CANADA NEPAL GENDER IN ORGANIZATIONS

Section II: NGO Capacity building for gender equality

5. Principles and Approaches to NGO Capacity Building for Gender Equality

At the simplest level, capacity building is about knowing how to deliver results to meet the organization’s mission. These capacities that CNGO promoted in individuals and organizations are the abilities, skills, understanding, values, attitudes, knowledge and behaviour needed to generate development benefits as determined by their organizational mission.

At the first level, CNGO worked with PNGOs to change their organizational and technical skills to improve performance in their organization and their programs. Because CNGO was designed to foster gender equality, the deeper level of change sought was developing the PNGO capacity to promote change in society’s understanding of gender relations and nurture the change needed for gender equality. They first needed to be clear conceptually on gender and internalize gender equality before they could address gender discrimination in society.

Thus CNGO sought to not only strengthen the PNGOs to be gender sensitive organizations; they were also expected to be able to deliver gender integrated programs and influence other organizations. The intent was to establish the PNGOs as Gender Resource Organizations to be catalysts for gender equality change in their district. As they gained knowledge and skills, these capacities were to be used to promote and institutionalize gender change in other organizations – NGOs and government - and thus to spread gender concepts through these organizations and their respective programs as well. Benefits are felt at the community level as development workers become more aware and committed to change. Providing leadership on gender change, in collaboration with like-minded bodies such as the Women Development Office, the PNGOs are capable to advise, influence and advocate for gender equality among other district stakeholders.

As part of the conceptual understanding of the role of a GRO, the qualities needed for the role were defined as:

Qualities of a Gender Resource Organization

Gender	Role model of gender mainstreamed organization Superior knowledge on gender topics Gender equality mainstreamed in the organization (vision, mission, objectives, and at policy level) Gender in programs and materials Gender sensitive staff and members Women are empowered
Resource	Attitude or mindset to work with others to build them up To lead, and to be proactive – leading edge – as situation changes *Wide range of expertise – able to provide consulting services Help others through their skills and knowledge, and material resources Focal point for information dissemination Collect resources Advocate for gender Sensitive to new and emerging issues affecting women and able to respond Able to influence Able to coach Focal point or catalyst for gender equality in district Capacity building support to other organizations
Organization	Institutionally developed/mature Capacity for policy feedback *Commitment, motivation and passion Social entrepreneurs Innovation – develop and keep up with new methodologies and approaches Part of coalitions – enmeshed or networked with other people and organizations Operate their own program to meet own objectives – vision led Generate resources Fighters Capacity to work with diverse groups from grassroots to Prime Minister Inspire respect and recognition from others Reflective, sharing, learning Able to generate livelihoods from revenue and also to volunteer with passion Good fit of individual and organizational vision/mission Capacity to mobilize others on different levels

The project's approach to capacity building is based on these principles:

Gender Equality
Social Inclusion
Responsive to participant needs and priorities
Participatory training approaches / techniques
Democracy
Transparency
Encouraging collaboration and strengthening links with stakeholders
Not providing program funding or paying NGOs to participate

Consensus and local ownership of capacity building are key to success. Individuals and organizations must choose to participate in the process. All partners needed to agree on the capacities that they want to enhance and the process for doing so. First and foremost, partners agreed that they want to challenge gender inequality, and commit to practice gender equality in their own organization. CNGO then began by building consensus on the core principles of the project: a participatory approach, PNGO responsibilities for learning and change, social inclusion, and a non-funding approach. Building and maintaining this consensus required negotiation and consistency, facilitated by the CNGO staff coordinators (NGO-C).

Capacity building involves many different strategies. CNGO used a range of formal and non-formal learning opportunities, supported the PNGOs to apply their learning, and used a number of techniques to help individuals and organizations sustain the changes they had made. Opportunities to apply what had been learned in workshops strengthened skill development and helped people to internalize new knowledge. Coaching and "backstopping" proved to be the glue that held the capacity building and learning together. Especially because gender change was foremost in the project mandate, the model focused on nurturing the transformation to gender equality in the PNGOs (as individuals and organizations).

CNGO started with the individual - building knowledge and skills, and fostering change in their attitude and behaviour, especially focusing on gender relations. As individuals acted on these new skills, their organizations began to change. CNGO also worked with organizations as a whole, supporting them through the process of setting their direction and developing the structures and processes needed to achieve their goals.

Recognizing that the district environment would affect the PNGOs’ ability to become Gender Resource Organizations (GROs), CNGO supported initiatives that increased local interest in gender equality, and helped the PNGOs to develop allies who would support them in their efforts to create and sustain change in the community.

Thus, in the district, CNGO:

Built the local expertise for gender (viable PNGOs)
Fostered an environment where gender equality services / capacity was demanded by the community, and
Facilitated gender sensitized linkages with resource providers and decision-makers.

To strengthen DDC and NGO collaboration, and support PNGO’s voice for gender equality, CNGO facilitated DDC-NGO committees.

CNGO also intervened at the national enabling environment in collaboration with the Social Welfare Council, to support the changes needed in the policy environment for gender mainstreaming and NGO development.