Project Title

Promoting Opportunities for Women Empowerment and Rights(POWER)

Activity Number 28317
Period Covered Quarter 4 October to December 2016
Country Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan, Rwanda
Partners: Ghana (Songtaba, Bonatadu, Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM), Community Aid for Rural
Development (CARD), Global Action for Women Empowerment (GLOWA) and Social Development and
Improvement Agency (SODIA), , Rwanda ( Faith Victory Association, Duhozanye and Tubibe Amahoro),
Bangladesh SKS Foundation, and Pakistan (Saiban Development Foundation & NIDA)
Target group: 21,000 rural women (*smallholder farmers and producers) (6,000 Ghana, 6,000 Rwanda, 5,000
Bangladesh, 4,000 Pakistan) and 6,000 men (3,000 Ghana, 1,000 Rwanda, 1,000 Bangladesh, 1,000
Pakistan) local authorities, Government ministries, FAO African Union and South Asian Association of
Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
Location: Ghana (Nanumba North and South Districts, Talensi, Nabdam, Jirapa, Asutifi South, Tain and Adaklu
districts), Rwanda (Nyanza, Gisagara and Nyaruguru Districts in the Southern Province, Musanze District
in the Nothern Province and Karongi District in Western Province), Bangladesh (Gaibandha and
Lalmonirhat Districts) and Pakistan (Mansehra and Shangla Districts)
Long-term To contribute to the increased economic empowerment of women in Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh and
objective: Pakistan
Specific objectives: 21,000 women in Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan have increased income and ability to
control their income, through practicing CRSA, accessing markets and reducing, recognising and
redistributing unpaid care work.
 Results/Outputs/Activities
Project start up activities
Staff recruitment and Induction
Project staff recruited
Project staff inducted into organisation's
(ActionAid/partner) systems and
processes
Project Inception
International project inception workshop
(1 x 5 day workshop with AA country and
AA international representatives)
National project inception workshop (4 x
5 day workshop - (1 per country) with all
national AA and partner staff)
Detailed implementation and planning
workshop (annual with all staff and
community activists to share project plans
to support community engagement and
building of trust) accountability and
transparency
Pakistan only
Progress against Outcomes/Outputs/Activities
All project staff recruitment has been completed and no changes took place in Bangladesh, Ghana and Rwanda. In Pakistan, the POWER Project
Manager was recently promoted to be the interim Head of Programs (HoP) of ActionAid Pakistan. In December 2016, AAP immediately advertised
the position of Project Manager. AAP will consider internal candidates with the relevant skills and experience as a priority as they are already familiar
with the project. In the meantime the HoP continues to steer the project and a smooth handover is planned once the project manager is recruited. In
AAUK the Senior Manager - Multi Country Projects has gone on Maternity leave from December 2016 and maternity cover has been contracted to
support the project.
All project staff in Rwanda, Ghana, Bangladesh and Pakistan has been inducted on ActionAid, donor and partners’ systems and processes to ensure
smooth implementation of the project.
The international inception workshop was completed in Nairobi in July 2016 and key project staff from countries, ActionAid UK and ActionAid
International participated. This was reported on in previous reports.
Rwanda, Ghana and Bangladesh, have also completed national inception workshops as reported in previous quarters.
Pakistan completed a 3 day national inception workshop on 14-16 December 2016. The workshop participants POWER project staff, including partner
staff, ActionAid project staff and ActionAid Pakistan Country Program’s regional and country office staff. The main objective was to orient staff on
ActionAid’s working approach, POWER project’s Theory of Change, project log frame, activities, and to have a shared understanding of the key
programmatic concepts such as unpaid care work, violence against women, climate resilient sustainable agriculture, and their intersectionality.
Another objective of this workshop was to familiarize participants about the relevant
project audit and financial systems, MEL systems, different reporting processes, and donor
compliance. The workshop used different participatory approaches including exercises,
group works, puzzles and diagrams for interactive learning.
The Dutch ambassador to Pakistan, Ms. Jeannette Seppen, also attended the final day of the
workshop. Discussions were held on workshop outputs and the objectives of Dutch support
for this project. Partners also shared their expectations and hopes with the Dutch
government in terms of required support for expansion of this work in more districts,
providing a link with Dutch private sector and other future opportunities. She admired the
hard work of participants and showed her interest to visit the field if security permits in
future.
In December 2016, an implementation and planning workshop was conducted for NIDA-Pakistan’s project staff in order to set project plans for the
first quarter of 2017 as this partner has recently completed their start-up activities, including recruitment and the selection of their project
implementation area. In this meeting, women’s group formation processes and criteria for facilitator selection was discussed and agreed upon to
complete women’s group formation in the first quarter of 2017. Participants developed an action plan for women’s group formation process
activities, including initial meetings with key activists of each selected Union Council for project sharing and villages mapping; broad based community
meetings at village level with women and men; conducting social mapping and poverty ranking for right holders’ identification; and identifying
women to join women’s groups. A more detailed annual implementation planning workshop is planned in January 2017.
National project launch event /s The national project launch event had been completed in Rwanda, Ghana and Bangladesh in previous quarters. In Pakistan, this is planned for the first
quarter of 2017.
Outcome 1: By the end of 2020 21,000 rural women are organised and are able to demand their rights as farmers and carers and have greater influence in their households and communities
A total of 19,206 rural women (6,000 in Rwanda, 6,400 in Ghana, 5,000 in Bangladesh, 1,806 in Pakistan) have been organised into groups and are
actively participating in group meetings in the four countries. Women have been able to engage with local leaders, traditional leaders as way of
demanding their rights. In Ghana, Rwanda and Bangladesh rural women are now actively involved in empowering activities such as voluntary savings
and loans and group farming. In all countries women’s groups have been able to meet at least once a month.

In Rwanda, 6,000 women are organised into 200 groups in five districts (LRPs) namely Musanze with 36, Nyanza with 54, Nyaruguru with 20, Karongi
with 36 and Gisagara with 54. Each group is made up of 30 women members and generally meet regularly at least once a month but the majority of
the groups meet once a week according to each group’s internal regulations. In Gisagara district, with a total of 54 women’s groups, 42 groups meet
twice a month while 12 groups meet once. The participation of members in REFLECT/group meetings is 97% on average in all Districts though in
Nyaruguru women’s group participation was at 100% during quarter 4. All women participate in group activities, mainly farming, savings (Voluntary
Saving Loans) and meetings.

In Ghana, 6,400 women in 200 rural women’s groups have been organized and meet regularly. The membership of each of the groups is 32 rural
women comprising widows, processors, and female headed households. The 4th quarter recorded a higher level of attendance to meetings with 70%
(4,200) women meeting 3 times a week and 1,800 women meeting twice a month. All groups have had meetings with traditional leaders and the
21,000 women are organised in groups
Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to sensitize women and their communities on their rights. Discussions on rights
and actively participating in group
awareness, violence against women and unpaid care with traditional leaders have taken place in project areas. To make the groups more effective,
activities by the end of the project
the project officers attended Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) and Refection Action training in the 3rd quarter of 2016 and step down training
has been carried out at district level for 200 community facilitators.
Progress: 19,206
Target: 21,000 In Bangladesh, 5,000 women have been organised into 200 groups. A total of 800 meetings have been held and women have discussed key issues
Baseline: 0 including opening of bank accounts, group savings, and home vegetable gardens. The women target to meet at least four times a month. The
women are actively participating in group and community activities including small business and income generating activities, collection of financial
contributions from the community for 9 day care centres, participation in residential training on sewing and embroidery. The project has seen several
achievements of the groups, for example, 200 women’s groups initiated saving schemes and are now depositing BDT10-20 per week. In terms of
economic empowerment, bank accounts have been opened for 82 women’s reflection-action circles, and a bank account was also opened for 7 day
care centres for community contributions. 18 women leaders from 5 groups received 3 month long residential training on business skills, sewing and
embroidery and through lobbying and advocacy with Upazila Youth department, 11 women’s groups obtained trade licenses from the Union Parishad
(UP- local government).

In terms of climate resilient sustainable agriculture (CRSA), women started homestead and bed vegetable cultivation using CRSA technology (pit, pot,
bucket, use few seed per pit, high pit, and compost pit preparation and used compost) which has contributed to improved food security. In addition,
2 new day care centres were set up in Gaibandha district. Gondharaj women of Burail village under Udakhali UP established an Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) school through communication with Upazila Agriculture Extension Office (AE). Now they regularly learn new agricultural
techniques through sessions, and receive different improved vegetables seeds like eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower. By this quarter, 94 women
participants got ration cards (3 month long), and 4 women got maternity allowance from UP as a result of communication, lobbying and advocacy
efforts of the women’s groups and federation leaders.
 In Pakistan, 1,806 women are organized in 45 women’s groups in district Mansehra by Saibaan Development Organization. These women have been
organized in groups following participatory approaches. Women’s group members are mainly permanent residents in the villages directly involved in
farming activities, collection of wood for fuel, fetching water from long distances and are very vulnerable due to high levels of poverty.
After group formation, 45 groups conducted their monthly meetings in November and December 2016. Overall 90 group meetings were organized.
2,145 women, including 1,806 regular members of women’s groups, attended these meetings and on average 47 women attended each women’s
group meeting. Key action points from group meetings included; selection of group facilitators, increase in women’s group membership, finalization
of selected women right holders for fodder cutters, taking nominations for participation in sensitization and capacity building sessions, planning for
REFLECT and Rights Based Approach training, sharing of time diary tools with women’s groups.
70% of targeted women report increased
skills and confidence demanding their
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
rights and reporting cases of violence by
the end of the project

50% of women report having greater

control over resources in their households The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
by the end of the project
60% of target communities in each In all four countries, women have already reported greater presence in community structures. This indicator will be measured more appropriately
country in which a majority of sampled next year. The women are actively participating in group meetings, in Bangladesh for example, the project has monitored a selected sample of five
women report greater presence of community structures in the project area (Nari and Shisu Nirjatan Protirodth Committee, Parents teachers association (PTA), Village Development
women on community structures by the Committee (VDC), Market Management Committee, and Legal Aid Committee). The total membership of the five community structures is 174, where
end of the project the number of women is 69 and the number of men is 105.
OUTPUT 1.1 690 women's groups (200 Ghana, 200 Rwanda, 200 Bangladesh, 90 Pakistan) are set up and/or strengthened in their community by December 2016 Countries
A total of 690 groups (200 in Rwanda, 200 in Bangladesh, 200 in Ghana, 45 in Pakistan) have been organised and are meeting at AAR,
least once per month. Some of the groups meeting more than once a month and the regularity of the meetings depend on the group AAP,
agreement. The groups have been strengthened through training on group formation and financial management to keep the AAG,
financial records of voluntary savings. The groups have also agreed on their own internal management structures with most groups AAB
having a group leader, facilitator, and secretary. The groups have met and discussed key issues of concern such as concerns with the
1.1.a: 690 groups meeting at least once
prolonged drought in Rwanda, savings, how to claim and benefit from government service provision, savings schemes in Bangladesh,
per month
mobility and access to land in Ghana and group membership in Pakistan.

In Rwanda, rural women have different issues affecting them in the community with emphasis on women rights analysis, power
analysis, daily activity chart of women, income and expenditure matrix. They also do money saving in the meetings. All groups
Progress: 645
reported a challenge of prolonged drought that has reduced the performance of crops. The groups decided to sell their agricultural
Target: 690
produce especially beans at higher price.
Baseline: 0
In Bangladesh, The main issues discussed by the 200 women reflection action circles included, group solidarity/collectivism,
addressing dowry, early marriage and its negative impacts, trade license collection, how to claim and benefit from government’s
service provision to the public, rights and women rights analysis, saving schemes, opening bank account and collective business
initiative for the women groups and operation of operations and management of day care centre. Actions and achievements from
 meetings so far have been reported above.

In Ghana, by the end of the 4th quarter 2016, 200 rural women groups have been attending regular monthly group meetings. A
group member from Upper West Region said, ‘it is a good practice for women to be organized and have regular meetings to discuss
their issues together. The group meetings are one way I can change my life style. And I am committed to attend group meetings under
the POWER project with AAG and its partner’.

In Pakistan, 90 group meetings were organized and on average 47 women attended each women’s group meeting.
These meetings were organized to orientate women on project objectives and processes and to facilitate the process of beneficiary
identification for project interventions. Through these meetings Reflect Facilitators also explained their role to women’s groups, and
ToRs of the facilitators were shared.
In Rwanda, 400 group facilitators (two facilitators per group and 11 partner staff) were trained on HRBA and REFLECT Methodologies AAR,
through a 5 day training. Participants were group leaders and their deputies, and all were women. For partner staff, participants AAP,
were 11 project staff, 4 women and 6 men. Trainings took place in the LRPs near to group working sites. Training covered the topics AAG,
include HRBA concept, HRBA Principles, Human Rights based approach, context and trends of poverty, inequality and injustice, HRBA AAB
programming areas: empowerment, solidarity, campaigning. Refresher training on HRBA is planned in 2017
1.1.b: 850 facilitators and staff trained on
In Bangladesh, 47 community mobilisers were trained as reported in previous quarters. As part of capacity building initiative,
the HRBA and REFLECT methodologies by
Community Mobilizers have received training on Climate Resilience Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA), Time Diary Use, and Violence
the end of 2016
Against Women Reporting Mechanisms.

In Ghana, 201, comprising 70 male and 131 female, community facilitators have improved skills on Human Rights Based Approach
Progress: 661
and Reflection Action methodology; they have built skills in group dynamics, micro facilitation and action planning, including citizen
Target: 850
government engagement processes discussed through role plays and drama during the workshop process. Community facilitators
Baseline: 0
now have increased understanding of the project objectives, as well as improved knowledge of women rights and how to use the
various tools for action planning. The training was held at two levels; one for AAG and partner staff for 10 days and at the district
level with community facilitators for 2 weeks for the new facilitators, and 8 days for existing facilitators. At the end of the trainings
action plans were drawn up to support groups to organize their meetings well, based on the key project outcomes.

