Valuing Women’s Stories

1. Valuing Women’s Stories Collecting Data on Gender & GBV

2. Background • Lack of national level data on GBV – issue remains hidden • In situations of conflict and natural disasters – women more vulnerable to GBV • UNFPA response: Relief & Recovery • Recovery -Project to GBV & promote wellbeing of affected communities

3. UNFPA GBV Initiative • Adopts a Multi-pronged Strategy focusing on strengthening both state and community capacities to respond to GBV • A key expected outcome – fill gap in data on GBV: • Repository of data within the NCW • Mainstream gender and GBV in existing national data collection mechanisms • Collect data through Women’s Centres

4. Women’s Centres 27 in 4 Districts To empower women and girls to rebuild their lives through • Solidarity networks • Provision of a broad range of information and services that will secure their well-being, reduce their vulnerability to violence and safeguard their reproductive health & rights Innovative method to collect data on gender and GBV

5. Valuing Women’s Stories • Listening to Women’s Stories Active listening: Hearing what woman and girls say Allowing woman and girls to express their feelings and opinions Being non-judgemental - Verbal and non-verbal

6. Talking through Grief • Give woman and girls some relief • Validate their feelings • Start a process of healing • Provide space to talk about lost children, partners, friends and family members

7. Story Circles • To provide a safe & women friendly space • For sharing information • For gathering information • As healing spaces • To validate experiences • For emotional support and befriending

8. Supporting Story Circles • Creating a safe and women friendly space • Verbal / non- verbal communication • Formulation of strategies to care for each other during and after the exercise • Dealing with the issues that come out of the stories • Not forcing anyone to join or speak • Ensuring confidentiality • -Ongoing support strategies and befriending • - Respecting women’s choices, even if you don’t agree with the women’s choices • - Recognize women’s responses & choices also informed by own cultural beliefs & values

9. Sharing Stories • Sharing women & girls stories of the tsunami. • Stories of risk and violence and stories of survival • Our stories and the stories of others • Support one another & celebrate our strengths

10. Analysing Stories • Document main points • Give feedback to women • Check with women that you have heard correctly • Congratulate women for sharing difficult stories • Collate all of the key points from the stories • Identify trends emerging • What lessons can be learned from the stories? • Feed back to women what you have learned • from stories • Add their input to the analysis

11. Story Board Story Boards analyse problems and suggest solutions They help people move from story telling to problem solving and goal-setting They help in planning future plans and activities for the group

12. Story Board Technique Six panels, using drawing, or collages of pictures • Panel 1 – What is the issue or problem? • Panel 2 – what is the effect of the problem on the women and community involved? • Panel 3 – What has caused this problem • Panel 4 - What can be done to solve the problem and improve the lives of the people affected • Panel 5 – Who should be involved in this – what can they do, what is needed • Panel 6 – What will be the outcome if this happens?

13. Women’s Stories – Women’s Evidence STEP 1:Organise the information into ThemesE.g. DV, Risks for adolescent girls, Forced/Early marriage; Problems relating to widows Step 2: Identify details within the themes eg; Details on DV - Lack of privacy in camps and temporary shelters; Alcoholism; Breakdown of family and other traditional support networks; Patriarchal attitudes STEP 3: Record the types of assistance requested eg, housing, protection, income generation & Record solutions suggested by the women, eg Family reconciliation, involvement in decision making committees, micro credit schemes

14. Collecting Quantitative data during this process Deriving Quantitative data from Qualitative evidence • Story circles, storyboard • Personal Interviews, counseling In each case the data must be formally recorded permission must be given for its use In addition, Centres maintain basic data of women who use the Centre Eg: Age, Education Level, Family structure, Religion, Language, etc Each month compile a profile of the women who have used the Centre

15. Collecting Quantitative data during this process …contd A Centre may collect 50 documented stories (evidence) using any of these methods in a month Record: • How many of the stories reported a problem which fits into the themes. Eg how many of the stories reported widow’s being harassed; how many reported on DV • Types of help requested • Suggested solutions

16. GIVING WOMEN A VOICE Bringing it all Together • Report combining profile of women who attend Centres, their problems & themes which emerged from the analysis • Publish Books - Celebrating WOMEN’S STRENGTHS

17. Conclusion • Empower women through the collection of their stories/experience - Celebrate strength and bravery • Contribute to local, regional and national data collection about experiences/needs of women –fill data gap • Use the data to provide service & capacity building for women who use Centres • Advocate at a regional, national, international level with and for women