terms like ‘urbanhouseholds’ and ‘displaced population’ can

obscure the needs of women and othermarginalised groups. ‘People’ and‘population’ should always read ‘women andmen’, as a reminder that distinct informationis required. Effort should also be made toreveal the differences within these (social

class, age, ethnicity, etc.), as gender is avariable that has different relevance fordifferent groups.



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Using a participatory approachthroughout the response cycle. Frominitial response through long termprogramming, beneficiary participation inneeds identification and project design isimportant. Participatory approaches areoften more successful at recognizing and

dealing with differences among thepopulation concerned, creating sustainablebenefits for various groups. Inadequateinvolvement and support for women andother disadvantaged groups has tended toworsen their relative economic situation and

social status.

Linking short and long term interventionsand goals. Emergency relief and povertyreduction programmes must also influencethe levels of society that determine social

structures and contribute to continuinginequality. All interventions must consider thelong term impact on overall access toresources and benefits by the poorest groups.



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Working with men to advance the goals of

women. Continue to sensitise and involvemen (co-workers as well as beneficiaries!) insupporting increased involvement anddecision-making for women, to understandthe benefits of gender equality approaches

and balanced human development.



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4. Situation Assessment, gathering

information in the fieldAlways gather information from both womenand men; their opinions and priorities willdiffer.

Always interview women separately frommen; responses are significantly moreaccurate and meaningful in single sex groups.

Whenever possible, women should beinterviewed by other women; again, it has a

major impact on the quality of response.

Ensure you obtain the opinions of recognizedwomen’s representatives, whose views maynot be the same as those of the(predominantly male) official local leaders.



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Simple gender-sensitive assessment

guidelines

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:1. Even if there is little time to carry out full-scale research, avoid making the assumptionthat everybody’s needs are the same.

2. Recognise that women may be relativelymore 'invisible' and that in times of crisis maybe more confined to their homes than normal.A determined effort may be needed to seekout their views and opinions separately frommen.

3. Seek information from a variety of people:women as well as men, ordinary people aswell as community leaders, individuals as wellas organised groups.

4. Use simple, flexible methods of researchthat don’t require advanced skills or special

1 G. Templer, Gender and Emergencies, http//ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages

/guytempler, overview, p.5/5



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equipment; identify a small but manageablenumber of key indicators, bearing in mind that

gender-specific indicators may need to beincluded.

5. Identify how men and women are survivingthrough their own efforts and try to supportthese, rather than imposing an outsider’s viewon what is happening.

6. Identify a small number of particularlyvulnerable families to monitor through regularin-depth interviews.

7. However unusual, explore the prioritiesthat affected people themselves identify.Recognise that psychological, social andcultural needs and information may be just asimportant in ensuring survival as meeting the

physical requirements of food and shelter.



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A thorough situation analysis forms the basisfor all subsequent analyses and planning

steps. If no distinction is made at this stagebetween relevant target groups, it will bemuch more difficult and costly for future stepsto be conducted along gender specific lines.

Considerations and questions described inrapid assessment checklists must be asgender specific as possible; always identifywho you are talking about. If necessary,further divide men and women into sub-groups to take account of other variables and

more accurately describe the situationalimpacts.

Details of social, cultural, and personalpractices like those required in public healthassessment tools and checklists, may best be

obtained using participatory appraisalmethods.



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5. Participatory Methods

The primary aim of participatory assessmentand planning tools (PRA, POP, etc.) is tostrengthen the decision making ability ofsocially disadvantaged groups.

Even the most urgent assessments requiretalking to affected people. The little extra timeand methodological care taken to ensure thatwomen, men, and relevant sub-groups havethe opportunity to take part has a big impacton accuracy and response benefits.

Oral participatory methods give illiteratepeople (a larger proportion of whom arewomen) the opportunity to be meaningfullyinvolved in setting priorities and designinginterventions.



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The limited time and geographical mobilityavailable to women must always be taken into

account when asking for women’sparticipation. Their workload, domestic andchildcare responsibilities make womengenerally less able to attend and participate inmeetings; ways must be found to make

inclusion possible.

Participatory methods require:

• A positive personal attitude in externalconsultants;

• Extremely good communication skills;

• Willingness to take those affectedseriously, treat them as competent,responsible partners;

• Willingness to learn from them;

• Inclusion of women as facilitators, sincethey will find it much easier to establishcontact with women;

• As a prerequisite, a thoroughunderstanding of current social and economicconditions*.