In Pakistan, this activity will be undertaken in 2017

In Rwanda, 100% of the 400 trained facilitators, group co-facilitators and 10 partner staff have improved knowledge of HRBA and AAR,
Reflect methodologies. The rural women trained have improved capacity to claim their rights as rural women through community AAP,
1.1.c: 90% of partner staff, community
advocacy events/commemorations and are able to use REFLECT methodology to organize and coordinate their respective groups and AAG,
mobilisers and Reflect facilitators with
to use HRBA REFLECT tools to analyze different community’s issues affecting rural women in the community and lead plans to find AAB
improved knowledge of HRBA and Reflect
solutions within group members or through advocacy moments or community structures assemblies.
methodologies by the end of 2016
In Bangladesh, this was completed and reported in previous quarters.
Progress: 100%
Target: 90%
In Ghana, 100% of the 201 trained of community facilitators, partner project officers and AAG staff have gained significant skills and
Baseline: 0
knowledge in reflection action methodologies and HRBA through training conducted by AAG in collaboration with Global Platform, a
training hub in West Africa located in Tamale. The training made use of a lot of group work and discussions using graphic

Activities which contribute to Output 1.1:
1.1.1 Support 690 (200 Ghana, 200
Rwanda, 200 Bangladesh, 90 Pakistan)
women groups with a total membership
of 21,000 members (rural women,
farmers and processors) to meet at least
once a month by providing stipends for
group facilitators/mobilisers.
1.1.2 Select and train 850 community
facilitators, management committee
members, community mobilisers and
partner staff in HRBA and REFLECT
facilitation methodologies (100
facilitators and 40 partner staff through 8
district workshops of 10 days + 250
community members through 5
community level trainings of 5 days in
Ghana; 400 committee members and 10
partner staff trained through a five day
construction tools such as problem three, chapatti diagram, body map, work load calendars mobility maps, public service maps,
community maps, income and expenditure wallet, income and expenditure tree. Feedback from participants indicated that the
learning by doing method eased the burden on participants and enabled them to learn at their own pace.
In Pakistan, this activity will be undertaken in 2017
645 (200 Ghana, 200 Rwanda, 200 Bangladesh and 45 Pakistan) women’s groups with a total membership of 19,206 women are meeting at least once
a month. In Ghana, Rwanda and Bangladesh facilitators have been provided with stipends for group facilitators and mobilisers. The women’s groups
are supported with training on CRSA, women’s rights, violence against women and reflection action.
In Rwanda, all groups are recognised by local authorities at the community level. Each group has a facilitator and all are women. The facilitators
provide monthly reports on group activities, progress and challenges which are submitted to partner officer. Each facilitator receives facilitation fees
equals to 10,000 Rwf ($12) on monthly to cover her transport and communication.
In Bangladesh, 200 women’s groups with a total membership of 5000 women in 10 unions of Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts (Kulaghat, Harati,
Mogolhat, Rajpur, Khuniagachi). Between October and December 2016, Community Mobilizers facilitated regular weekly reflection-action meetings
with 200 women’s groups under the guidance of the Project Officers. During this period, a monthly stipend for the 40 Community Mobilizers (Female-
34, Male-6) was deposited to their individual bank account in order for them to facilitate the meetings.
In Ghana, women’s groups met twice a month in 2016. The community mobilisers supported partners to mount community sensitization meetings in
all project communities as part of their group meetings. 200 community facilitators (comprising 30 males and 171 females) have been provided with
stipends as their annual motivation package in all the 8 districts. Their packages varied from region to region. In the Northern region they were
provided with T’shirts and plastic chairs based on discussions with them on what they need, similar things were also provided in Brong Ahafo region.
In Upper West, cloths were provided to all community facilitators and in Upper East, they were supported with rice and cloths.. Going forward, AAG
is in the process of developing uniform packages for all community facilitators. Their support and guidance enabled 6,400 women to continue to take
part in their groups meetings in all the eight districts mentioned above.
In Pakistan, the women’s group formation process in Mansehra district has been completed. In addition, wider community consultation processes
have been carried out through social mapping and wellbeing analysis. The consultations were meant to understand more about community dynamics
including geographical information, livelihood bases, farming activities, community governance, basic market information and poverty levels.
In Rwanda, the project organized a 5-day training for 400 group facilitators (2 representatives per group, all women), and 10 partner staff (4 women
and 6 men) on HRBA and REFLECT Methodologies. . Trainings took place in the LRPs near to group working sites. The training empowered women to
organize and apply REFLECT methodologies in managing REFLECT cycles. Participants were also trained on the concept of unpaid care work and the
effect of UCW on women’s rights enjoyment. They were also trained on how to achieved UCW recognition, redistribution, reduction and
representation.
In Bangladesh, this activity was completed and reported in Quarter two of 2016 - 40 community mobilisers have been trained.
In Ghana, 100 new community facilitators were identified, recruited and trained as facilitators on HRBA and reflection action methodologies across all
the districts. 8 district level workshops were held for is 10 days each. 200 facilitators have improved knowledge in Reflection Action methods, micro
facilitation skills, and HRBA. Monitoring visits were done by all field officers in the 4th quarter, including the National level Projector Coordinator and
workshop in each district of Rwanda; 40
facilitators, mobilisers and partner staff
trained in Bangladesh; 100 facilitators
trained in Pakistan)
1.1.3 Provide refresher training for
community facilitators, committee
members, community mobilisers and
partner staff in HRBA and REFLECT
methodologies. (Two refresher trainings
for 100 existing facilitators (Y1) + Two
workshops annually for existing
facilitators in Ghana; Eight annual
refresher trainings - 1 per district in
Rwanda; 20 refresher trainings (2 per
union) in Bangladesh; 100 facilitators
trained in Pakistan)
1.1.4 2 representatives from 690 women's
groups are trained in organisational
management, financial management,
participatory monitoring and collectivism
in practice. (2 representatives in Ghana; 2
representatives in Rwanda; 2
representatives in Bangladesh and 2
representatives in Pakistan) (Bangladesh
-200 women's groups are trained in
Collectivsm in practice through 200, 2 day
workshop)
AAG regional teams, to ascertain the level of the trainings conducted at the district level. Through the meetings and negotiations between the
women groups and their community leaders, four communities gave out land for the construction of child care centres. This has been possible as a
result of the trainings conducted and the support from community facilitators to the women groups and their entire communities.
In Pakistan, 45 women Reflect facilitators were also identified. These facilitators are from the village communities, have middle or above middle level
education (the last year for Middle school in Pakistani education system), and are willing to actively participate in project activities. The women
facilitators have demonstrated capacity to facilitate group meetings and to provide guidance to women participants to complete time diary cards,
take meeting minutes, keep financial records and plan for women group discussions. Women group facilitators are guided by Terms of Reference
written in local language which clearly indicates their roles and responsibilities for accountability purposes. NIDA partner has identified and mapped
out the geographical area for group formation and planned to form women groups in the first quarter of 2017. Saibaan partner has completed group
formation process in quarter four 2016 with a total of 45 women’s groups and NIDA partner plans to complete in the first quarter of 2017. Therefore
facilitators will be trained in the first quarter of 2017.
In Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan this activity is to start in 2017 as per the project plan.
In Ghana, 100 co-facilitators in Northern and Upper East Regions covering Nanumba North and South, Talinse and Nabdam districts were trained in
similar areas with much emphasis on tools such as force field analysis, Chapatti diagram, problem tree, income and expenditure matrix, access and
control matrix and body map for the first time as part of the POWER activities in 2016.
In Rwanda, the project organized a five day training for 400 women smallholder farmers (from 200 groups) to empower them with skills of
organisational and financial management, participatory monitoring and collectivism. Each group was represented by two women. These skills are
applied within women’s groups to establish a good working environment and good management of Voluntary Savings and Lending (VSLs). The
trainings were organized near to groups’ working sites to ensure participants could attend. The training equipped trainees with capacities and
competencies towards their professional organizations so that leaders and members are able to hold them accountable, and they can manage their
groups effectively, including reporting skills and how to keep group money, savings and credit records professionally.
In Bangladesh, 398 women from 200 groups attended 2 day non-residential trainings (18 batches) on collectivism in practice and financial
management this quarter. Reshma Rani, a training participant and member of Chameli Women’s Group of Pashchim Salua village under Udakhali
Union of Gaibnadha said, ``It is very difficult to take any action individually, but it becomes easy if we collectively face the difficulties. From this
training we learnt the importance of being together’’.
400 women leaders (200 from Gaibandha and 200 from Lalmonirhat) also attended a 2-day non-residential training on Financial Management. The
major training topics included; group saving registers update, bill/cash memos, payment vouchers, cash book and ledger book update and
maintenance. At the end of the training participants have understood about record keeping, vouchers, cash book, pass book, book accounts and
posting in ledger books. This training will also be beneficial to individual women at household level as it will help to understand family income and
expenditure processes.
 In Pakistan and Ghana this activity is in the 2017 plans. Training on participatory budget monitoring has been shifted to 2017 in Bangladesh

1.1.5 430 women groups registered as
collectives/obtain trade licences /business
commencement certificates (dependent
on country context -180 Rwanda, 200
Bangladesh, 50 Ghana)
The 200 women’s groups that the project works with consists of 94 pre-existing groups and 106 newly formed groups. 90 of the existing groups
rd
obtained their business license in the 3 quarter of 2016. The remaining 4 groups applied for their business license in this quarter and obtained it
th
from the Union Parishad with the support of POWER project staff. This means that at end of the 4 quarter 94 women groups (54 from Gaibandha
and 40 from Lalmonirhat) have business licenses which enable their businesses to legally operate in the country. Currently the 106 newly formed
women’s groups are not eligible for business licenses; they will qualify and apply when they launch their income generating activities.

POWER project is providing the necessary support to the groups to undergo the process of obtaining licenses or registration, including costs such as
application, travel and collection costs. In Pakistan, Ghana and Rwanda this activity is in the 2017 plans.
OUTPUT 1.2 21,000 (6,000 Ghana, 6,000 Rwanda, 5,000 Bangladesh, 4,000 Pakistan) rural women are trained about their rights and how to report and respond to cases of VAW by December
2017
4,510 women (Rwanda 400, Ghana 4,000 women, Bangladesh 2) have been trained about their rights, and 508 women have been trained on Violence
Against Women reporting mechanisms. In addition, 47 project staff and community mobilisers were also trained to support the women on Violence
Against Women reporting mechanisms.

In Rwanda, the project organized training for 400 women, two women from each of 200 groups, and training was held in five districts for three days
on women’s rights and how to report VAW cases. Training was facilitated by an external gender expert, and co-facilitated by a policewoman in charge
of VAW/GBV. Trainings were organized at each district level near groups’ working sites. Training covered gender equality and women’s human rights
in order to reduce Gender Based Violence. Women have been trained on how to report incidences of VAW and group facilitators have been given a
1.2.a: 21,000 women trained about their reporting tool for incidences of VAW in communities. Cascade training has in turn trained others in the women’s groups.
rights and VAW reporting mechanisms by
the end of 2017 In Bangladesh, two women leaders of the Upazila Federation of Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat district and forty seven project staff and Community
Mobilizers have received two days training on violence against women and reporting mechanisms. The training topics included human rights, violence
Progress: 4400 against women, pre-violence strategy, post-violence strategy, service providing institutions, reporting and documentation of the case, case follow-
Target: 21,000 ups, advocacy, networking and campaign and the role of the mass media.
Baseline: 0
In Ghana, the activity has been carried out at the community and group level in the form of sensitization with the entire community and with the
specific women’s groups. 4000 women have received specific training about their rights and violence against women reporting mechanisms. The
implementation of this activity has aided the demand for rights such as lands for farming and awareness on the negative consequences of violence.
This has been complemented by the training conducted for COMBAT members on the key concepts of the project such as unpaid care work, CRSA and
leadership for women. AAG, with the support of the existing community structures, will train the group’s representatives on reporting mechanisms
through the activities of COMBAT in the first half of 2017.

In Pakistan, activities are planned for 2017

1.2.b: 85% of women trained have In Rwanda, of the 400 women trained, an average of 90% had improved knowledge/ understanding of their rights, including the rights to live free
improved knowledge of rights by the end from violence and discrimination, to be educated, to own property, to participate in political leadership and to earn a fair and equal wage. In addition,
of the training round the training looked at legalizing couples marriages, VAW/GBV law, Family law, land law, matrimonial, liberalities and succession regimes, participation
in leadership and decision making, rights to education, right to meet in association and unpaid care work recognition. The training covered types of

