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Integrating Gender Resettlement and Rehabilitation. Day 5 Training Week March 6, 2009. Maria C.J. Cruz AFTCS. Outline. Why is gender an issue in R&R? How does gender apply to OP4.12? How were gender issues addressed in a hydropower project in Sierra Leone? What are the lessons learned?
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Integrating Gender Resettlement and Rehabilitation Day 5 Training Week March 6, 2009 Maria C.J. Cruz AFTCS
Outline • Why is gender an issue in R&R? • How does gender apply to OP4.12? • How were gender issues addressed in a hydropower project in Sierra Leone? • What are the lessons learned? • What are the good practices? • What are the key entry points for gender in resettlement?
Why is gender an issue in R&R? • Economic and social dislocation often exacerbate existing gender inequalities • Lack of land ownership and property rights denies women access to compensation • Restoration of livelihood and income is equally important to women and men • Loss of access to traditional sources of livelihood increases women’s dependence on men • Women’s low levels of education limit their options • Women’s burden for providing water and fuel may increase • Restricted mobility reduces women’s ability to adjust • Nutritional status of women is lower than men’s; mortality and morbidity are higher • Gender-based violence increases with economic and social stress
How does gender apply to OP4.12? OP4.12 Involuntary Resettlement • Acquisition of land and physical structures • Physical relocation • Economic rehabilitation of displaced persons Gender Aspects: • Vulnerable group: without special attention, women may be excluded and exposed to greater risk of empoverishment • Benefit sharing reduce gender disparities; female head of household entitled to same benefits as male houshold head • Women’s participation Fundamental in resettlement operations because women are key to re-establishing families and livelihoods • Economic contributions of women Baseline surveys of PAPs should document women’s roles in farming, marketing, other livelihood activities • Access to basic services Women should be key decision makers in deciding how services are allocated and maintained
How were gender issues addressed in the Sierra Leone Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project?
Gender issues and project response Gender issues • Demographic – 58% females • Post-conflict context (change in gender and age structure) • Poor governance (lack of women leaders) • Weak legal and political support for women’s rights (Chiefdom system) • MDG indicators for women (fertility rates high; infant and maternal mortality high; education low) How the project addressed these issues: • Consultations included women and youth • Farmer Field Schools (composed of 52% women) • Formation of village committees (at least 50% women) • Agribusiness Units (65% women) • Life skills training (special programs for women) • Money management workshops (60% women) • Small-scale agribusiness development (42% women) • Women participated in allocation of food packages
What are the lessons learned? • Weak baseline (new baseline with panel survey) • Initial focus was limited to women’s health and education (focus later on livelihoods) • Decision making did not include women (village committees reorganized; women village leaders identified) • Original project outcome indicators did not include women (revised to reflect gender roles)
What are the good practices? • Formation of village women’s committees • Operating and maintaining services handled by women • Farmer Field Schools focused on women’s roles • Special agricultural business units for women • Marketing location and access based on women’s needs • Life skills program linked with women’s livelihood • Women self-help groups formed • Participatory monitoring and evaluation led by women’s groups
Key entry points for gender in R&R • Collect sex-disaggregated baseline data in assessment of impact, vulnerability, and risk • Consult with women as well as men affected by project regarding needs and priorities at all stages • Include provisions to give women legal rights to land and property • Compensate women and men directly through individual bank accounts. • Ensure that women as well as men participate in resettlement action planning (site selection, housing, infrastructure, basic services etc.), implementation and monitoring • Collaborate with and build the capacity of women’s NGOs to assist in resettlement planning and livelihood restoration • Strengthen the gender awareness and capacity of the implementing agency • Include gender-specific monitoring and evaluation questions and indicators