CANADA NEPAL GENDER IN ORGANIZATIONS

Section II: Outcomes Mapping

12. Gender Change in a non-CNGO District - Dhanusha

The outcomes mapping team conducted a brief analysis of the situation in Dhanusha²² district, where there is no CNGO activity. The purpose was to identify the differences between a PNGO district and a non-PNGO district, especially in the area of impact on the district environment for gender equality.

District Environment for Gender Change

The local context of Dhanusha is similar with the neighbouring terai districts: women face severe discrimination, and the conflict has escalated over the past year so that government services are not delivered in outer areas of the district.

The LDO indicated that gender issues are given a very low priority by district stakeholders, although he appreciated the need for promotion of women's interests. Mechanisms such as a gender focal point, and coordinating platforms for gender equality or for DDC-NGO collaborative relations do not exist. As a result, coordination was lacking on gender programs and no one was identified as effectively advocating for women's issues. LA are not motivated to address gender equality, according to another interviewee.

There are no programs that are specifically addressing gender equality, although the district benefits from many of the nation wide projects delivered by donors such as UNDP and GTZ, which program gender concerns into their projects.

Neither the DDC nor any VDCs have assigned budget to specific women's programs, according to the LDO. Community women do come to DDC to advocate for programs for the communities. If the DDC conducts training, then the social development officer may lead a session on gender concepts. However this officer commented that she has no guidelines on how to address or integrate gender, and she needs direction and a specific budget. After only three days gender training from LGP, she recognizes her knowledge / skills are weak.

The current cycle of the district planning process has started, and there is recognition that women development is important. However, the plans and programs are set by men, so there is less priority and understanding, according to the LDO. Women are not involved in planning meetings. Program implementation does not happen. Gender issues are raised by the WDS and other NGOs, but there is not a central level gender program.

DDC has the formal responsibility to coordinate NGOs, but that is not functioning. The NGO associations in the district do not link with DDC. The I/NGOs are invited to meetings and submit their programs and budgets to DDC. From DDC and WDO perspective, none of the district NGOs are specialized in gender; rather they implement in multiple sectors and claim they integrate gender. The NGOs have some limited training on gender concepts. The WDO does not work with NGOs, although she knows there are active women's NGOs.

NGOs rarely coordinate to take action, other than for events such as International Women's Day, so there is little networking. Neither the WDS nor other organizations have provided gender training to district stakeholders, according to the WDO. Some of the LA staff have had training, according to GTZ informants, but they do not take initiative and perform to expectation.

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District NGOs

Fourteen NGOs met with the outcome mapping team, and shared their experiences and the present situation on gender equality work. Among them, the INSEC network was clear about their gender mission and also the most dedicated to advocate on women's human rights. DSS, a partner of GTZ, promoted changes in the HMG policy for women's involvement in DDC planning and local employment, including equal wage for women with that of men. Some other NGOs were more involved in addressing practical needs of women with a limited perspective for addressing women's strategic issues. The NGOs deliver projects where gender is not the main focus but is a part of its program implementation strategy. Most of the NGOs are heavily oriented to work on women's livelihood and economic improvement.

Analysis

Although most NGOs work on gender as a part of their program, none reported systematic integration of gender into their organization. More NGOs are employing women staff for programs (as per donors' requirement); which is however not or weakly reflected in their organizational re-structuring and reorientation for gender mainstreaming. This contrasts with the PNGOs where they hold frequent activities on gender mainstreaming, i.e., in organizations, programs and government agencies. In Dhanusha, this accountability within NGOs to ensure gender mainstreaming in organizations and advocating with district authorities to implement gender policies seems to be lacking.

CNGO's initiative for GEC and gender allies are absent in this non-CNGO district. Thus, NGOs individually make a plea for implementing gender through the DDC from time to time, without a proper forum for accountability of implementation of government commitments on gender. This suggests that efforts done by NGOs might not produce a lasting impact on the district environment in a non-CNGO district compared with a CNGO district.

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