Progress: 72%
Target: 85%
Baseline: 0
1.2.c: 85% of women trained have correct
knowledge of how to report incidences of
VAW and available support services (legal,
health etc.) by the end of each training
round
Progress: 100%
Target: 85%
Baseline: 0
Activities which contribute to Output 1.2:
1.2.1 Training of Trainers workshop for
530 representatives from the women's
groups on women's rights, including UCW,
violence (reporting mechanism and
support) and economic participation
(representatives supported by REFLECT
facilitators/community mobilisers to
disseminate learning)
(200 representatives trained in 10
workshops in Ghana; 200 representatives
trained in 5 workshops in Rwanda; 40
representatives trained in 4 workshops in
Bangladesh; 90 representatives trained in
4 workshops in Pakistan )
violence include physical violence, emotional violence, and economical violence. As a result, after this training, facilitators mobilized their fellow
women in groups especially women in a de facto union to legalize their couples to become legally co-owners of family property and during
international rural women’s day celebration, 46 couples legalized their marriage. ‘’It was great achievements for us to see the couples legalized their
marriages we hope to achieve a lot from this step’’ said Kantetere Annick, facilitator of Turwanye Ubukene (fight poverty) women’s group.
In Bangladesh, progress will be measured in 2017
In Ghana, 70% of the women sensitised have gained and improved knowledge about their rights, through the community sensitization meetings and
trainings conducted at the group level by December, 2016.
In Pakistan, progress is will be measured in 2017
In Rwanda, 100% of the 200 women trained have shown correct knowledge of how to report incidences of VAW and available services (legal, health
etc.) by the end of each training round. The tool of documenting and tracking VAW cases was developed and was given to 200 women. Women
tracked cases on four categories of violence including physical, economic, psychological and sexual. In Nyanza District, trained women (108) tracked
293 GBV cases (272 cases for women and 21 for men). Many of them have been solved at village and cell levels; only 17 cases have been reported
and handled by the Police GBV department. In Gisagara, women recorded 180 VAW cases including 4 sexual, 47 physical, 52 economic and 77
psychological). In Karongi District, 72 trained women have tracked 150 VAW cases, 127 treated at community level and 23 cases were forwarded to
the police GBV unit.
In Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan progress will be measured in 2017
In Rwanda, the project has organized five workshops for 200 women (Nyanza 54, Gisagara 54, Nyaruguru 20, Karongi 36 and Musanze 36) at each
district level for 3 days. Women trained as trainers have gained knowledge on reporting incidences of VAW, they are able to track and to monitor GBV
cases, they can even handle some simple cases with the local leaders and they advise the victims of GBV where to report. The training covered topics
including Unpaid Care Work, links between Unpaid Care Work and gender based violence (GBV) and violence against women (VAW), how to monitor
and report VAW incidences, economic participation and how to disseminate learning in the community.
nd
In Bangladesh, 40 community mobilisers were trained and this was reported in the 2 quarter of 2016.
In Ghana and Pakistan this activity is in the 2017 plans.
1.2.2 A minimum of one monthly REFLECT
meeting to sensitise 21,000 women
(6,000 Ghana, 6,000 Rwanda, 5,000
Bangladesh, 4,000 Pakistan) about their
rights (using existing Reflection-Action
tools such as women rights analysis,
power analysis, daily activity chart of
women, income and expenditure matrix)
A minimum of one monthly reflection meeting has been held among the 19,206 women mobilised in Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
In Rwanda, at least one monthly group meeting was held per group to discuss their rights using Reflection-Action tools such as women’s rights
analysis, power analysis, daily activity charts, income and expenditure matrix. Frequently discussed topics include voluntary saving and lending (VSL),
pressing issues in the community like access to medical insurance, family planning, hygiene and sanitation, VAW/GBV issues within their families,
farming activities (crops and livestock) and challenges such as climate change and access to agro-inputs and markets, other off-farm activities like
handcrafting and small trading, among others. Among the decisions they made were coping with climate change using small scale irrigation,
postharvest handling and storing, setting annual targets such as 100% of members to have medical insurance and ensuring all members have
mattresses. 200 women groups were also supported with stationary to facilitate them in recording meeting minutes and information/data related to
their money saving and lending initiatives. Sometimes village and cells leaders visit group meeting for public information sharing and provide advises
to groups’ plans and women get an opportunity to present their different demands or concerns for government attention and response. Issues raised
include mistakes in socio-economic categorization, access to medical quality services, access to basic infrastructure, reducing unpaid care work such
as household clean water, energy sources especially for cooking and lighting and childcare centres, among others.
In Bangladesh, women’s groups have attended 1,625 weekly Reflection-Action (RA) meetings, 844 in Gaibandha and 781 in Lalmonirhat district during
this quarter.
In Ghana, a total of 62 community sensitization meetings have been held on monthly basis in the last quarter of 2016. The main objective was to
inform women and other community members about their rights using Reflection Action methodologies during their group meetings and community
information sharing meetings. Thirty one community sensitisation meetings have been facilitated by Songtaba between July and December 2016 to
sensitize women groups about their rights and the various reporting mechanisms using Reflection-Action tools such as body map, power analysis,
daily activity calendar for women and men, cobweb rights analysis and access and control matrix. The rights issues discussed were: women’s rights
and control over their body, women’s access and control over productive resources in the communities and women in decision making. Specific rights
issues that were discussed are women’s access and control over resources such as land, right to health, leadership and access to tractor services. As
part of the celebration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence, a radio programme was organised to reach out to a wider coverage of
listeners. The programme was centred on various types of violence, the work of COMBAT in eliminating violence, its effects on women and girls and
how it retrogress the development of households including relationship building and the effects on women and girls. 6,400 women were made aware
of their rights and 1,500 men were also sensitized on women’s rights.
In Pakistan, Reflect meetings to sensitize women about rights using reflection action tools planned in quarter four of 2016 - is now moved to 2017 to
st
allow the facilitators to attend the Training of Trainers’ sessions which are planned in 1 quarter of 2017. The identified facilitators had their first
meetings with all 45 women’s groups in the Mansehra district during this reporting period. These meetings were organized to orientate both the
facilitators and the women’s groups about project objectives and to facilitate the process of beneficiary identification for project interventions.
Through these meetings Reflect Facilitators also explained their role to Women’s Groups and Terms of Reference of the facilitator have been shared
with their Women’s Groups
1.2.3. Train 450 community members
(400 women group facilitators in Rwanda,
40 group facilitators and 10 partner staff
in Bangladesh) to monitor and track
incidences of violence against women at
community level. (ongoing support will be
provided to collect cases)
1.2.6 Organise bi-annual women's rights
awareness forums in each community
with 300 women and other community
members
In Ghana only
1.2.7 Train 400 COMBAT representatives
trained for 3 days in 10 workshops of 40
participants by the end of 2017 on key
concepts of unpaid care work, reflect
meetings processes and CRSA concepts to
In Rwanda, 400 women have been trained and given a template for Violence Against Women monitoring and reporting. Women monitored cases of
four categories of violence: physical, economic, psychological and sexual. In Nyanza District, trained women (108) tracked 293 GBV cases (272 cases
for women and 21 for men) Many of them have been solved at village and cell levels; only 17 cases have been reported and handed by Police GBV
department. In Gisagara, women recorded 180 VAW cases include 4 sexual, 47 physical, 52 economic and 77 psychological). In Karongi District, 72
trained women have tracked 150 VAW cases, 127 treated at community level and 23 cases were forwarded to police GBV unit. In Karongi district,
there has been sensitization by the trained facilitators about gender based violence by identification and referral of victims through home visits and
reporting about the perpetrators. As a result, 96 couples have legalised their marriages enabling them to claim equal rights to property.
In Bangladesh, to ensure that the partner staff and community mobilizers understand mechanisms, strategies of reporting, fact finding process,
documentation, service providing institutions and other related information, they received training to monitor and track incidences of violence
against women at community level. The training was held between 19 and 20 of December 2016 in Gaibandha. The meeting was facilitated by Staff
from ActionAid Bangladesh, Mrs. Jannatul Ferdous from Department of Women Affairs, Gaibadha district, Mr. Mahfuz Faruk, Coordinator of Radio
Sarabela -community radio based in Gaibandha Beside the partner staff two Women leaders from the Upazila Federations of Gaibandha and
Lalmonirhat attended this training as participants. Total 50 participants including 40 Community Mobilisers, 8 partner staff and 2 community women
leaders (male-10 and female-40) participated in the training. This training enhanced participants’ capacity to deliver this understanding and learning
to the members of women groups.
The main training topics included human rights, violence against women, pre-violence strategy, post violence strategy, service providing institutions,
follow-ups, role of mass media, fact finding, networking, advocacy, and campaigning. At the end of the training participants understood concepts
around violence against women, legal procedures, case handling process, fact finding and collecting evidence, reporting, services of the existing
institutions and role of mass media in combating violence against women incidences. Shantonaa Rani, President of Rajpur Union Federation,
Lalmonirhat said, “From this training we learn a lot which will help us to fight violence against women incidences including proper documentation of
the case”. Jannatul Ferdous, Upazila Women Affairs Officer from Gaibandha has also said, ‘Early marriage is the main cause of VAW in our society;
role of the family members can save our child from VAW by protesting early marriage’
In Ghana, women rights awareness forums have been conducted in 2016, deepening the understanding of
women rights and their privileges. 7,000 community members attended the bi- annual community rights forums
from different communities. These included 5,500 women and 1,500 men in 55 communities. The sensitization
will continue using the groups in each community with the help of the
facilitators and project partners. To the left is a picture of a facilitator in
Nkrankrom community leading her group members to discuss issues of
rights using the Cobweb for rights tool in Brong Ahafo Region. The second
picture (right) is a cross of section of women at Akore community
discussion on rights with project officer at SODIA. The sensitization was
mainly done at the community level with community leadership comprising Assembly Representatives of
each community, Unit committee members, Community chiefs, Teachers and farmer network members the
key stakeholders with other community members.
In Ghana, five workshops/ trainings out of the ten planned workshops have been held for COMBAT representatives in the five regional programme
areas namely Upper West, Northern Region, Brong Ahafo, Upper East and Volta Region covering the 8 selected districts. 250 participants comprising
150 females and 100 males have been trained in five workshops of three days each over fifteen days. The training had three main objectives: to
provide knowledge and information to participants about the project, to sensitize training topics with the participants induce attitudinal change to
ultimately influence the attitudes and perceptions of their community members, and to improve their skills and understanding on unpaid care work,
ensure coherent interaction with rural
women in each district
In Ghana only
1.2.10 400 women (Trainers of Trainers)
trained on matrimonial regimes,
inheritance and liberalities Law of
Rwanda (Rwanda Only)
1.2.11 Produce 5400 simplified versions
of women's rights related laws in local
language and distribute to 200 women's
groups (400 in Rwanda and 5000 in
Pakistan to distribute to women's groups
and communities)
1.2.12 306 women's groups (16 in Ghana -
2 per district, 200 in Bangladesh and 90 in
Pakistan) are supported to participate in 8
community mobilisation events per year
(e.g. Women's rights day, Food Rights Day
etc.)
CRSA, violence, leadership and women access to resources.
As a result of the training COMBAT members will link up with members of the women groups to share the training information and concepts. Share
information about the processes for reporting violence against women, participate in some meetings with the women and facilitate a meeting
between all COMBAT members and their entire group members at the community level COMBAT will also be linking with other stakeholders such as
DOVVSU, various partners and other women rights organizations to fight violence against women and girls.
In Rwanda, the project organized training for 400 women representing 200 women groups (Musanze 72, Nyaruguru 40, Karongi 70, Nyanza 2 sites
each with 54 and Gisagara 2 sites each with 54). This was a training of trainers for 5 days on National property Law that provide full rights and dignity
of women to family property. Training was facilitated by legal experts with live support of sectors’ in charge of civil status and notary. The training
covered the national law on matrimonial regimes, inheritance and liberalities. This training improved understanding of women on property related
laws and policies. The training has also changed cultural mind-sets of women on family property ownership, access, utilization/ management and
their rights on resources. Issues emerged during the training as women started raising real problems in their family or in their villages, wanting legal
assistance and not wanting the session to end. This shows the need for this kind of information and support in the community and it was
recommended that project staff further assist women to meet with local authorities for legal support on property violence.
In Rwanda, a consultant has been contracted to document, summarize and produce 410 booklets of simplified versions of laws and policies protecting
and promoting women’s rights in Rwanda. Global treaties/conversions/declarations on women’s rights are also reflected in the booklet. Consultant
produced 405 booklets in local language and 5 booklets in English. Women were trained on the content of the booklet and how to use it to secure
and promote their rights at all levels. The national parliament appreciated this booklet that will help women understand the laws and policies
protecting and promoting their rights including education, property, and political participation, among others.
In Pakistan, this activity is in the plans of subsequent years of the project implementation period.
A total of 347 women were supported to participate in community mobilisation events (Bangladesh 50 women, 250 from Ghana, 47 in Pakistan).
nd
In Bangladesh, ActionAid Bangladesh and other likeminded organizations organized the 2 national women farmer’s convention on World Food Day
at CIRDAP (Centre for International Rural Development for the Asia and Pacific) auditorium, Dhaka on 18 October 2016. Fifty four POWER project
participants (25 women members from Lalmonirhat, 25 women members from Gaibandha and 4 project staff) participated in the event. This
convention demanded rights for women farmers and drew the attention of government and policy makers to women’s concerns. Policy makers
agreed to work on issues of recognition of women farmers and increase women access to market. Women compiled the main discussion of the
convention and shared with them. The policy makers said that they will work with relevant ministries to create opportunities for women farmers.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Abdul Wadud Dara said, “Women friendly market system has to be
developed so that female farmers receive fair prices of their produce. Women are lagging behind to males in many fields as they are economically
vulnerable.”
The POWER project commemorated this year’s 16 Day of Activism from 25 November to 10 December 2016, Begum Rokeya Day on 9 December and
Human Rights Day on 10 December 2016 with different programmes and events with different stakeholders. Union Federation on behalf of women
group of the respective union organised the events in their locality jointly with respective Union Parishad- local government. Union Parishad
Chairman, Members attended in the rallies and they also delivered their speech expressing their solidarity to stop violence against women.
Informative discussions and debates involving prize giving ceremonies have taken place at schools. Women grousp, Upazilla and Union Federation
representatives, local government representatives, government officials, community leaders, school managing committee leaders, teachers,
students, youth groups, NGO representatives, media representatives and communities have participated in the different events. Organizing the
event made the women federation members to interact with the communities and confident in presenting their argument. To celebrate the event
POWER project team communicated with various level of stakeholder like Upazila Parishad, Union Parishad, Government service provider, school

1.2.19 1 sensitisation session held per
year with government officials in each
district on violence against women and
their role to combat it (10 sessions in
total).
Pakistan only
teacher and school management committee, students, media personnel etc. Through this communication a networking relation has been made with
the stakeholders.
In Ghana, the women groups celebrated the International Rural Women’s Day on the 15th of October and on the 21st of October to mark the day in
solidarity with all rural women across the world. The women took advantage of the day in Upper West to demand access for land, asking the local
authorities to ensure women are given fertile land that are closer to their homes. It was made clear by the women leaders that CRSA needs time to
recoup the benefits made on the land for farming activities, they said we are not just asking for land for one day but a significant period that would
allow us time to reap the benefits of investing in that piece of that land. Songtaba, a partner in Northern Region, also supported 240 women, men,
boys and girls to celebrate the 16 days of activism at Kanjo community. Women’s groups from other communities such as Nakpayili, Nasamba, and
Montanya were also part of the celebration. Other attendants of the event were Kanjo Traditional leaders and some key district level stake holders
led by the District Assembly, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). WOM in the Upper East Region also celebrated for their first ever
16 days of activism which was successful with district Assembles and traditional leaders. This enabled women to present their communique to the
district Assemblies and the traditional leaders committing them to support in rural women productivity and help provide resources to reduce unpaid
care work. The women in the Talinse and Nabdam Districts also celebrated the International Rural Women Day in the 21st of October, 2016. This was
done as part of the activities for observing the international moments in Ghana.
In Pakistan, Saibaan partner has organized an event to participate in 16 days of Activism against gender-based violence campaign and supported
women groups to participate in this event to highlight the importance of these days and disseminate information to the local communities Eighteen
group facilitators, twenty-nine women group members and two elected representatives participated in the event. Major discussion was made around
highlighting the importance of the campaign, current VAW situation and role of government in eliminating the root causes of VAW at local level.
Participants were given orientation on different types of violence against women; different treaties signed by government of Pakistan, for example
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW);
legislation made by national and provincial governments for combating Violence against women; and link of unpaid care work with violence against
women. Through this activity not only the issue of violence against women was highlighted but also women were sensitized regarding national and
international laws and systems to protect women and eliminate violence from the society. Furthermore, three women from the women groups
participated in an event on Celebrating 16 days of Activism campaign organized by another project at ActionAid Pakistan country Office level for
sharing the experiences and practices to eliminate gender based violence.
In Pakistan, a sensitization session was held in this quarter with government officials on violence against women and their role to combat it in district
Mansehra to align with the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. It was meant to sensitize the government officials and local
communities about the importance of the campaign and to create awareness of women rights and the negative consequences of gender-based
violence. Twelve district level representatives including two women and ten men from district officer Social Welfare and women Empowerment
department, Deputy Director Agriculture Department agriculture and livestock, district officers Education and health departments participated the
session. During this session issues discussed included violence against women, its Types; Socio-customary practices in Pakistan; Effects of domestic
violence; Impediments in access to Justice, legal System, its effectiveness and loopholes in the legal system; role of law enforcement system and
loopholes in the system; government’s positive steps to combat gender based violence; role of civil society, media, institutions against violence
against women at district levels and service providers details to combat violence against women.
Community participants demanded that government officials to increase their role in combating violence against women. Government officials
shared the roles of their respective departments in supporting or providing services to the communities. They also shared that the departments were
responsible to access communities for required services provision. Social welfare and women’s empowerment office facilitate the project areas’
affected women in availing available facilities of medical Aid, legal Aid, Skill development, production and marketing, transitional care, social and
psycho-social care, shelter and protection at Aaghosh and Dar-ul-Amaan (local names of women shelter houses) available at newly constructed
 Mansehra Social welfare complex. District Agriculture department encouraged women to become part of farm service centre and to join
department’s field level force for providing extension services.

OUTPUT 1.3 690 women's groups (200 Ghana, 200 Rwanda, 200 Bangladesh, 90 Pakistan) trained in women's leadership and local decision-making community structures are sensitised to
women's participation by 2020
In Bangladesh, 2,557 women from 200 women reflection action circles received two days long training on Women Leadership Development. Total of
100 training batches were completed in 8 working unions of the Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat district during this quarter. 1,257 participants have
attended 50 training batches in Gaibandha and 1300 participants have attended 50 training batches in Lalmonirhat. This training was held at village
1.3.a: 21,000 women trained on women's
level that includes Kanchipara, Udakhali, Uria, Gazaria, Fazlupur of Gaibandha district, and for Lalmonirhat the venues were Mogholhat, Kulaghat and
leadership in each country by the end of
Haraty union. The main issues discussed in this training included: Power, sources of power and power structure; leader, leadership and types of
2018
leadership; women leadership, leadership nature & criteria and importance of women leadership; an ideal leader, qualities of an ideal leader and
roles-responsibilities of leaders; leadership development process, leadership distribution and activities relating to leadership; challenges of women
Progress: 2,557
leadership and overcome strategies; group development and goals, objectives, rules-regulation of conduct group meeting, group development and
Target: 21,000
leadership; ways forwards to become a good speaker or leaders and importance of participatory decision making; communication, communication
Baseline: 0
cycle, networking, networking types, importance, networking areas; and advocacy, conflict, conflict management, resources mobilization, roles of
leaders in resource mobilization and the importance of planning. The progress of this indicator will be measured in future years in Pakistan, Ghana
and Rwanda.
1.3.b: 60% of women leaders trained who The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
report having greater skills and self-
confidence to participate in community
structures by the end of 2018
1.3.c: 25% of women regularly In Bangladesh, project has monitored a selected sample five community structures in the project area and they are Nari & Shisu Nirjatan Protirodth
participating in community structures by Committee, Parents teachers association (PTA), Village Development Committee (VDC), Market Management Committee, legal Aid Committee. The
the end of the project total membership of the five community structures is 174, where the number of women is 69 and the number of men is 105. 40% of the members of
the targeted/selected community structures are women. The progress of this indicator will be measured in future years in Pakistan, Ghana and
Progress: 40% Bangladesh.
Target: 60%
Baseline: 0

Activities which contribute to Output 1.3:

rd
1.3.1 Hold training of trainers 3 day In Bangladesh 47 staff and 400 women have been trained on leadership as reported in the 3 quarter of 2016.
workshop to train 1616 community In Ghana, Pakistan and Rwanda activities are planned for 2017.
facilitators, partner management staff
and women’s groups’ representatives on
women’s leadership. (410 through 5
workshops of 82 people per region in
Ghana; 400 in Rwanda, 450 (400 women
+ 46 partner staff) in Bangladesh; 360 (4
from each group) women in Pakistan
through 12 workshops)

