© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Expanding Scope for Gender Integration and Impact:
Moving beyond Individual Empowerment to
Institutional Engagement
Kenneth Macharia1, Leonard Mulei1, Hailemichael Taye1, Michèle Mbo’o-
Tchouawou1, Apollo M Nkwake2, and Melody Mentz3
1African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD);
2 Education Development Centre (EDC);
3Melody M Consulting
SEED OF CHANGE CONFERENCE

The AWARD
Fellowship
African Women in Agricultural Research
and Development (AWARD)
• Building and strengthening the
capacity of women scientists for
efficient research
• Tackling the underrepresentation of
women scientists in agriculture and
related fields
• Enhancing the number of professional
women scientists in decision-making
and management roles
© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and
Development

The AWARD Fellowship: Approach
• A three-pronged approach with (ripple
effects) that focuses on :
• Fostering mentoring
partnerships/skills
• Developing leadership capacity and
• Sharpening science skills (Advanced
science training based on short and
long research attachments in
internationally renowned institutions)
© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
531
Fellows
437
Mentors

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
AWARD’s Approach
Individual
Capacity
Development
(AWARD
Fellowship)
Institutional
Capacity
Development
Positive Outcomes
Inclusive Approach
to Gender

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Individual (Women) Capacity
Development
Scenario 1

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
African Women in
Science
Empowerment
Model (AWSEM):
Power within
Power to do
Power over
Power with
Power to empower

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Institutional Capacity Development
Scenario 2

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Participants from
Institutional
trainings

Promoting Gender In their Institutions
© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
38%
23%
21%
11%
9%
8%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Not engaged in promoting stronger focus on Gender in
their institution
Organized events to share formally and informally the
need for gender-responsiveness with their institution
Provided materials and held discussions on these
topics with influential persons inside my organization
Helped design or operationalize an organization-wide
policy or strategy that ensures gender responsive and
participatory approaches
Secured allies to form a team of change agents,
advocating for institutionalization of a clear policy or
strategy to ensure stakeholder participation,…
Obtained funding or other types of support for formal
training in gender responsive policies and research or
work in my organization

Changes within their Institutions
© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
23%
41%
38%
10%
20%
21%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
My institution has not made any changes to its policies
Increased its efforts to develop the leadership and
scientific capacities of female staff through special…
Actively created space for mentoring and for fostering
mentor-mentee relationships
I have obtained funding or other types of support for
formal training in gender responsive policies and…
Altered its policies, practices or programs in a manner
that reflects greater gender-responsiveness
Responded in any other way to awareness of gender
issues raised by yourself or others

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Institutional Engagement
Scenario 3

Behavior Engineering Model
© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Source: Adapted from Chevalier, 2003

Factors Contributing to Change
(Behavior Engineering Model)
49% of the responses were matched to the model (n=80)
© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
11%
9%
4%
5%
1%
28%
1% 1%
5%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Knowledge
and Skills
Capacity Motives Information Resources
and tools
Incentives Information Resources
and tools
Incentives
Individual Institution Ecosystem

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
Inclusive
Approach
to Gender
Individual
Capacity
Development
Institutional
Capacity
Development
Institutional
Policy and
Practice

© AWARD | African Women in Agricultural Research and Development
THANK YOU
www.awardfellowships.org

gender.cgiar.org
We would like to acknowledge all CGIAR Research Programs
and Centers for supporting the participation of their gender
scientists to the Seeds of Change conference.
Photo: Neil Palmer/IWMI