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* Prevailing social conditions must be takeninto account along gender specific lines,

recognizing differences in:

• Division of labour and workload;

• Sources of income;

• Commitment to participation and

contribution;• Access to/control over physicalresources (land, cash, loans, manpower, etc);

• Access to other resources (education,information, advisory services);

• Mobility;

• Forms of organization and participationin formal and informal institutions and bodies.

These differences form the basis for men’sand women’s differing perceptions of short

and long term needs and priorities.



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Each stage of analysis and planning shouldbe conducted separately with men and

women, and in some cases with various agegroups, to identify various ways a problem isperceived.

When working with separate groups, it is

essential to present the results from eachgroup to the others to discuss various viewsand reach consensus on conceptions andpriorities.

Participatory assessment and planning tools

should not be seen as a rigid framework, butas guidance and steering aids. Goodplanning is part of an adaptive process,possibly taking a bit longer, but ensuringgenuine active participation and flexibly inresponse to new information, understanding

and constant learning.



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6. Planning

In assessment and programme design, it isnot OK to have one member of a team dealwith the ‘aspect of women’ in isolated fashion.This results in unsustainable women’scomponents being tacked onto a largerintervention.

‘Target group orientation’ and ‘gender’ mustbe included in the terms of reference forplanners, integrated and binding in asystematic way. Target group (gender)

analysis cannot be drafted independently ofthose responsible for more technical aspectsof project strategy. Questions to elaborateand clarify purpose and objectives must begender specific.

From the beginning, advisors must ensurestaff and local partners understand whyexamination of gender specific aspects,indicators and impacts is essential.



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When an objective is established, there mustbe indicators by which its progress, success

or failure will be measured.

Differentiating objectives and indicatorsby gender is the only way to ensure thereis a binding provision to record the gender

specific impacts of the project, and thusfacilitate project steering.

Objectives and their indicators are drawn upfor results, project purpose and overall goals,and individual project activities. They should

be:

Precise, in relation to:

• target groups (who?)

• location

• quality (what? how well?)• time frame

• quantity



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Realistic: the situation to be achieved that isprobably feasible.

Verifiable with resources available, and aslittle work as possible.

Expressive: specifying major objectives at

the various levels of planning independent ofone another. Indicators at one planning levelcan pertain to objectives at that level only.

Qualitative indicators are as important asquantitative ones: not just how many women

members of the water managementcommittee, but which posts they occupy andwhether they have the same decision makingauthority as their male counterparts.



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Key Questions

On the basis of the following key questionsyou can determine how well you havemanaged to anchor a gender approach withinproject strategy.

•

Do men and women benefit to the sameextent?

• Are women and men actively involved indesigning the project and in decision-making?What are their respective roles?

• Are the indicators formulated along gender-

specific lines, so that the various impacts ofthe project on men and women can bedetermined?

• Are the results and activities formulatedalong gender-specific lines where relevant?

•

Are activities planned so as to overcomeexisting constraints to women participating?



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• Are women and men satisfied that securityand protection issues are adequatelyaddressed?

• Does the project make an explicitcontribution to improving the economic andsocial situation of women?

• Have steps been taken to ensure than an

appropriate number of female project stafftake part and benefit?

• Where female members of the target groupcannot be directly addressed by male staff,are there plans to employ female experts?

• If existing staff are not adequately trained to

advise and support female target groups, hastraining been planned to address this?



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7. Watsan in Particular

The following gender issues should beaccounted for in project design:2

1. The user group: normally water facilitieswill be used primarily by women. Women’sdomestic and childcare responsibilities willmake it difficult for them to walk longdistances. Ideally women should be consultedand involved in decisions about siting waterpoints and sanitation facilities, andestablishing maintenance regimes for them.

2. Security and privacy issues: sexualharassment often increases in the confines ofcamp, and the location of water, sanitationand laundry facilities should ensure that risksto women using them are not increased.

Where water facilities are time restricted,efforts should be made to keep these to

2G. Templer, Gender and Emergencies, http//ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages

/guytempler, health, p.2/2



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daylight hours, unless women requestotherwise.

3. Women’s practical needs: don’t overlookmenstruation needs in planning sanitation;this needs to be discussed sensitively withwomen themselves, and their requests takeninto account in designing provision. This mayentail ensuring privacy, extra cloth, paper ortowels.