1.3.2 Roll out women's leadership training
to 690 women's groups through 1
workshop (delivered by ToT) for each
group (2016-2018)
1.3.4 Hold training of trainers workshops
to train community facilitators, partner
management staff and women’s groups’
representatives on effective participation
( gaining consensus in meetings,
negotiation skills, communication skills)
(420 trained through 5 regional
workshops of 84 people in Ghana; 400
trained in Rwanda, 240- 40 community
mobilisers and 200 women's groups
representatives trained in Bangladesh)
Outcome 2: By the end of 2020 Women's unpaid care work (UCW) is more highly valued within households, communities and government, more evenly distributed within households and hours
spent by women on UCW is reduced, resulting in more free time for women to engage in social, economic and political activities.
70% of duty-bearers, men and women
sampled from target communities
reporting positive attitudes towards
addressing unpaid care work by the end
of the project
30% of sampled target households where
women report a positive redistribution of
time spent on UCW by the end of the
project
rd
In Bangladesh, during the 3 quarter Partner Staff and Community Mobilizers (CM) attended two days Training of Trainers on Women Leadership.
After attending the Training of Trainers session, partner staff arranged the training on women’s leadership for group members in both districts. Two
selected representatives from each of 200 reflection action circles received the training facilitated by the Community Mobilizers. This was a two days
th
long training and 400 women members participated in it. In 4 quarter, participants who received women leadership training from POWER project
have been selected as facilitator to roll out the women leadership training for all the group members and transfer the learning. Total of 2,557
participants (1,257 from Gaibandha and 1,300 from Lalmonirhat team) attended the training in this quarter. Total of 100 training batches (50 in
Gaibandha and 50 in Lalmonirhat) have been organized during the month between November and December 2016. The remaining groups will receive
the training in next year according to the action plan.
In Ghana, Pakistan and Rwanda activities are planned for future years.
In Rwanda and Bangladesh activities are planned for 2017.
In Ghana, a trainer of trainer’s workshop was carried out for project staff and partner staff on effective participation and communication skills in
December, 2016. The training provided tools and information on micro facilitation skills, negotiation and consensus building strategies. Roles plays
and group exercises were given to participants to encourage and instil team spirit and how information can be transferred from one end to the other
without distortion. Fourteen participants attended the training for three days involving project officers, partner field officers, media personal and the
Project Coordinator. Five regional level workshops will be held to train women group’s representatives in February 2017. 4000 rural women will
benefit from these trainings at the community level.
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years. In Rwanda, As a result of advocacy and community sensitization, it is estimated
that at least 70% of duty-bearers, men and women in project implementation communities show positive attitudes towards addressing UCW. This will
be verified by med-term review and end of project evaluation. What shows attitudes are changing is that men have started releasing wives to freely
participate in women group activities and public community meetings and events and also local authorities such as executive secretaries of cell and
sectors testify that before FLOW Programme 1&2 women were very rare participate in community public actions and leadership structures. In
Niagara district, men support women to track/monitor and report VAW cases.
In Ghana, communities in which the POWER project is being implemented have indicated positive attitudes towards supporting to address unpaid
care work. This was determining through initial meetings held with them. An assessment will be done in 2017 to provide accurate numbers of the
target groups and the specific positive attitudes that have been demonstrated.
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years. In Rwanda, 6,000 target households from which husbands are involved in time
diary filling. It is estimated that at least 30% of these households there is fair redistribution of UCW between household members. This will be
verified by mid-term review and end of project evaluation for the all countries.

Reductions of at least 15% in the amount
of time women spend on unpaid care
work between 2016 and 2019.
30% of sampled women who report
having more time to spend on social,
economic or political activities by the end data analysis, mid-term review and end of project evaluation.
of the project
OUTPUT 2.1 690 women's groups (200 Ghana, 200 Rwanda, 200 Bangladesh, 90 Pakistan) are represented in local level government meetings on budgetary allocation and in kind support to
address unpaid care work by 2020
606 groups trained on participatory
budget monitoring and tracking by the
end of year 2017
Progress: 230
Target: 606
Baseline: 0
100 sensitisation / advocacy meetings
where women present UCW data to duty-
bearers and the need for budgetary / in-
kind support by the end of the project
Progress: 11
Target: 100
Baseline: 0
This indicator will be measured in future years
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years. In Rwanda, women being benefited cooking biogas, rainwater harvesting and
childcare centres will gain more time for socio-economic and political activities. However, reliable data will be generated through biannual time diary
In Rwanda, 200 women representatives have been trained on participatory budget monitoring and tracking using community scorecard and social
audit for 2 days at each district levels. All 5 districts were poorly scored (below average) by the community with regard to access to childcare centres,
access to clean water, access to cooking energy and access to CRSA inputs(report is attached). Training focused on understanding of Rwanda National
Budget process and phases, Performance-Based Planning approaches used by the government of Rwanda and the role of citizens to participate in
budget planning, implementation, monitoring/tracking and evaluation. The training has improved women knowledge on the use of community
scorecard and social audit that will be useful to women in tracking sector and districts budget planning and expenditure analysis focusing on annual
budgetary allocation to interventions reducing unpaid care work in rural communities.
In Pakistan, Saibaan partner has organized participatory gender sensitive budget preparation and tracking session on 22nd December 2016 at
Mansehra district. Forty three community members including thirty women group facilitators and women group members, nine elected
representatives (two women councillors, seven men general and farmer councillors), and four men community members from men groups have
attended the session. Participatory budget tracking was the sensitization session of women group members and elected representatives who the
budget holders of development funded allocated by KPK government. Due to scattered geographical locations women from all 45 groups were not
able to participate at one location. This session familiarized the participants with participatory budgeting, government budget cycle periods, the
proper time right holders can engage to influence budgetary allocation processes, how to prioritize women issues and how to prioritize community
needs.
In Bangladesh and Ghana, the activities are in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
A total of 82 (71 in Bangladesh and 11 in Rwanda) sensitisation/advocacy meetings where women present UCW data to duty bearers and the need for
budgetary support have been held. A total of 14,284 participants attended the meetings.
In Rwanda, project has so far organized 11 sensitization meetings where women could present demands on UCW to local government duty bearers
and requested the budget increment on UCW interventions. Participants were around 1,000 per sensitization meeting composed of at least 600
women, 350 men and 50 different local authorities. Total participants in all 5 districts were around 11,000. Men still stick on cultural beliefs that
women should be primarily responsible for domestic activities and rural men see unpaid care work fair redistribution as something abnormal to
cultural norms and men resistance is still seen in rural communities. The demands made included access to household level basic infrastructures like
energy, water and community-based childcare centres at least 2 per care centres per village. They also requested that the government increases
support towards climate change adaptation and access to food processing and storage and increased access markets to that they are able to increase
income. Women presented that they spend their daily time on firewood, water collection, child care and other domestic and not have enough time
to participate socio-economic, education and political opportunities that lead women to be in extreme poverty and voiceless at levels. Local
authorities who participated included woman member of parliament and vice mayor and leaders from sector up to village level in Niagara and in

40 documented cases whereby local level
government take positive action providing
support (budgetary or in-kind) to address
women's UCW by the end of the project
Progress: 1
Target: 40
Baseline: 0
Activities which contribute to Output 2.1:
2.1.2 Organise sensitisation meetings
annually with local government officials
and rural women to discuss women's
UCW and support for interventions and
budgetary allocation to reduce UCW. (16
meetings with 40 rural women in Ghana,
50 meetings with 200 rural women in
Rwanda, 20 meetings with 200 rural
women in Bangladesh and 10 meetings
with 200 rural women in Pakistan)
(Baseline report utilised to provide
other districts, participants were Vice mayors in charge of social affairs, executive secretaries of sectors and cells and coordinators of villages,
representatives of national women council from village up to district level, representatives of other like-minded civil society organization and other
representatives of government special organs include Police and army. The impact of these sensitizations was that representative or parliament
pledged to take forward the women demands to national parliament agenda especially the demand on childcare centre and districts committed to
own sensitization towards UCW 3’Rs and to at least set up once a childcare centre at cell level to mean 2,148 care centres as per Minister of gender
and family promotion commitment.
In Bangladesh, 71 sensitization and advocacy meetings on Unpaid Care Work issues held with duty bearers and other community members, who
included religious leaders, school boys and girls, School Management Committee (SMC) and Upazila service provider. The purpose of the meeting
with Upazila service providers was to initiate negotiation and budget allocation that helps fund initiatives that reduce Women’s Unpaid Care Work. In
order to sensitize traditional leaders, religious leaders, men, boys, and communities on Unpaid Care Work (UCW) to become change agents they
attended SKS partner organized sensitization meeting. Total of 3,284 participants attended in 71 meetings held in both districts. 1,737 men and 1,547
women and 34 duty bearers from both districts were present in these meeting. The participants included government official, Union Praised
representative, Civil society representative, religious leaders, school teachers, school management committee members and journalist. A total of 10
Union Parishad of both districts committed to prepare gender sensitive Union Parishad (UP) annual budget and to make provision for safety nets and
other support for POWER Project women groups , Representative of Market Management Committee and Chambers of commerce at local level
assured that they will ensure market facilities for women and explore women products sale, The Upazila (sub-district) Education Officer committed to
visit day care centre very soon and will provide required support if possible, Upazila Women Affairs Officer and Officer in Charge of Police Station also
committed to provide assistance in case of any VAW related incidents.
In Ghana and Pakistan, the activities are in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
Through ActionAid Rwanda, influence through POWER Project, during celebration of last International Rural Women Day, the minister of gender and
family promotion(MIGEPROF) recommended all districts to set up child care centres at least one at cell level. This commitment shows that local
government institutions will allocate some budget to set up child care centres which will reduce time women spend on childcare. This will be
monitored concurrently advocating for government budgetary allocation to clean cooking energy and household tap water to reduce women’s
burden of UCW. In addition, UCW redistribution at family level will also continue to change people’s mind-sets including primary schools. Schools are
target to ensure sustainable change towards addressing unpaid care work and as well schools will support in continuous sensitization within schools
and in families and communities during holidays
In Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan the activities are in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Rwanda, 11 sensitizations gathered over 11,000 community members and local leaders in all districts. Participants included women’s group
representatives, other community members where POWER Project is implemented composed of women, men, girls and boys and local leaders
(participants were Vice-Mayors in charge of social affairs, executive secretaries of sectors and cells and coordinators of villages, representatives of
national women council from village up to district level, other representatives of government special organs including Police and army) from village to
district levels and representatives of other like-minded civil society organizations. The purpose of meeting was to build a national coalition of
members advocating for the visibility of Unpaid Care Work (UCW) in Rwanda and to identify stakeholders that will help to bring about change and
discuss advocacy strategies. Participants understood women’s Unpaid Care Work burden to the society; how it limits achievement of social justice
and enjoyment of women’s rights. And also women demanded that the government should increase budget for UCW reduction activities. These
sensitization meetings enabled community members and local leaders to understand UCW, leaders decided to propose solutions to reduce burden of
UCW such planning for establishment of childcare centres, sensitizations on unpaid care work recognition and redistribution, fight VAW/GBV and
prioritize women demands in their annual planning and budgeting plans more specifically on interventions reducing unpaid care work.
supporting evidence of the need)
2.1.3 606 women's groups are trained and
supported (200 Ghana, 200 Rwanda, 200
In Bangladesh, SKS partner has organised sensitization meetings with local government officials, communities and women groups’ members. The
objective of the meeting was to sensitize the local government officials and community participants the burden of Unpaid Care Work on women and
how Union Parishad Budget will introduce gender sensitive planning and budgeting allocations. The goals, objectives and activities of the POWER
project were also introduced to the participant for discussions.
During this quarter, 5 sensitization meetings have been organized with Union Parishad-UP (Union Parisad is the third tier of local government of
Bangladesh) and rural women in all five unions of Gaibandha (2 meetings held in October and 3 meetings held in November 2016). UP Chairman, UP
Vice-Chairman, UP Secretary, UP Member, Women Member of the UP, School Teacher, Government of Bangladesh service providers at UP level,
Social Worker, Media Representative and Women Group Members participated in this meeting. During the meeting after the introductory session,
discussion was held on the issues of Unpaid Care Work and its effects and how to recognize, reduce and redistribute it, Union Parishad’s role and
budgetary provision for reducing Unpaid Care Work, the way forward and action plan. Group work, presentation, open question and answer session
was also held during the meeting. Chairmen of Union Parishads and other officials acknowledged the fact and committed to address the issue of UCW
during budgetary allocation in the respective UPs. Total of 232 persons (113 female and 119 male) participated in these group meetings. “Women do
more works than men in our family in a day. But we do not pay money for such work and even don’t recognize it. Now we promise to help women to
reduce unpaid care work at least in our families’’, Chairman of Kanchipara UP said. The meetings resulted in relations being built up and developed
with Union Parishad and its Members, POWER project has been introduced. The Chairman and Members of UP committed to address the UCW issue
in next budget by creating opportunities for Income Generative Activities (IGA) for women to reduce the burden from women members of family. The
participant will share and discuss UCW issue in family and society to build awareness and sensitization
In Ghana, this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Pakistan, during the reporting quarter, one annual sensitization meeting with local government officials and rural women was conducted in
Mansehra district to discuss women’s Unpaid Care Work and interventions that support an increased budgetary allocation to reduce Unpaid Care
Work. The Officer of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment department at Mansehra district signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
with Saibaan and actively facilitated some of the sessions. The main feature of this MOU was that Social Welfare Department would facilitate in
developing linkages of partner and women groups with different departments and government officials at district level and to get their support in
POWER Project implementation. Forty three community members including thirty women group facilitators and women group members, nine
elected representatives (two women village councillors, and seven men, men general councillors, and farmer councillors and four men community
members) have attended the session. Concepts around Unpaid Care Work, women’s economic contribution at household and national level, role of
men to reduce/redistribute and shift the burden of Unpaid Care Work, the required support of elected representatives during the budgetary
allocation were discussed using participatory approaches including Activity Charts, brain storming and group work methodologies. The discussions
were also aimed to sensitize participants about women rights and issues that affect their lives in the community. The Officer of Social Welfare and
Women Empowerment department facilitated session on role of elected representatives in budgetary allocation and how women empowerment
department could support in budget preparation process. Being a focal representative from district’s relevant department he shared the available
opportunities for women empowerment at district level. During the discussion references were made to facts shown by researches. For example it
was shared with the participants that women work 62 hours in a week where men work only 48 hours; women have 107 hours for themselves where
men have 120 for themselves in a week (ActionAid Women’s Care Work Programming Framework, page 4). In the discussion it has emerged that
these figures are averages and some community women work more hours than the research indicated.
In Rwanda, three days training was organized in all five Districts where POWER project is being implemented for 200 women (Nyanza 54 women,
Gisagara 54 women, Nyaruguru 20 women, Musanze 36 women and Karongi 36 women). The training covered the topics include budget preparation,
Bangladesh, 6 Pakistan) to undertake
local (district/provincial dependent on
country context) participatory budget
monitoring and tracking through a two
day workshop (inc. use of scorecard tool
and community social audits)
2.1.4 40 (1 day) participatory gender
sensitive budget preparation sessions are
held with Orient Union Parishad (local
government) in Bangladesh and 10 (1 day)
sessions with local government in
Pakistan
Bangladesh and Pakistan only
2.1.5. Six monthly Meeting with Upazila
service providers and Group members to
negotiate different services related to
UCW
Bangladesh only
budget analysis, budget implementation, budget tracking and monitoring using community scorecard and social audit and budget tracking results
reporting. The training has improved women knowledge on the use of community scorecard and social audit that will be useful to women in tracking
sector and districts budget planning and expenditure analysis focusing on annual budgetary allocation to interventions reducing unpaid care work in
rural communities. In Gisagara District, 54 women representatives were supported to undertake district participatory budget monitoring and tracking
through a two day workshop by using scorecard tools and community social audits. Resulting in strong advocacy at the end of September 2016 during
community work known as ‘Umuganda’ in local language. This is an organized community discussion on country budget process where village
members sat together to highlight community needs to be considered in annual plans (annual performance contracts annually Mayors sign with
President of Republic).
In Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Pakistan, during this reporting quarter a participatory gender sensitive budget preparation session was organized at Mansehra district. Local
government representatives including women village councillors, men general councillors, and farmer councillors and community members have
attended the session. Forty three community members including thirty group facilitators and women group members, nine elected representatives
and four men who are community members have participated this session. The District Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Officer facilitated
this session. The issues discussed in the session included gender sensitive budget preparations,
project cycle management, prioritizing reduction of unpaid care work through innovative means and
community driven interventions to reduce Unpaid Care Work. During this session sample of a
basic budget was developed by the participants that can be used to influence local government’s
budgets to address women issues during budget allocations at district level. An action plan was
developed through the active involvement of local authorities and local women to reduce Unpaid Care
Work by allocating budgets for unions and village councils. This action plan prioritization of
interventions for budget allocation, liaising with district departments to share prioritized
interventions and to get their support in budget allocations, Planning budgets for enhancing
capacities of rural women and for establishment of micro entrepreneurship and local marketing
opportunities for women.
In Bangladesh, this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Bangladesh, both Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat district POWER project team organized separately two meetings dated at 21 and 22 December 2016
respectively with Upazilla (the 2nd tire of the Local Government of Bangladesh) service providers. The objective of organizing the event was to
introduce POWER project goal, objectives, outcomes, outputs, activities , to sensitize and orient about the UCW issue, explore and identify
opportunities to reduce, recognize and re-distribution of UCW for creating opportunities in IGAs/business and seeking support from different service
providers, Upazila Parishads, Market Management Committee for interventions and budgetary allocation for women.
Upazila Nirbahi (Sub-District level Administrator) was present as the chief guest in both events. Upazila Parishad Vice Chairman, UP Member, Women
Member of the UP, Upazila Agriculture Officer of Department of Agriculture Extension-DAE, Secondary Education Affairs Officer, Union Parishad
Chairmen, Union Parishad Members, SKS Foundation representative, media representative, community leaders, NGO representatives, Federation
Leaders and women group members participated in these events.
During the session, as different departmental representatives were present in the events, partner staff demanded gender sensitive budgeting that
reduces, recognizes, and redistributes women’s Unpaid Care Work in the communities. The concept of forming the Partners Advisory Group (PAG)
was also discussed and the initial PAG has been formed in both districts through this meeting ensuring the participation of Local Government Officials
in this group. More than 104 participants (Gaibandha 60 and Lalmonirhat 40) participated in the event. The meeting resulted in improved

