Introduction to Social Analysis & Action (SAA)

1. Introduction to Social Analysis & Action (SAA) Training Guidelines for SAA May 2012

2. Learning Objectives By the end of this module, participants will be able to: • Describe the different elements of the SAA approach • Identify how SAA it is different from traditional ways that CARE staff work • Discuss how underlying beliefs, attitudes, norms & inequalities about gender, power and sexuality may influence: • their personal lives • their work in communities on SRMH • the lives of community members and their SRMH • Propose ways to integrate the SAA approach with other program approaches and strategies they are using

3. Brainstorm • Healthy sexual, reproductive and maternal health (SRMH) behaviors • Gender and social norms • Safe space for reflection and dialogue

4. Social Analysis & Action • Is an approach CARE has developed to: • Catalyze a process of exploration and reflection • Facilitate individual and community actions that support more equitable gender norms and healthy SRMH behaviors • Is a process that has three major elements: • Analysis / exploration • Understanding / seeing things differently • Action for improved health

5. SAA can help create… • Opportunities to imagine and discuss alternative ways of thinking and behaving • Increased understanding of how some beliefs, attitudes and norms many have a negative effect on SRMH while others may have more positive effects • Changes to support more equitable social and gender norms, and healthier SRMH behaviors

6. Why do we need a new approach? • To encourage critical thinking around the underlying causes of poverty and poor reproductive health • To examine barriers to health such as power, gender, and sexuality • To utilize additional tools and skills to address these sensitive issues

7. SAA and the program cycle

8. Elements of SAA • Critical reflection and dialogue (CRD) around gender and sexual norms and their connection to inequity and poor health • Advanced facilitation of CRD process to deepen participants’ understanding of how power, gender and sexuality attitudes / norms may inhibit SRMH • First to surface, explore and reflect on individual and community attitudes / norms • Then to support specific action for more equitable norms that enable SRMH

9. Traditional Role of CARE Staff • Analyze knowledge, attitudes, and practices through baseline survey • Identify problems and solutions based largely on outside knowledge, and without probing barriers related to underlying gender and social norms • Build capacity of staff to teach the community • Use specific tools and train staff to mobilize communities through messages and information to encourage and drive them to change • Aim to reach the largest number of people with information, goods or services

10. Why work differently? • To increase staff understanding of how: • Attitudes and norms may facilitate or inhibit healthy SRMH behaviors / outcomes, and may influence their work in SRMH • They share much of the same social context as the communities in which they work • To increase staff comfort with discussing these issues • To build staff skills in how to explore, question and challenge in non-judgmental ways without imposing their own beliefs on others (facilitation of CRD)

11. How we work differently in SAA Transforming Staff Capacity Through the SAA process, we undertake critical reflection and dialogue to recognize how our values and beliefs influence our work: • Are we the same as the community? • Do we have the same problems? • Do we have the same beliefs and attitudes? • Are we that different from the people we serve in terms of ethnicity, religion, tribe, economic status or education?

12. How we work differently in SAA Reflecting with Community • Discuss underlying social factors including customs, gender norms, sexuality and power relations • Enable community to understand their reality, and never stop asking “why?” • Challenge communities on how their values and social norms impact their lives and SRMH • Support communities to envision alternatives and to enact gender equitable norms and healthier SRMH

13. Exercise: Values Clarification

14. Summary • Norms about gender, sexuality and power are key factors that influence health • We are not experts – we explore and change together • Pose questions – avoid “delivering” messages • We partner with important opinion leaders influencers

15. Discussion • How would using an SAA approach change the work you are currently doing? • How might using an SAA approach strengthen you projects or work? • What challenges do you foresee in integrating SAA into your work?

16. Integrating SAA into other programming • Many social factors influence other sectors as well (e.g. access to economic assets or education) • Combining technical interventions with interventions that address social factors can lead to greater impact • CARE’s “Program Approach” is an effort to shift our way of working to make more of a long term impact • While this training and content are oriented towards SRMH, many of the tools and issues are relevant more broadly

17. Country Office Examples:Integrating SAA into Program Approach

18. Key Points • Through SAA, we can facilitate dialogue and catalyze social change in communities. • We need community partners; without their collaboration, they may become barriers themselves. • Creation of a safe space for dialogue and exploration is key for effective facilitation. • Through ongoing critical reflection and dialogue to explore, analyze and at times challenge underlying social norms, we can work towards a vision for change and action to facilitate and support that change.

19. Exercise: Definitions on Gender and Sexuality