HKI ppt on their Gender Transformative Approach at the GWG meeting in July 2019

1. HKI’s Gender Transformative Approach (Nurturing Connections
Approach)
Kamrun Nahar, Senior Gender Specialist, Helen Keller International

2. • Section 1: Understand key applied
elements of Nurturing Connections
(NC) as a “gender transformative
approach”
• Section 2: Share the NC adaptation
process for and implementation in
Bangladesh contexts
• Section 3:Provide recommendations
from HKI’s experience in Bangladesh.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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3. SECTIONS

4. SECTION 1: A TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH
TO GENDER
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Building on the Basis of
“Transformative”: Characteristics
• Behavior Change is not a rational path:
facilitating vs training
• Recognises the importance of addressing
the basic determinants of relationships:
communication.
• Works with both men and women and with
different age groups, both separately and
together.
• Recognises the power of group dynamics.
• Uses participatory methodologies that
enable all community members, including
those who are not literate, in their own peer
groups first and then together.

5. SECTION 1: A TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH
TO GENDER
Communicati
on
Trust
Respect
Perceptions
Negotiating
Power
Acting for
Change

6. SECTION 1: A TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH
TO GENDER
• Design of the Activity:
1. Begins with an action or
experience.
2. The action is followed by a
reflection: “What happened?
What does it mean? Why did it
happen?”
3. From the reflection we draw a
learning and we name it.
4. The learning leads to planning:
• “Now what? What will we do to
change the situation?
Photo: © Kamrun Nahar/HKI

7. A TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACH TO GENDER
Implementation details
• Block sessions (9) with same
peer groups, then mixed (3),
two hours each.
• Three participants groups
(women, their husbands,
elders/in-laws…)
• Two facilitators per group
(same sex and age as the
group)
• One session a week/fortnight
• 3- 6 months time, depending
on project scheduling
Equitable intra-household relations

8. Combined Gender-Sensitive Intervention
SECTION 2: ADAPTING NURTURING CONNECTIONS
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ENA
Photo: © Kamrun Nahar/HKI
+
+
HFP
Nurturing
Connections
SECTION 2: ADAPTING NURTURING
CONNECTIONS

9. GENDER ANALYSIS FINDINGS
• Unequal food distribution in the
household
• Unequal decision-making power
and asset control
• Limited mobility and access to
information for women
• Gendered division of labor
SOCIAL BACKGROUND
Photo ©/HKI

10. GENDER ANALYSIS FINDINGS: OPPORTUNITIES FOR
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
• Women are interested in being involved in home-based IGAs
and to learn new skills.
• Most men believe women should have the opportunity to
participate in productive activities.
• Both men and women agreed that women should participate in
household decision making process and should get the priority
in decisions related to household food intake.
• Many men responded that they already are assisting their wives
in household activities, especially during pregnancy and post-
natal period.
SOCIAL BACKGROUND

11. Figure 1: A theory of gender-transformative change
within SUCHANA
GENDER TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE WITHIN
SUCHANA

12. GENDER INTEGRATION STRATEGY
Individual Level
(Women and men, girls and boys)
Family Level (Influential family
members i.e. husbands and Mothers
in Law)
Community Level (Key
community members including
religious leaders )
Organizational Level
(Organizational staff, Suchana
staff)
Policy Level (Government,
donors)

13. ADAPTING NURTURING CONNECTIONS
Gender integration sessions at BHH level
NC Male group sessions- 2nd round
NC Sessions in nutrition courtyard meeting
NC Sessions in poultry basic & refresher training
NC Sessions in aquaculture basic & refresher training
NC Sessions in VMFs’ leadership training
NC Sessions in Pustidol

14. Assessment of the pilot-test in Satkhira
Participants of both Nurturing Connections and Non-
Nurturing Connections areas in Project Laser Beam (PLB)
1) Feasibility of the Manual
2) Participants’ awareness of topics covered
 Nutrition – Equitable food distribution
 Household Support
 Equitable decision-making
 Women’s Mobility and Access to Care
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS

15. Curriculum Participants Non Curriculum Participants
WOMEN
 14/15 reported increased concern
from MILs and Husbands on higher
intake of more nutritious food
 3/5 = husbands and boys still get
most nutritious food
 2/5 = occasionally women get
nutritious food
HUSBANDS  7/15 reported understanding the
importance of sharing a meal; 7/15
understand importance of nutritious
food for women
 3/3 = men and boys should get the
most nutritious food
MILs  15/15 reported understanding the
importance of equal food
distribution and sharing together
when possible.
 3/5 = men should have best food as
they work outside
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Responses in relation to Food Distribution*
*Data from qualitative assessment (data from a sample of 58 respondents under PLB in April, 2015)
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS

16. SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Responses in relation to Household Support*
Curriculum Participants Non Curriculum Participants
WOMEN
 15/15 receive HH support, 10/15 in water
collection; others in gathering firewood,
food preparation
 2/5 only from MILs and if they ask
 1/5 only during pregnancy
 2/5 don’t receive and don’t ask
HUSBANDS  14/15 reported helping in water collection
and food preps
 1/15 does not think he should help
 2/3 help in collecting firewood = only
‘acceptable’ task
MILs  14/15 help in other tasks other than child
care only, and blame DILs less
 4/5 help with child care
*Data from qualitative assessment (data from a sample of 58 respondents under PLB in April, 2015)
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

17. Feasibility of the Manual
Language
Clear, Easy to Understand
Methodology
“Enjoyable” – most used adjective to define it
“People are like birds, if a bird sits 5-7 times in a place, it
makes its own nest in that place. Similarly, when people sit 10
times for a good purpose, they also feel that they own that
thing themselves. Now we feel that we own this process
because it improves our family life”. (MIL, Satkhira)
 Topics
Domestic violence, Family Planning, Children’s Education
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS

18. % of women
make decision on
selling produces
(self + husband
jointly)
Percentage of Women make decision on
Selling produces
27%
50%
65%
58%
31%
38%
48%
31%
36%
HFP- Aqua culture
HFP- Poultry
On Farm
Off Farm
Phase 2 (2018) Phase 1 (2018) Phase 1 (2017)

19. % of women have
control over
income
(self+husband
jointly i.e. women
participation)
Percentage of Women have Control Over
Income
36% 35% 37%
66% 62%
36% 33%
46%
38%
34%
22%
HFP- Aqua
culture
HFP- Poultry On Farm Off Farm
Phase 1 (2017) Phase 1 (2018) Phase 2 (2018)

20. Key Learning Points
Addressing inequitable processes
(bottom-up approach).
Skilled field facilitators.
Peer groups vs mixed groups.
 Not a silver bullet: context-related
tool.
 Time Scheduling and
Synchronization with other activities.
 Sustainability: ownership and wider
community engagement.
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Photo ©/PLB-HKI
SECTION 3: PRELIMINARY RESULTS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

21. THANK YOU.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it.”
-Helen Keller
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