2.1.6 An annual summary of women's
budget tracking results is produced and
shared with local government and
stakeholders
OUTPUT 2.2. 21,000 women and 6,000 (3,000 Ghana, 1,000 Rwanda, 1,000 Bangladesh, 1,000 Pakistan) men and boys have improved awareness of the time women spend on UCW by 2020
21,000 women and 6,000 men who have
completed a time diary at least once as
part of sensitisation activities by the end
of the project
Progress: 13,000 women and 2,000 men
Target: 21,000 women and 6,000 men
Baseline: 0
100 dialogue meetings where evidence
from time diaries is shared and
comparisons between men and women's
discussed by the end of the project
Progress: 11 in Rwanda
Target: 100
Baseline: 0
150 local awareness raising initiatives
carried out relating to women's UCW by
the end of the project
Progress: 85 local awareness initiatives
Target: 150
Baseline: 0
understanding about POWER Project and ActionAid Bangladesh activities and its focus areas, the burden of women’s Unpaid Care Work and made
commitments to explore and support opportunities that redistribute the burden of UCW. The UNO expressed his satisfaction to know POWER project
activities and its focus on UCW, child day care centre initiative, Income Generating Activities and economic empowerment for women.
In Rwanda, the project contracted a consultant to support women producing report on their budget tracking results and the report was validated
with directors of planning and budget officers from all districts in which POWER is implemented. They acknowledged the low budget allocation to
Early Childhood Development interventions where they pledged to prioritize women demands in the next districts plans as even was recommended
by the President of Republic of Rwanda in his Speech during the presentation of achievements of districts’ annual plans performance for 2015/2016.
Also shortfall in districts annual budget allocation was found in household access to clean water, access to clean energy sources especially cooking
and lighting, access to markets and CRSA inputs
In Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
All time diary participants first received orientation about the objectives, purpose and process of collecting evidence using time diaries.
In Rwanda, in all five districts, 6,000 women and 1,000 men have completed time diaries and data from 900 women and 150 men were analysed. The
analysis shows that a woman from very remote areas spend around 7hours on UCW while a woman from the suburbs spends only around 3hours.
The analysis also shows the poor UCW redistribution between a woman and man where a woman uses at least 7hours on UCW while a man spends
around 1h30 minutes only a day.
In Bangladesh, total of 700 project participants including 600 women and 100 men have completed and maintained time diaries as part of
sensitization activities (2 times during this quarter).
In Ghana, 6,400 women and 900 men have been train on time use and its implication on women’s economic empowerment. The first time dairy data
collections have taken place in all the sample communities.
In Pakistan, the activities are in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Rwanda, the project has so organized 11 dialogue meetings. The dialogue took place at each sector level. The meeting was attended by
approximately 500 participants per meeting. The dialogue focused on what is UCW, how to achieve recognition, redistribution and reduction from
household to national level.
In Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan the activities are in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
A total of 285 (55 in Rwanda, 200 in Bangladesh, 30 in Ghana) awareness raising initiatives have been carried out relating to unpaid care work.
In Rwanda, so far 55 awareness sensitization meetings were organized at 55 schools. Students and teachers participants were around 1,000
composed of girls and boys. 11 community meetings on UCW were also organized at each sector level. Participants were approximately 500 per each
sensitization meeting and included women, men, boys and girls and local authorities. Gender disaggregated data will be collected for next
sensitization meetings.
In Bangladesh, as part of the awareness raising initiative on Unpaid Care Work, 200 spouse and family members sensitization meetings were
conducted in Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts in this quarter. 4651 men and 5261 women participated in the local awareness raising initiatives.
The main issues discussed included Women’s Unpaid Care Work and ways to reduce, recognize and redistribute Unpaid Care Work at household
level. The spouses and family members realized the burden of women’s unpaid care work and committed to help women in doing the household
chores.

Activities which contribute to Output 2.2:
2.2.1 Consultant is contracted to develop
standardised time diary tool to be used in
Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan
which is published and distributed for use
to women and men in target
communities. Please note this is for
sensitisation purposes and not all time
diary data will be captured and analysed.
2.2.2 690 women groups meet and fill out
time diaries to track changes in their time
use. (Samples will be confirmed by
research organisation, indication of
Ghana - 900 women and 300 men;
Rwanda 400 women and 200 men,
Bangladesh 350 women and 150 men;
Pakistan 400 women and 200 men)
In Ghana, 30 local awareness raising campaigns have been done as part of the community sensitization process in project communities. These
involved women’s group members, COMBAT members, traditional leaders and community members including boys and girls at the community level.
These events were held as part of the IWD, 16 days of activism on violence against women, radio events and community role plays.
In Pakistan, the activities are in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
AA has contracted an international consultant ISG who will be responsible for standardising the time diary tool. The consultant is also responsible for
the baseline. In the meantime the MEL coordinator has led the support for countries in standardising the tool.
In Rwanda, the time diary tool was developed with the support from POWER Project MEL coordinator and an IT company was hired to design the
format, 7,000 copies were redesigned and printed and distributed to 6,000 women and 1,000 men. Completed copies were collected and are well
kept in office.
In Bangladesh, the Format of the time diary has been standardised receiving all the suggestions from the four countries implementing the POWER
project. This task was coordinated by POWER Project MEL Coordinator. The final Time Diary Card was translated into Bengali and published at the
end of October 2016. POWER Project Bangladesh printed 700 copies in October 2016 for collecting time use data in 2016 only.
In Ghana, a general time diary tool was shared by AAUK to countries in 2016. Ghana revised the card and printed it for pilot in trainings, sensitization
on time use and for data collection on time diaries. The redesign of the card was led by the Project Coordinator and the Communications and Public
Relations Manager in consultation with other senior staff and project officers including the sample women groups. The card so far has been used for
first data collection and will be revised finally based on the outcome of the discussions at the field.
In Pakistan, this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Rwanda, all women members of 200 women groups in 5 districts completed time diaries. 900 time diaries from women and 150 time diaries from
men were analysed. Part of findings are as follows: a rural woman spends her most of daily time on Unpaid Care Work (average 7 hours 18 minutes)
compared to men (average of 1 hour and 36 minutes). Paid work takes 1 hour and 30 minutes daily for women while men use 3 hours and 1 minute
daily, therefore women are behind men in the economy. Women in very remote areas, for instance in Ruheru sector in Nyaruguru, spend 7h and 12
minutes on UCW while in suburbs like Busasamana in Nyanza District they spend 3hours and 37 minutes daily due to better access to basic
infrastructures. Due to cultural attitudes, women are fully responsible and occupied by both UCW and productive work while men are fully engaged
in paid work. These cultural practices keep women behind men in economy and human rights enjoyment. Women do not also have time to
participate in socio-economic and political opportunities
In Bangladesh, between November and December 2016, two set of data have been collected from the selected 600 participants (300 from Gaibandha
and 300 Lalmonirhat) using the Time Diary, including household rosters. These 600 participants (500 Female and 100 Male) received the training on
October 2016. Community Mobilizers supported them to complete the cards and collected data has been entered into software for preservation and
analysis with the support from SKS Foundation. Later on the database has been provided to the Research Initiative, Bangladesh (RIB) partner to carry
out research on UCW for analysis
In Rwanda, 6400 women took part in the sensitization on time diaries with 900 men across the all the communities. Community facilitators were
trained at the first level and with the support of the facilitators; the groups including men and boys were sensitized. Data from sample communities
will be shared by partners by the end of January. The report on the time diaries will be compiled and shared by end of February, 2017.
In Pakistan, this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
2.2.3 Train 1,650 men (300 in Ghana,
1,000 in Rwanda, 150 in Bangladesh, 200
in Pakistan) men to fill out time diaries
and compare them with women’s time
diaries as part of the community
sensitisation process at quarterly
community based workshops in each
country.
2.2.4 Organise annual community
sensitisation meetings with traditional
and religious leaders, men and boys to
champion the redistribution of care roles
and challenge social constructs at the
community level through (Five annual
meetings in each of the 8 districts in
Ghana; 1 annual meeting in Rwanda; 80
annual meetings in Bangladesh; 10 in
Pakistan)
In Rwanda, 1,000 men selected from 5 districts (Nyaruguru 100, Musanze 180, Karongi 180, Gisagara 270 and Nyanza 270) completed time diaries
and 150 time diaries were analysed. Part of findings showed that men spend an average of around 1hour and 36minutes daily on UCW (see above).
In Bangladesh, the feminist Research Institution, Research Initiative Bangladesh (RIB) and AA Bangladesh jointly provided training to the project staffs
on the use of Time Dairy on 9 and 10 October 2016 in Gaibandha and Lamonirhat. Forty six staff (38 Community Mobilisers, 6 Project Officers and 2
Project Coordinators) participated and received the training. After receiving the training partner staff.Summary of research findings: The average
duration of unpaid care work by the female respondents are 7 around hours; the maximum duration extends up to 15 hours a day. Around 50% of
the respondents have 7.5 hours of unpaid care work which includes child care, elderly care, fuel collection, water collection, cooking, cleaning,
washing, and other household chores. For men the care works occupy 2 hours on the average, and 50% of them engage in 1.5 hours of unpaid care
work. The average duration of paid work by the female respondents is around 1.5 hours and over 70% of the respondents have less than 0.5 hour of
paid work which includes wages labour, small business etc. For men the paid works occupy 6 hours on the average, and 50% of them engage in 7
hours of paid care work.
In Ghana 900 men have been sensitized and 300 selected to complete the time diary cards. The data when entered and analysed will be shared by all
stakeholders. The allocation of the total sample has been done in proportion with the total groups managed by each partner in each district.
In Pakistan, this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Rwanda, sensitization meetings were organized in all 11 sectors. Participants included representatives of National Women Council at sectors and
cells levels, heads of police in charge of GBV unit, executive secretaries of sectors and cells, in charge civil status and legal advisors of sectors,
religious leaders, women facilitators, and partner staff. This meeting was to challenge the existing cultural beliefs which do not value Unpaid Care
Work k and the unfair distribution of Unpaid Care Work within household between men and women, boys and girls. It has been a great opportunity
to discourage harmful cultural habits to achieve redistribution of family roles, which leads to reduction of family conflicts and VAW. Local leaders and
religious leaders demonstrated their zeal to fight against some cultural bias promoting unequal workload of UCW. In each meeting, participants were
around 700 community members and different leaders.
In Bangladesh, in order to sensitize traditional leaders, religious leaders, men, boys, and communities on Unpaid Care Work (UCW) to become change
agents they attended SKS organized sensitization meeting in November 2016. Twenty community sensitization meetings were organized in five
unions in Gaibandha and attended by 1,003 (431women, 477 men and 95 youth) participants. Participants including traditional and religious leaders
became familiar with the burden of Unpaid Care Work and committed to help their women at household level. They also said that they will promote
and convey the message to their communities. Young boys were inspired the discussions and some suggested that they will share with their friends
and will support their mothers or wives with the household chores. “A family cannot go forward without the role women play regularly. Darkness
covers a family if there is no woman in a family. So, we need to support and recognize the work they do without reluctance ’’ said Mr. Rabiul Islam, a
community member of Moddhya Uria village.
In Ghana, this activity is in the plans of 2017
In Pakistan, during reporting quarter one community sensitization meeting was conducted with 30 participants including traditional and religious
leaders, men and boys to champion the redistribution of care roles and challenge social constructs at the community level. These traditional and
religious leaders were from within the same community of the project areas included social, political and religious leadership. Main objective of this
session was to sensitize men, boys, traditional and religious leaders about the importance and rights of women at household and community level
and to share the social and religious perspectives of women’s Unpaid Ware Work and redistribution of care roles. Participants were also sensitized on
how men, boys, traditional and religious leaders of the community can play their role in redistribution of UCW among men and women for a balanced
work load. Dr Saeed Abdullah, a religious Scholar has facilitated some sessions as the local communities rely and respect the words of the religious
leaders. Referring to different verses of Holy Quran the religious scholar shared Islamic perspective on recognition of women rights and women’s
Unpaid Care Work. It was shared with the participants that there is a general misconception regarding women’s socio-economic rights in the religion
but Islam encourages women to have same rights as men as stated in verse 228 of Surah al Baqarah of the Holy Quran that women not only
have ownership rights but are also empowered to manage their properties and spend their income at their will. It is also clarified in the Holy Qur’an