4. Maintenance of facilities: when facilitiesare built in a hurry, little thought may be given

to long-term maintenance. Especially wheredonor resources will likely diminish over time,maintenance plans should be established inconsultation with women. If cost-recovery isconsidered, investigate impact of variouspricing options on poorer and female-headed

families, by involving them in decisions.



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8. Implementation

Gender issues in programme implementationare primarily about who does what and howthey do it.

• Is the number of women in the response

team proportional to the numbers of women inthe affected population?

• Are women seen to be working in non-traditional roles? If not, are efforts being madeto train women into these jobs?

• What efforts are being made to maximize

employment and training of disaster-affectedwomen and local women not directly affected bydisaster?

• Do individuals recognize and understandthe effects of gendered behaviour patterns?

• Is women’s competence recognized?

• Are safety and protection issues being takeninto account?

• Are men and women (beneficiaries and staff)being kept informed of progress and decisions?



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9. Monitoring

Monitoring means the systematic observationand documentation of project implementationon the basis of the predetermined plan.

Monitoring and Evaluation are oftenconducted as one step to steer the responseplan, ensuring continual improvement andongoing learning. Participation of targetgroups is crucial.

In reviewing programmes, always differentiate

results and impacts by gender. (This will notbe possible if careful wording was not used inprogramme design.) Generic terms forresults, like ‘increased food supplies forfarmers and their families’, will tell us littleabout who benefits from the increase, and

whether it will actually enhance the situationand quality of life for all family members.



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Key questions for checking gender

orientation during a project progressreview:

• Was project planning and implementationbased on a situation analysis where men andwomen of various social backgrounds and ages

were able to have a say and present their ownviews?

• What accommodations were made toensure women’s participation?

• Was gender differentiation specificallyanchored in the project strategy?

• To what extent was the project examined forgender-specific impacts and designed alongthese lines (e.g. .n the log frame analysis)?

• To what extent were gender specificimpacts (intentional or unintentional)

observed during implementation, and whatsteps if any were/will be taken to correct orcompensate for these?



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10. Evaluation

Evaluation means the internal assessment ofinformation gathered during monitoring, todetermine whether or not the actual course ofthe project complies with the plan and itsobjectives.

Useful evaluation comments on the qualityand extent to which women and men haveinfluenced the design of the project. Targetgroups should not only have been a source ofinformation, but their feedback should have

demonstrably influenced direction andshaping of the response.

Evaluation should describe how much theprocess has helped men and womenbeneficiaries to assess and steer their own

activities.



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Planned and unplanned gender specificimpacts should be noted. Consider how

gender issues in the response may haveaffected:

• The food situation;

• Employment;

•Income;

• Workload;

• Health;

• Access to and control of resources;

• Organizational capacity;

• Participation in decision making;

• Self-assurance;

• Mobility;

• Social status.

In evaluation, like other phases, it is important

for women to be able to speak with women; itis necessary to have a sufficient number ofwomen on project staff. Like otherconsultations, evaluations need extraplanning to fit in with women's schedules.



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11. Assessing Project Proposals

An initial proposal screening should be forcompliance with policies, including gender.Only if positive, should it then be followed byassessment of the project concept.

Key questions the proposal must answer andclarify include:

Goals and Objectives

• Is gender balance stated?

• If outcomes include terms like

‘empowerment’ or ‘sustainability’, how arethey defined?

Planning

• Which situation is the proposal intended toimprove? Who will this benefit?

• Who is affected by this situation? Onlymen? Women and men? Women only? Areyoung people particularly affected?



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• What homogenous sub-groups exist (interms of income, age, access to resources?)

• Were both men and women asked how theysee the problem, and are their opinionsapparent?

• What potential do the various sub-groupshave to act?

• Is the target group described precisely andbroken down in detail?

• Are women’s multiple roles considered?

• What arrangements are made toaccommodate them?

• Are the objectives, major results andactivities planned in line with the interests andneeds of the men and women?

• What evidence is there to show that bothmen and women will actively participate?

• Who will make decisions about access to

the project and its benefits?• How does the project foster men's andwomen’s capacity to take action/makedecisions on issues affecting them?



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• How does it promote knowledge of andcapacity to negotiate for their rights?

• How does it foster women’s and men’scapacity to sustain project results beyond theintervention?