2.2.5 Organize annual sensitization
meetings on UCW for young girls and
boys at schools targeting their UCW
understanding/challenging roles of men
and women in the household. (Meeting
with 100 boys clubs and 100 girls clubs in
schools in Ghana; 1 meeting in Rwanda;
20 meetings in Bangladesh)
2.2.6 A minimum of two case studies
developed and promoted in each country
on examples of UCW redistribution
(Ghana will promote through 16 radio
discussions (2 per district) on unpaid care
re-distribution, design and broadcast an
annual national TV program on unpaid
care work and produce leaflets as part of
sensitization for duty bearers, other NGOs
and policy makers and the general public;
Rwanda will promote through national
newspapers and key stakeholders,
Bangladesh will promote through
circulation to national media outlets and
Pakistan will promote through circulation
to national newspapers)
that whatever is earned by women, it becomes their sole property and none (even husband) is authorized to take or use them without the owner’s
permission. References of different Muslim noble women of the Holy Prophet’s time were also shared who used to adopt certain means of livelihood
and spend their earning by their own will for family needs as well as for charity work. Participants showed their commitment to provide support to
women groups in their respective areas. Mr. Tariq in the end of session quoted that “It opened my eyes to know that women actually have a lot of
rights given by religion but the community in general (including me) and the women themselves are not aware of”. Another participant committed
that “I will champion the redistribution of care roles at my home and will give some time to my wife to relax and to engage in social activities and the
activities of women group.”
In Rwanda, In Musanze, Nyaruguru and Nyanza, around 17,070 boys and girls from primary and secondary schools were sensitized on UCW. 29
schools were reached (15 in Nyanza, 8 in Musanze and 5 in Ruheru). In Karongi District, This sensitization reached over 5,840 students and 120
teachers at 10 schools. In Gisagara District, the sensitization reached over 8,150 students and 160 teachers at 15 schools. The young girls and boys
have understood the roles of the unpaid care work in the financial issues that their families are facing. These young boys and girls have pledged to
share unpaid care work with their home mates in order to reduce time their mothers spend on them. Further, children also pledged to discuss with
their parents the negative effects of unpaid care work to the family development as well request their father to fairly redistribute unpaid care work.
As a result these young boys and girls at school in Karongi proposed an idea of introducing clubs which will continue sensitization at their schools and
in the community.
In Bangladesh, partner staff organized and facilitated 20 annual sensitization meetings on Unpaid Care Work for young girls and boys at schools and
Madrasa covering 10 Unions in Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts. The total number of participants was 723 (537 in Gaibandha and 186
Lalmonirhat) have participated the sensitization meetings. The participants included 50 women, 213 girls, 96 men and 178 boys composed of school
management committees, teachers, boys and girls. The Project Officer, Project Coordinator and Community Mobilisers organized and facilitated this
event. After the event. The participants understood the need to recognize, reduce and redistribute Unpaid Care Work among family members. All
participants committed that they would support women in doing Unpaid Care Work at household level. Because of examination period at school,
Lalmonirhat team could not complete all sessions with students of 10 schools. These activities have been shifted in next year.
In Ghana, this activity is in the plans of 2017
In Rwanda, the project has trained Journalists on UCW to ensure they understand UCW concepts. A number of journalists started writing and
publishing stories on UCW.
In Ghana, One case study has been developed and shared by AAG communication team with the communication manager of POWER at AAUK. Four
radio discussions have been held in Upper East Region at Radio Gurune FM Style, a local station. The discussions were led by community facilitators
and representatives of women group leaders. The main topics for discussion were on unpaid care work; educating the public on it, providing
information on how it affects households progress when the burden it left to the woman alone. 49 phone calls were received involving 35 males and
24 females sharing their perspectives about the topic. Many callers, mostly men, were negative about the topic while other men also contributed to
suggesting strategies to lessen the burden of unpaid care work on women and girls.
Two similar radio discussions were also done in Nanumba North and South districts to educate women and their communities on Gender Based
Violence (GBV) and unpaid care work. Some community members in their phone in calls reiterated their support for the campaign and will continue
to support the sensitization process at their various communities. G. Some men and women still have the perception that unpaid care work is the
preserve of women. In all, 13 radio sensitization programmes were done within the last six months of the year in 2016 involving the last quarter of
the year. The radio panel were mainly women group leaders, and women community facilitators who felt proud in taking the lead to sensitize the
public and they also see it as a way of building their own capacity on the issues that have been discussed so far. These sensitizations will continue in
2017 as a result of the relationships that have been created between some of the radio stations and women groups.

2.2.7 Present awards for 7 best
writers(journalists) on women unpaid
care recognition, redistribution and
reduction each year (Five in Rwanda and
two in Ghana)
2.2.10 Develop and organize 20
theatre/drama show to raise awareness
of and promote recognition, reduction
and redistribution of UCW annually at
community level.
Bangladesh only
2.2.11 Six monthly Spouse and Family
members meeting within each of 200
women’s groups.
Bangladesh only
2.2.13 Support 10 men's groups with a
total membership of 1000 men to meet
quarterly in order to sensitise men on
women's unpaid care work
Pakistan only
OUTPUT 2.3 Interventions aimed at reducing unpaid care work (child care initiatives, water harvesting technologies, energy saving cooking stoves, solar cookers, fodder trees, cutters and
woodlots) are tested and scaled up in communities and evidence documented by 2020
70% of women trained on implementing
and managing time saving household or
community interventions have the skills
and confidence to share their training
with others, by the end of each training
In Pakistan and Bangladesh, this activity is in the plans of the subsequent years of the project implementation period.
In Ghana, thirty five journalists composed of men and women from the media, local government officials and Ministry of Food Agriculture took part in
the sensitization and training. The training content covered the key outcomes, the project theory of change, and areas such as violence against
women, unpaid care work, CRSA and access to markets. The main purpose was to inform participants about the project, seek their commitment and
stimulate them to support the project with the intention of increasing the visibility of rural women farmers, smallholder farmers, issues of violence
against women, and unpaid care work. The activity on awards for media men and women in 2016 was changed to sensitization and training workshop
for media personnel on unpaid care work in Ghana. The rationale was to do sensitization for media to understand the issues to report on before an
award is presented.
In Rwanda, this activity is in the plans of 2017.
In Bangladesh, during this quarter, after reviewing the proposal from the interested theatre group/agency/individuals, ActionAid Bangladesh selected
Centre for Research and Communication (CRC) to undertake the initiative of interactive theatre to develop awareness raising drama to recognize,
reduce and redistribute the burden of Unpaid Care Work at community level.
In 2016 CRC developed two scripts one for Gaibandha (Luckir Songshar) and the other for Lalmonirhat (Fulmalar Songshar) based on the local context
Between November and December they also trained two performance groups for the two areas. CRC also developed three inter actors in each team
to interact with the audience during the theatre/drama show in the community. AAB team watched the performance before it was shared to the
community and made the necessary input to improve its content. CRC have revised the content of the scripts and trained the revised version with the
performance teams. The performer teams are ready now and they will perform in 2017 to onward to raise awareness of and promote recognition,
reduction and redistribution of UCW.
In Bangladesh, total of 200 meetings has been organized in Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts with the spouse and family members of the members
th
of 200 women groups during 4 quarter. Total of 9966 participants (Gaibandha- 5,030, Lalmonirhat-4,930) attended in the spouse meeting. There
were 5,261 women and 4,705 men. Md. Shajahan Mia, husband of Shanaj Parvin, cashier of Amraow Pari Nari Dall said, ”I have to help my wife in the
house chores from now on to reduce the pressure on her’’. The meetings were attended by parents, in-laws, brother and sisters to sensitize them
about the unpaid care work. The participants who attended the spouse meeting have understood about the workloads, the burden of women’s
Unpaid Care Work and the need to recognize, reduce and redistribute.
In Pakistan, Saibaan partner has completed the process of group formation by forming 45 men support groups at village level having membership of
505 with an average membership of 12 to 13. Although only 5 men groups are planned in each district but as the total number of members in men’s
groups are 500 so this is impractical to have 100 men in one group. Similarly, culturally this is also essential to have the men engagement in each
village for providing support to women groups; so in each village men’s support groups were also formed with membership of 12-13 men/group on
average. Further by clustering of eight individual groups of adjacent villages, five main groups were formed. Group formation was followed by
participatory methodology. Main objective of these groups is to sensitize men on the issue of Unpaid Care Work, to engage them with local
representatives and government officials to mobilize district resources for reducing unpaid care work of women in the target areas. Men groups’
th
quarterly meetings could not be done because groups were formed in the 4 quarter and the focus remained on identification and physical
verification of beneficiaries so cluster meetings of men groups could not be organized and are carried forward to first quarter of year 2017.
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
round
75% of female users report satisfaction In Rwanda, 100 % of users have reported satisfaction with rainwater harvesting tanks, childcare centres and cooking biogas report satisfaction and
and time savings with interventions that time saving with these interventions. The progress of this indicator will be measured in future years in Pakistan, Ghana and Bangladesh.
they use
Progress: 100%
Target: 75%
Baseline: 0
This indicator will be fully measured later in the project.
In Rwanda, So far 3 types of time saving interventions have been established. Documentation will be done in rest of project years. A total of 110
7 types of time saving interventions for
women groups in Nyanza, Musanze and Nyaruguru districts, 104 families were supported with 3000L rainwater tanks. Five (5) child care centres (2 in
which evidence of their success is
Musanze, 2 in Nyanza and 1 in Nyaruguru) were set up and 21 care givers were trained and equipped with learning and playing materials. In Korong
documented by the end of the project
district in partnership with district leaders, 36 women have been supported with Biogas; 45 families have been supported with rainwater harvesting
tanks of 3000L per each tank and 1 childcare center with 5 caregivers has been set up. In Gisagara District, 54 women were supported with rainwater
Progress: 4
harvesting tanks of 3,000L to facilitate a woman to save her time spent in fetching water during rainy season. Families have been mobilized to not
Target: 7 types
missing the chance of having improved energy cooking known as BIOGAS with government funds and now 20 families got cooking biogas. Also in
Baseline: 0
Gisagara district, 2 childcare centres were established and equipped with learning and playing materials.
In Bangladesh, child care centres have been set up. In Pakistan, 250 women received fodder cutters. Further activities are planned in 2017.
Activities which contribute to Output 2.3:
2.3.1 Establish 42 child care initiatives (24 In Rwanda, project has supported the setup of childcare centres in all 5 districts (2 in Musanze, 2 in Nyanza and 1 in Nyaruguru, Korongi 1 and
in Ghana, 6 in Rwanda, 12 in Bangladesh) Gisagara 2) and equipped with basic materials. The two in Gisagara receive children 395; the one in Nyaruguru receives 150, Musanze 181 and
as models for learning and advocacy Nyanza 164. Children have access to care services and women gained more time for productive work.

In Bangladesh, five new day care centres have been introduced in five unions, two in Gaibandha and three in Lalmonirhat during this quarter. SKS
partner has procured the materials for 12 day care centres, seven for Gaibandha and five for Lalmonirhat. Furthermore, the POWER project has
partnered with Seasimpur Workshop Bangladesh (SWB) and they agreed to provide some materials for all day care centres for free. SKS also
procured materials from local markets including stationary items, TV, remote, DVD player, plastic furniture items (table, tools, jug, glass etc), children
books, toys, CD and distributed to the child care day centres for free. SKS also organised parents meeting in the day care centres. During this quarter
total of twenty four meetings were organized (18 in Gaibandha and 6 in Lalmonirhat) with parents, women’s groups and federation members to
strengthen child day care centres. 588 Parents including groups’ and federation members participated in these meetings. The Community Mobilisers
and partner Project Officers mainly arranged and facilitated these meeting. Gradually parents will organise and facilitate the meeting. In the parents
meeting, each centre selected 3 bank signatories from day care centre management committee and federation representative in a participatory way,
contributions should be increased and regularized, Federation chairperson or secretary as well as management committee will receive day care
centre materials with maintain DOA and necessary papers. The children are staying in the day care centres for 5-6 hours every day. It reduces
mothers’ time for child care and as a result mothers of the children of the day care centres get this time to engage with other works that may be
social, economic.

In Ghana, four child care centres have been established in Ghana. The child care centres will be completed by end of March, 2017. The menial work
on construction and rehabilitation has been done and Regional Development Programmes will support with resources to furnish the centres with
concrete materials to support effective operation of the centres. All the centres will be operational by end of March, 2017. Additional 7 will be
constructed and rehabilitated in 2017 and will start in March, 2017. The child centres will be operational by end of march, 2017. When trainings for
child care givers are done then the centres will finalize the recruitment of children and start operations.
2.3.2 Train (through one 5 day workshop
in each country) and pay 176 people (80
in Ghana, 60 in Rwanda and 36 in
Bangladesh) to provide childcare.
2.3.3 Provide 2020 low cost rain water
harvesting (20 in Ghana, 1000 in Rwanda,
2,000 in Pakistan) and eight drinking
water supply schemes (following
feasibility study) in Pakistan to reduce
time spent on water collection.
2.3.7 Provision of fodder tree seeds and
fodder cutters to 1,500 women
Pakistan only
In Rwanda, the project organized five day training and 36 caregivers were trained. The 36 caregivers were also paid for their services for the day child
care centres. There are 5 caregivers in Korong, 10 Gisagara, 8 in Musanze, 5 in Nyaruguru and 8 Nyanza. Each childcare center has a minimum of 4
caregivers. All trained care givers are women
In Bangladesh, in December 2016, POWER team completed 5 days long residential training for the facilitators of Day Care Centres at SKS-Bharatkhali
training centre. Total 36 (21 from Gaibandha and 15 from Lalmonirhat) facilitators and 2-Project Officers from both districts participated and received
training. From 12 (7 for Gaibandha and 5 for Lalmonirhat) day care centres, 36 facilitators received the training who will play the role of child carers.
Seasimpur Workshop Bangladesh (SWB) facilitated the whole training as a part of collaboration between SWB and SKS under POWER Project. All of
the participants were women and the major content of the workshop included issues relevant with Child development and different development
stages of a child, understanding a child and communicating with children, techniques to teach a child and pre-school education.
In Ghana, this activity is planned in the subsequent years of the project implementation period
In Rwanda, the project provided and distributed a total of 203 rain water tanks with capacity of 3000L per each (17 in Nyaruguru, 52 in Nyanza, 35 in
Musanze, 45 in Karongi and 54 in Gisagara) to facilitate a woman to save time spent on fetching water specifically during rainy season.
In Ghana and Pakistan, this activity is planned in the subsequent years of the project implementation period
AA Pakistan has completed provision of fodder cutters and fodder seeds to 250 rural women
during this reporting quarter. 245 women beneficiaries directly received the fodder cutters
whereas 5 were received by their family members on their behalf because of their health issues or
difficult terrains. For provision of fodder cutters and fodder seeds a thorough process of right
holders’ selection was followed. Based on participatory poverty ranking, women groups identified
and nominated right holders in form of resolutions. These right holders included women small
farmers having children of age below fifteen years and directly involved in livestock and
agricultural activities, having at least one large animal and one canal land or able to manage one
canal land considering their willingness to cultivate fodder seeds to fulfil livestock feed
requirements and for participation in group activities. Women groups played a key role in
identification of potential right holders while group facilitators facilitated the groups in
identification process. Based on this an intensive selection and verification process was
undertaken and overall 5-10% identified right holders were either rejected not meeting the selection criteria for provision of fodder cutters or
undergone more rigorous verifications. To ensure sustainability of the intervention, terms of partnership were signed with the selected beneficiaries
and with the women groups’ representatives.
The main objective of this intervention was to support women in reducing their workload and time spent
on Unpaid Care Work to more productive work; and to enable them to participate in social and political
activities and also to be able to rest. Through this activity the process of involvement of women in
decision making role was initiated at village level as women led the identification and nomination process
for selection of beneficiaries whereas men groups endorsed women’s decisions. Endorsement from men
was only for cross verification of the nominees to avoid any future conflicts amongst community. Final
selection authority however was with women groups only; men were just to share their inputs. At the
time of receiving fodder cutters women receivers reflected their satisfaction from this intervention by
saying; that these fodder cutter machines would reduce their workload. As these machines are easy to
use so other family members including men and boys in their households could support them in fodder

2.3.9 21 annual in-country learning
exchange visits to learn about effective
interventions to reduce UCW (8 annual
visits- 1 per district in Ghana of 3 days
with 5 women and 2 partner staff; 1
annual visit in Rwanda; 2 annual visits in
Bangladesh; 10 visits in Pakistan)
arrangement, in this way their responsibility of fodder arrangement would be shared by boys and men too.
4 annual in country exchange visits to learn about effective interventions to reduce unpaid care work were held (2 visits were done in Rwanda and
two visits were done Bangladesh).
In Rwanda, the project has conducted a learning exchange to the public Integrated Development model village located in Rweru Sector in Bugesera
District on UCW interventions and other infrastructures established by government as a model to other districts. It was attended by around 95
participants including 80 women from 200 women groups working with POWER. Participants have seen how women in Rweru model village are
facilitated with cooking biogas, household water harvesting, electricity, childcare, health centre, market, handcrafts centre, financial institution,
improved kitchen, improved animal shelters, public transport and all these are within the village(photo: 20161209_143223). Participants have learnt
that the infrastructures seen in the visited model village contribute much in the reduction unpaid care work and women committed to request
decision makers in their respective location replicate the same infrastructures in their communities. Mukarusagara Melanie lives in the visited Model
village said that the burden has significantly reduced due to closest access to village infrastructures.
In Bangladesh, between November and December 2016, selected participants from the women groups of Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat team made two
in–country learning exchange visits. Major objectives of the visit initiatives were to learn and share knowledge and experience of best practice
regarding day care centres and solar cooking stoves. In November 40 participants (18 from Lalmonirhat and 22 from Gaibandha) visited a child day
care centre of Nilphamari district of ponchopukur union, implemented by Research Initiative of Bangladesh (RIB). The visiting team were facilitators
of day care centres, Union Parishad (UP) members (Male and Female), federation’s representatives, women group members, and civil society person
and project staff from SKS. They learnt about day care management system including the child selection, materials use, children’s time spent at
centre, community and parents’ contribution, teaching method etc. Members of the visiting team mentioned that this visit will help them to
implement and manage day care centre in their community. They have learnt that the centre is totally managed by parents- ensuring children
attendance, cleanliness, tutor honorarium, collecting centre materials, etc. RIB assists them with some materials and capacity building for tutors.
Mothers of the children of the day care centre are getting additional time for other productive work while children are in the centre. Finally the
visiting team said they will take similar initiatives in their communities.
In December 50 participants (22 from Lalmonirhat and 28 from Gaibandha) visited SHOUHARDO III Program in Saghata, Gaibandha implemented by
SKS-Foundation on improved cooking stove initiative. The group visited the households who are using ICS (Improved Cooking Stove). The visiting team
learned that Improved Cooking Stove is environmentally friendly and human health friendly. The fuel cost is low and the installation cost is not high. A
family can install a one way oven by BDT 450 and technical service for installation is available at community level. Many Non-governments
organization provides this service. Group members are inspired after visiting the ICS. All participants committed that, they will install improved
cooking stove at their home. Saleha Begum, Precedent of Brahmaputtra Nari Unnayan Samity, Gaibandha said “If we can use improved cooking
stoves we could save time to engage ourselves with income generating activities easily.”
In Ghana, this activity is planned in the subsequent years of the project implementation period
In Pakistan, during the quarter, one in-country learning exchange visit for the women group facilitators and group members of Mansehra district was
organized to learn from best practices about effective interventions that provide socio-economic opportunities for women through reduction of
Unpaid Care Work in the rural communities. Forty three women including women group members and facilitators visited village Grang UC Sum Elahi
Mang where Saibaan partner with the financial assistance from Oxfam Germany has constructed women friendly spaces for social and economic
activities of women. This village is one of the model villages where women used to involve higher loads of Unpaid Care Work and had difficulties to
 fetch water and to access livelihood opportunities. In this village, women skill development programs were initiated and the graduates were linked to
the nearest markets to market their products and for employment. Women were also involved in monitoring and management of construction work
of friendly spaces, Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation DWSS and access paths. All these interventions contributed to provide economic
opportunities for women through reduction of Unpaid Care Work and increased time for productive work.
Visiting women were inspired by different examples shared by local women especially from a local role model Mrs. Balqees Fatima who shared
experiences of the evolution of Grang’ women and how she set an example for other women of the area after economic empowerment. Visiting
women also learnt how they can replicate visited models in their areas. They planned to reflect back these learnings in their groups with other
women. A participant reflecting on her learnings from the visit quoted “I realize that woman is not the liability of man in the Household setup she can
play leading role in economic support to the household”.
Outcome 3: By the end of 2020, 21,000 rural women have more secure and sustainable access to markets and productive resources leading to increased income
60%of women report increased, more The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
regular access to markets by the end of
the project
50% of women surveyed who report The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
improved yields as a result of using CRSA
techniques and agricultural inputs by the
end of the project
30% of sampled women who report an The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years
increase in their income by the end of the
project
OUTPUT 3.1 15,200 (Ghana 3000, Rwanda 6000, Bangladesh 5000, Pakistan 1200) rural women are trained on market access, processing, packaging and marketing methodologies by 2020.
15,200 women trained on business skills, In Rwanda, Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan the activities that contribute to this indicator are planned in the subsequent years of the project
markets and processing by the end of the implementation period.
project
690 women's groups keeping accurate In Rwanda, Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan the activities that contribute to this indicator are planned in the subsequent years of the project
financial records to manage their income implementation period.
and expenditure
80% of women with improved knowledge In Rwanda, Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan the activities that contribute to this indicator are planned in the subsequent years of the project
of how to access markets and how to get implementation period.
current market information by the end of
the project
Activities which contribute to Output 3.1:
3.1.8 Organise and support the
participation of three national (Ghana,
Rwanda and Pakistan) and 5 regional
(Ghana and Rwanda) yearly women
agricultural producers and processors
exhibition to link women producers and
processors to agro- inputs dealers, agro-
service providers , aggregators and
marketers and agro-exporters and other
actors in the value chains in Ghana and
Rwanda (3 National Exhibitions and 5
regional exhibitions)
Output 3.2 690 women's groups provided with and supported to access productive resources by 2020
690 women's groups trained and
supported to set up and manage
functioning saving schemes to increase
their access to finance by the end of the
project
Progress: 400 groups
Target: 690 groups
Baseline: 0
20,000 women accessing seeds through
seed banks or direct inputs by the end of
the project
Progress: 5110
Target: 20, 000
Baseline: 0
In Rwanda, the project has supported women to market their products including beans, soybean meat (TOFU), maize flour, banana, vegetables,
handcrafts, mushrooms, seeds, skills to preserve seeds and management of livestock, among others. The participants visited their products brought
to the site of event celebration and people were surprised with the women producing such products.. Consumers, visitors and leaders appreciated
the great work of women smallholder farmers and were surprised with skills of preserving their seeds and transformation soybeans into TOFU (soya
meat) and soya milk. The exhibition took place in all districts except Korong district as they did not celebrated the IRWD at district level. In Gisagara,
districts leaders promised women to link them to local competitiveness fund operating at district level. Exhibition in Korong district will be done in
2017(Gisagara report is attached). The exhibition stand of women from Nyaruguru and Nyanza districts was visited by government high officials
including first lady, Mrs. Jeannette Kagame. She appreciated the great work of women with support of POWER Project in Rwanda. During this event
POWER project also distributed cows to 45 women in Nyaruguru Districts and FIRST LADY gave these cows to women on behalf of POWER Project
team.(photo exhibition Gisagara.
In Bangladesh, Ghana and Pakistan the implementation of this activity is in the plan of the subsequent years of the project period
In Rwanda, the project has so far mobilized all 200 groups to introduce Voluntary Saving and Lending Groups (VSL) initiatives and with experiences in
FLOW1, group facilitators supervise the functioning of these initiatives. Groups were linked to financial institutions and opened bank accounts to
deposit their savings to secure money and to access bank loans. All 200 groups were supported with basic Kits (boxes, bags, pens, calculator machines
and books) to ensure proper performance of saving and lending activities. To ensure monitoring of these groups’ activities, an MIS system was
developed to track progress of group saving and credit progress. POWER project will strengthen this initiative in 2017. So far in Gisagara district
women groups saved eight million six hundreds Rwandan francs (approximately $11,000) and this helps members to borrow money to run small
trading initiatives hence generate money for medical insurance and other needs.
In Bangladesh, with the purpose of increasing access to finance, 5,000 women of 200 reflection action women circles received training on saving
schemes. This half day training was conducted at the respective reflection action women circles. This training focuses the following issues the concept
of savings and its importance, Utilization of savings, process of maintaining savings. Use of saving register, pass book, use of cash book, and ledger
book. ActionAid Bangladesh and partner SKS Foundation provided all of these materials including saving pass book for maintain individual saving
records as a part of proper management of group saving scheme. AAB and SKS Foundation also guided women groups to develop guideline for
groups’ saving and capital management along with training for saving scheme. Beside SKS Foundation follows up regularly to support women to save
regularly and deposit their savings in the bank account subsequently and update books of accounts similarly. It is also the responsibility of partner
organisation that the update information of individual and group’s total saving is disseminated to all of its members equally on the regular basis.
In Ghana and Pakistan progress will be measured in subsequent years of the project
In Rwanda, the project has so far provided seeds for 110 women groups of small holder farmers out of 200 groups due to limited budget allocated to
this activity in 2016. More seeds will be distributed in 2017 and the rest of groups will be reached in 2017. Around 9,755Kgs of Seeds distributed
included maize, wheat, potatoes and vegetable seeds to applying CRSA practices in their respective farms. Seed banks will be set up in 2017 to
facilitate women smallholder farmers preserving their local seeds. Women could timely plant quality seeds and will preserve their own seeds in the
coming years. More data on this will be reflected in annual report as crops are still in the field.
In Bangladesh, total of 5,000 women of 200 reflection action circles received vegetables seeds. Vegetable seeds for winter and in summer season the
below was distributed to the 5,000 women from POWER project. High Yielding Variety (HYV) winter vegetables seeds (i.e. bottle gourd, country bean,
Indian spinach, radish, red amaranth, kangkong, bitter gourd, ladies finger/okra). Moreover 15 women of Gondharaj group of Burail village under
Udakhali union got eggplant, radish, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, maize seeds from DAE through IPM school.
In Ghana and Pakistan progress will be measured in subsequent years of the project
50% of women reporting improved
service provision from agricultural
extension workers by the end of the
project
Activities which contribute to Output 3.2:
3.2.3 Train and support 690 women's
groups to set up and manage saving
schemes (to support women to access
finance for income generating activities)
(Ghana- 3 day training for 400 (25 per
district) Community Facilitators/Women
group leaders; Rwanda 200 groups
through 1 day training; Bangladesh 200
groups through 1 day training each;
Pakistan 90 women's groups)
3.2.5 Rural women in each of 8 district
meet with local traditional leaders 30
times per year to lobby for long term
access to productive land (2016-2019)
Ghana only
3.2.7 Network with organic farming
companies to advocate for access to
agricultural inputs with Local Duty bearers
Rwanda only
3.2.10 Train 200 women volunteers on
extension service providers in Rwanda
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years. In Rwanda, Women groups are linked to government agronomists and to agro-
dealers at sector level to ensure access to improved agricultural inputs. However, for this indicator, data will be generated in baseline, mid-term
review and end of project evaluation. Women still face insufficient government extensionists where there is only one agronomist and one veterinary
per sector
In Bangladesh, during the weekly reflection-action meetings, the importance of making saving scheme has been discussed. The real economic status
of the selected participant of POWER project is below poverty line. So it is very tough for them to take any income generating initiative by their own
and individually. The objective of set up saving scheme is to make a fund collectively, so that in future group member can take any income generating
initiative to overcome poverty and develop their livelihood. Partner organization is guiding with necessary support to understand importance of the
saving for fund mobilization by them and maintain the process of saving scheme, keeping the record of saving, process to opening bank account etc.
From May 2016, each group made decision in a participatory way to start-up savings (BDT 10-20) considering their capacity. According to the decision
each circle members deposited determined money to the Cashier and managed the whole savings maintaining necessary documentation. In this
quarter POWER team completed 200 training batches on how to set-up and manages saving
scheme between November and December 2016 in Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat districts. All
5,000 participants from 200 women’s groups participated and received the training.
th
In Pakistan, during 4 quarter of 2016 one training workshop was organized by Saibaan in
Mansehra district with 45 women groups’ facilitators and other women representatives to set up
and manage saving schemes. Main objective of the training was to enhance the capacities of
women groups to start and mange saving plans and schemes at village level. Thirty one women
group facilitators, thirteen women group members and ten men from men support groups
attended the event to support women groups in the future.
Group works were used to discuss how savings can be utilized to access income generating
opportunities and small scale entrepreneur can be established.
In Ghana, 32 engagements meetings were held in year 2016 to lobby traditional leaders for long term access to lands in 8 districts where the project
is being implemented. The women groups successfully drew their action plans to engage traditional leaders in their respective communities, organize
and had various dialogues meetings with the support of project partners for secured access to land. Leaders of women groups were confident to
present their demands during the meetings. 10 chiefs indicated they would consult the sub and family heads to ensure the request is guaranteed.
Five chiefs also promised to allocate lands to women in the coming farming season. The women learnt about the process of community level
engagement and promised to take similar steps to make follow up on the issues raised and agreed upon.
In Rwanda, a network meeting was organised with companies. The meeting gathered different organic farming companies operated in Rwanda
included Gako Organic Farming and Training centre, Rwanda green best, green win innovation ltd, Agasaro organic ltd under their national network
called Rwanda Organic Agricultural Movement. The meeting discussed the promotion of organic farming with 200 women smallholder farmers and
establish selling points of organic food from local to national levels, a joint advocacy plan for the increased public support for smallholder farmers in
Rwanda and improved access to profitable markets for organically produced food and 2017 plans and legal documents for 200 women groups
working with POWER Project. Participants pledged to welcome 200 women groups in their national network and committed to support 200 women
groups to be registered under their organization with trading certificate.
In Rwanda, the project has organized five day training for 200 women volunteers from 200 women groups, and was empowered with knowledge and
skills in livestock rearing and veterinary services that will enable them to provide support and guidance to their respective group members and other
residents of their localities. This activity is expected to contribute to the wellbeing of livestock, crops and harvest management as the public
extensionists are not enough to timely respond to all farmers’ requests. Trainees received animal tool kit containing basic equipment helping them to
 deliver good service. Local Veterinaries and agronomists also participated in the training and this has established good partnership between women
volunteers on extension services and sector agronomists and veterinaries as they reduce their workloads.