• How are present opportunities for/barriers tochange integrated into the plan?

Evaluation

• Do indicators consider social/gender roles?

• How will gender specific impacts bemeasured?

Determine the likely gender specific impactsof the proposal. The following categories maybe helpful:

(a) The project addresses only women;

(b) Women will clearly be involved inprogramme design and benefit from it;(c) The information about women isinadequate; There are risks for women astheir interests and needs are insufficiently



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considered in project design, and women mayfail to benefit;

(d) Women do not benefit sufficiently.Negative impacts on women are likely tooutweigh any compensatory measures; theproposal should be stopped;(e) Target groups and gender specific

impacts in the immediate environment cannotbe directly quantified.3

Proposals in category (c) can be improved byoffering design advice, helping to conductgender-differentiated target-group and

situation analysis. Sufficient time andexpertise will always be required to do thiswell, and the first phase of an emergency maynot be the most appropriate time for suchtraining.

3J.Osterhaus, W.Salzer, Gender Differentiation throughout the Project Cycle, Deutsche

Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit, 1995



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Information about proposed partner agenciesshould answer:

• Is the agency able to implement the projectas outlined?

• Is the agency able to adopt gender-specificprocedures?

•What is the agency attitude toward gender

approaches?

• Will there be resistance to actively involvingwomen?

• Do they have the necessary skills in thisfield?



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12. Food for Further Thought...

Common areas of misunderstanding thathave affected the success of technicalinterventions include:

• Bread winning. The assumption that

women are primarily responsible for thehome, and men for production and feedingthe family. In most developing countrieswomen have a major responsibility formeeting the material needs of the family,often contributing more than their husbands.

This is especially true in poor social classes.

• Heads of households. In many countries,more than 30% of households are headed bywomen. In situations of displacement, oftenas much as 80% of the moving population are

women and children.



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• Work. Workload studies show that poorwomen especially work longer than men, andthat their working hours are made up ofphysically hard, repetitive work, like fetchingwater, gathering wood, pounding grain orwashing clothes. In addition to incomegenerating work, women worldwide perform

the bulk of housework, caring for children,looking after the sick and elderly. Theirmobility and the amount of spare timeavailable to them is significantly more limitedthan that of men.

• Access to aid. Men’s and women’s accessto and control over important resources suchas land, capital, training and informationdiffers. The limited access - time, literacy,mobility - of women and poor groups actuallyexcludes them from poverty relief programs,

unless special attention is paid. Male-led andmale biased initiatives have in many caseswidened the gap between men and women.



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13. Conclusion

Many factors contribute to the persistence ofgender inequality. Some of these are deeplyingrained and subtle, like the tendencies ofmen and women to communicate and act incertain ways, and the relative values societyplaces on these behaviours. Of particularworkplace importance are styles andmannerisms we interpret as indicative of‘competence’, behaviours more oftenexhibited by men than by women.

Both in our work and workplaces, we do needto become more knowledgeable and aware ofgender issues, in order to understand howsocial inequality is perpetuated.

Recognizing and responding to gender

differences is an important step in improving thequality of emergency aid. Doing it demands onlyconscious exercise of a little plain commonsense.



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References

Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit, Gender-aware approaches to relief and rehabilitation: Guidelines, 1996

GADU/Emergencies Unit (Oxfam), Working Guidelines for

Gender and Emergencies, 1991

D. Clifton et al, 'The Sphere Project: Humanitarian Charter and

Minimum Standards In Disaster Response - A Gender Review',

1999

M. Legum, 'Systems of Gender Relations', Paper for

UCT Conference on Systems Thinking (undated)

J.Osterhaus, W.Salzer, Gender Differentiation throughout the

Project Cycle, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische

Zusammenarbeit, 1995

A.Parker et al, Gender Relations Analysis, A Guide for Trainers,

Save the Children, 1995

G. Templer, Gender and Emergencies,

http//ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/guytempler

UNHCR, People Oriented Planning at Work: Using POP toImprove UNHCR Programming, 1994

B. Walker, 'Disaster Relief: the Gender Perspective' Oxfam, 1993

B. Walker, 'Gender & Emergencies' Oxfam, 1994



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Emergencies Department

Deborah Clifton

November 1999

Reprinted January 2012

A Little Gender Handbook for Emergencies or Just Plain Common Sense

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