3.2.13 Support 200 women groups in In Rwanda, the POWER Project has provided a total of 292 cows to selected women within their groups (46 in Musanze, 64 in Nyanza and 45 in
Rwanda and 1000 women in Ghana with Nyaruguru, 60 in Korong and 77 in Gisagara) to help women farmers with access to manure for soil fertility and milk to fight malnutrition and achieve
livestock to have access to animal manure food security through CRSA practices. This activity was also challenging some cultural norms that only man who is eligible to own a cow but FLOW
and animal droppings as raw materials for POWER project programme has changed this mind set. The women who received cows share the manure with the group members who don’t have
compost making to be used to improve cows.
soil fertility and productivity The activity will be done in Ghana in 2017
Output 3.3 690 women's groups practice and understand climate resilient sustainable agricultural techniques by 2020
The progress of this indicator will be measured in the future years .In Rwanda, women trained have improved CRSA knowledge. The project trained
50 women for 2 day to empower women with CRSA practical skills. Training covered topics include good agricultural practices, seed preservation,
80% of sampled rural women trained with fertilizer use, organic manure and compost production, soil and water conservation methodology.
improved knowledge of CRSA principles In Bangladesh, 47 project staffs and community mobilizer received training on CRSA principles and techniques (Men=11 and Women=36). The CRSA
and techniques by the end of the project training focused the following key issues; concept of climate change, green house effects and causes, Climate changes vulnerability in Asia, global
warming, climate change with rural women, men farmers. Conventional, traditional and sustainable agriculture methods (use of seeds, cropping
pattern, cover crops, trap crops, irrigation, fertilizer, composting, green manure, soil conservation, biodiversity, natural pesticide-insecticide),
approaches and pillars of CRSA, Seeds and community seeds bank , processing and marketing techniques.
Activity planned for 2017 in Pakistan and Ghana
690 of women's groups that have In Rwanda, all 200 women groups have initiated CRSA practices. They apply animal manure and compost and mulching which help to keep soil
initiated or supported members to initiate moisture for longer period during extended droughts. These practices are expected to improve soil fertility and structures leading to increased
CRSA techniques by the end of the project production.
Progress: 200 In Bangladesh, women groups/reflection action circles started homestead gardening and to some extend this practice followed some CRSA technique
Target: 690 like seed preservation, using of compost fertilizer, using of organic pesticide, small amount seeds per pit/bed, vegetables cultivation in pit, bed, pot,
Baseline: 0 bucket, sac, and prepared compost pit, used compost fertilizers, mulching and fencing.Activity planned for 2017 in Pakistan and Ghana

70% of women small holder farmers
provide positive feedback on their
experiences of using CRSA techniques by
the end of the project
Activities which contribute to Output 3.3:
3.3.1 Develop a manual on Good
Agricultural Practices on CRSA
interventions for women smallholder
farmers such as use of green manure,
cover crops, composting, use of
multipurpose trees and animal
The progress of this indicator will be measured in future years in all countries. In Bangladesh, 3,000 women from 200 women groups/reflection action
circles started homestead gardening and to some extent this practice followed some CRSA technique like seed preservation, using of compost
fertilizer, using of organic pesticide, small amount seeds per pit/bed, vegetables cultivation in pit, bed, pot, bucket, sac, and prepared compost pit,
used compost fertilizers, mulching, fence etc.
Before practicing homestead gardening, all members of 200 women groups/reflection action circles received training on home stead gardening and
received seeds support (see annex -19 and pictures on hive report/Q4/photo Q4). Women participants of 200 reflection circles, women leader and
department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) were involved in CRSA initiatives.
Data on this will be collected in Mid-term review in Rwanda, Ghana and Pakistan
In Bangladesh, two handbooks on good agricultural practice on Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture have been published. Both of them were
published in Bengali language, so that women group members and relevant stakeholders can easily understand the write up to apply. Both of the
publications have acknowledged KKM and AFA as the collaborating network on CRSA issue. The `Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture’ hand book
has been reprinted. This manual explains the issues concerning sustainable agriculture, and to facilitate the process of CRSA. This handbook explains
the key components and topical issues on sustainable agriculture and draw insights in designing local sustainable agriculture programmes. The
second handbook on CRSA series is on Community Seed Bank. This book has been translated by an experienced translator. Community Seed Bank
husbandry. handbook focuses on: defining community seed banks; introducing the process for designing them; and answering key questions related to seed
banks and seed-related activities, including seed procurement. POWER project printed 500 copies of each of the handbooks.
In Rwanda, the project has contracted suppliers to provide for 200 women groups with 390,180 leguminous tree seedlings of Leucena and Calliandra
which will support in producing fodder for animals, fix atmospheric nitrogen to improve soil fertility, protect soil from erosion, produce stakes for
3.3.6 Support 200 women groups with
climbing beans and contribute to carbon sequestration. In Musanze, women received 90,720 tree seedlings where every woman received at least 84
multi-purpose tree seedlings for soil
tree seedlings, in Nyanza, project distributed 134, 460 tree seedlings to 1620 women and every woman has received at least 83 tree seedlings while
erosion control and animal fodder
in Ruheru, 30,000 tree seedlings were distributed to 600 women and every woman has received 50 tree seedlings. In Gisagara, project distributed
Rwanda only
81,000 tree seedlings and each woman received 50 seedlings and in 1080 women received 54, 000 tree seedlings, each woman with 50 seedlings.
However, rainfall in the previous rainy season has been very irregular which will affect the growth of seedlings.
In Bangladesh, to understand more on climate resilient sustainable agriculture (CRSA) and increase participant’s technical knowledge, skills on
modern vegetables gardening and cultivation technologies, the training on Vegetables Gardening has continued till end of this quarter. Seventy
women groups received this training last quarter. The remaining 122 women groups (32 women groups in Gaibandha and 90 women groups in
Lalmonirhat- received the training during this quarter, where total 3031 participants learnt about systematic vegetable gardening in light of CRSA.
Here to mention a number of training participants (63) could not able to join the training due to temporary/seasonal migration for flood, sickness and
3.3.8 Train 200 women groups on
employment opportunities during rice harvesting. Sub Assistant Agriculture Officer (SAAO) and Agriculture Extension Officer (AEO) from the
vegetable gardening Agricultural
Department of Agriculture and Extension (DAE) of both districts with the assistance of project staffs have facilitated these trainings. From this training
Extension Service providers
participants came to know and increased knowledge on CRSA, homestead gardening, role of women in agriculture, season wise vegetable cultivation,
Bangladesh
about the resilient seed and preservation technique, seed bank, compost manure, pesticide management, irrigation management, preparing bed
and pit etc. They have received hands-on training through practical sessions. After receiving the training participants prepared pits and bed for
planting seed on their own. Every participants planted bean and bottle guard seed in their homestead gardens. Those who do not have their own
land, they planted seed in alternative option like sack or plastic pot for gardening. They usually do it for their own consumption but they also sell out
the surplus production, if any. We will do a comparative analysis between production of CRSA and conventional methods in next year.
Outcome 4: Greater visibility of intersections of CRSA, women’s UCW and women’s economic participation leads to changes in policy and practice by sub-national, national, regional and
international stakeholders by 2020.
OUTPUT 4.1 690 women's groups are linked to alliances, networks and coalitions at local, regional and national level and develop and implement a minimum of one joint advocacy plan to demand
their rights regards, violence against women, unpaid care work, market access and access to sustainable agriculture resources

In Rwanda, at least 20 % (1,200) of target women have been facilitated to participate in advocacy moments including IRWD, Kilimanjaro initiatives
and 16 days of activism. Women were able to join fellow women to present their demands towards addressing UCW and CRSA related challenges,
including climate change effects and inadequate access to markets. The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion committed to establish childcare
centres at one per cell.
20% of women (21,000) attend advocacy
nd
meetings and national advocacy moments In Bangladesh, a total of 50 women leaders from Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha district attended national level advocacy meetings, such as the 2
national women farmers’ convention on 18 October 2016 at CIRDAP, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Major discussion points were; recognition of women
Progress: 12% farmers, CRSA, women’s access to markets and the right to food bill. Under the 16 days of activism, the POWER project organized and observed
Target: 20% International Day for Elimination Violence against Women, Begum Rokey Dibosh and International Human Rights Day 2016 at two unions in
Baseline: 0 Lalmonirhat and five unions in Gaibandha district respectively. About 830 women from each group represents and participants in these days
observation in both districts. It was created awareness among community people. This also established a good relation between women groups,
Upazila level government Officials, local government- Union Parishads and Upazila Parishads, other stakeholders and journalists that can be
capitalised by women’s groups to create their access to other services of government and local government.

Activities which contribute to Output 4.1
4.1.2. 690 women's groups are linked to
networks, alliances and coalitions meet to
develop joint advocacy plans regards
UCW, violence against women, market
access and sustainable agriculture) (Each
group will meet as follows - In Ghana at
least twice; Rwanda at least once per
year; Bangladesh at least twice per year;
Pakistan at least four times per year and
develop at least one joint advocacy plan
per country)
4.1.3 690 women groups supported
(selection of members) to attend annual
advocacy meetings and key national
advocacy moments to ensure demands
are heard (200 groups in Ghana, 200 in
Rwanda, 200 in Bangladesh and 90 in
Pakistan)
This is planned in the next years in Ghana and Pakistan
In Bangladesh, 94 out of 200 women groups have linkage with two national level alliances –KKM (Kendrio Krishok Moitree-Central Alliance of
Farmers) and PRANTOJAN. KKM is a large network of marginalised farmers of Bangladesh working for promoting sustainable and climate resilient
agriculture and recognition of women farmers. PRANTAJON is a national network of micro enterprises focusing on market promotion of products of
small and micro enterprises. The POWER project leverages the existing relationship between PRANTAJAN and Kendrio Krishok Moitree-KKM. The 94
pre-existing groups are already members of KKM and PRANTAJON.
A meeting with ActionAid International visiting team and the Vice President of AFA (Asian Farmer Association) and President of KKM, Ms. Shazeda
Begum along with POWER Project Manager Mr. Helal Uddin was held in October 2016. In the meeting discussion held on KKM next plan of action,
participation in the SAARC for incorporating intersection between women economic empowerment, CRSA, unpaid care work, women access to
market and VAW into the relevant policy/ies of SAARC, inclusion of new federation with KKM. In December, two representatives of KKM visited the
Kanchipara Union Federation and Shongrami Nari Dal of Kanchipara Union in Gaibandha. They visited the Day Care Centre also and had discussions
with the federation. They expressed their satisfaction by observing group level activities and shared the format of membership with KKM. Now new
groups will take necessary initiative to become members of KKM.
During this time primary communication with the networks as KHANI Bangladesh has been made by AAB to link the women’s group to various
alliances, networks and coalitions. Since 2009, the KHANI-Bangladesh network has represented 40 local and national organizations and social activists
with various expertise (including media, individuals, fisher folk, women, social and professional groups, and civil society organizations (CSOs)). By
utilising a working knowledge of producer communities the network can effectively address critical concerns related to food and agriculture
governance in the context of national and global food insecurity. KHANI-Bangladesh works through joint lobbying to influence the implementation of
the right to food and uphold food right issues in national and regional spheres
Further activities will be undertaken in Ghana, Pakistan and Rwanda in 2017
A total of 203 women groups have attended annual advocacy meetings (200 in Rwanda and 3 in Ghana).
In Rwanda, 600 women from the 200 women groups were supported to participate in IRWD celebration, Kilimanjaro Initiative and districts
agricultural shows. It was an opportunity for women to market their products and present their demands of UCW and CRSA.
In Ghana, the leaders of women groups were supported to participate in a national dialogue on climate change and CRSA forum facilitated by GAWU
and Peasant farmers Association with support from AAG staff. 3 representatives from women’s groups in Upper West Region including AAG staff
attended the national forum in Accra. Recommendations from participants during the meeting were for government to increase funding for
extension service delivery, national department of extension to take different steps, such as female extension volunteer schemes to increase
availability of extension services to smallholder farmers. Promote policy literacy within the context of CRSA at the Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Assemblies level (MMDAs), to ensure CRSA practices are mainstreamed in their medium term development plans as well as their annual
budget and planning processes and ensure a women movement or strong CRSA platform is established to lead topical discussions in that area.
Planned in next years for Pakistan and Bangladesh
4.1.4 Convene regional joint advocacy
and planning meetings with civil society/
women's movement with at least 5
strategic coalitions from Africa and 5
strategic organisations from Asia by 2018
ahead of ASEA, SAARC and AU summit
including communiques with key
messages for policy demands
4.1.5 Create a thematic web based
interactive platform for six monthly basis
Webinar with key panel discussions leads
on women's rights regards unpaid care
work, access to productive resources and
market access by 2016
4.1.10 Hold regional engagements with
parliamentary aspirants to secure their
commitment to promote the inclusion of
care services
OUTPUT 4.2. 16 national and regional evidence documents are produced on intersections of unpaid care work and climate resilient sustainable agriculture to improve evidence base of successful
interventions to remove barriers to women's economic participation.
16 of evidence documents researched
and produced by the end of the project
Progress: 4
Target: 16
Baseline: 0
Activities which contribute to Output 4.2
4.2.2 Feminist research organisation
A 2 day regional joint planning advocacy meeting was held in Accra Ghana with a total of 21 participants who included 8 strategic partners from
East Africa Farmers Federation, General Agricultural Workers Union, Widows and Orphans Movement, Gender Centre, Abantu, NETRIGHT and
Women In Leadership Development in Africa (WILDAF). The meeting worked on a contextual analysis, stakeholder mapping and opportunities, and
also agreed on key messages and moments of engagement on the thematic areas of Climate resilient sustainable agriculture, market access and
unpaid care work, Violence Against Women. A communique was drafted and will be finalised once the strategy is finalised. These demands will be
refined by the technical reference group for Africa Advocacy. The meeting for Asia is scheduled for February 2017.
The first in this series of webinars was organized by ActionAid UK on the 8 of December, 2016 to share experiences on the linkages between unpaid
care work and violence against women: internally and with external partners and organisations. The webinar included a presentation from one
ActionAid staff member (Ms Azumi Mesuna, POWER project Coordinator in ActionAid Ghana) and one external presenter (Ms Roslyn Nyatsanza from
OXFAM Zimbabwe). The webinar attracted over 40 participants from a wide range of organisations and countries. ActionAid staff joined from the
international Secretariat and 9 different national offices. There were also participants from other organisations working on these themes such as
Oxfam, Age International, Action on Disability and Development, and Trocaire.
Participants heard about work being done in this area at ActionAid and Oxfam and then had a chance to input their own experiences and challenges.
Issues that arose in the discussion were around the need to consider women with disabilities, challenges around social norms, the role of the state as
a both challenge and a solution and how contextual issues such as rights to mobility can affect women’s ability to enjoy their full rights. The webinar
led to increased engagement in and understanding of the POWER project and increased understanding on the thematic areas and related challenges
– both at a programming and advocacy level. The webinar recording, presentations and key discussion points will be posted on the AA website (AA
international and national AA websites). The webinar will be held twice each year and the project team are in the process of identifying the specific
theme for the next webinar. Lessons have been learned from this first webinar to build on the successes for the future webinars.
In Ghana 6,400 rural women have engaged parliamentary aspirants in 8 districts in Ghana. Women groups are to meet and present their demands for
parliamentarians and other duty bearers for consideration when they assume power in 2017. This was done in collaboration with all parliamentarians
from all the major political parties which include the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) the People National Convention
(PNC), the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Women highlighted the need to consider leadership positions, increase in number of extension
officers, provision of infrastructure for child care centers and other facilities that would reduce the unpaid care work burden. In the Brong Ahafo
region the engagement included farmer network members, Parent Teacher Association, and youth group representatives. The immediate outcome
was that Parliamentarians made commitments to the women’s group leaders and Pwalugu group got extension of electricity to their rice processing
centre through one of the parliamentary aspirants. The parliamentarians signed a letter of commitment to implement some of the commitments
made above when they come in to office.
In Rwanda, the POWER project has so far supported the production of 4 evidence documents such as a simplified version booklet of laws and policies
promoting and protecting women’s rights in Rwanda, VAW mapping report in 5 five districts, budget tracking result report in 5 districts using
community scorecard and social audit and baseline data on time women spend on UCW. In other countries the progress of this indicator will be
measured in future years.
The resources ear marked for this activity internationally have been consolidated and one consultant who is undertaking the baseline will also
contracted to undertake quantitative
analysis of time diary data in Ghana,
Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan
OUTPUT 4.3. 7 Policy briefs on unpaid care work and women's economic empowerment are produced and shared by 2020
7 policy briefs on UCW and women's
economic empowerment produced by the
end of the project
OUTPUT 4.4. 22 advocacy initiatives are held regarding unpaid care work and women's economic empowerment with regional African and Asian platforms and international platforms
22 meetings / conferences held to discuss
and promote addressing UCW as a barrier
to women's economic participation by the
end of the project
80% of duty-bearers and decision makers
who attend meetings who provide
positive feedback to ActionAid about the
content and usefulness of meetings
Activities which contribute to Output 4.4
undertake the quantitative analysis of time diary data in Ghana, Rwanda, Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2017.
ActionAid Bangladesh also engaged in a collaborative partnership with Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) to carry out further qualitative analysis of
time diary data, along with using some context specific qualitative information regarding the attitudes of community people in POWER project
working areas. During this period Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB) conducted research on Unpaid care work (UCW) including qualitative and
quantitative methods. RIB provided training of Community Mobilizers and partner staffs on this process especially the uses of time diaries.
Participants were trained to fill up time diaries, household rosters and attitude format. After the training, CM and partner staffs collected time use
diaries data from 600 selected participants from Gaibandha (300 participants among them 250 are women and 50 men) and Lalmonirhat (300
participants among them 250 are women and 50 men) in recall methods. These participants represented from char/wetland, mainland areas, age,
sex, occupational variation, marital status etc. After collection of data it has been entered in the software and the database supplied to RIB. Besides
this, they also conduct 6 FGD (3 in Lalmonirhat and 3 in Gaibandha) with women group participants, male participants and also with community
people with different representation. In these FGD they discussed on Unpaid care issues including time allocation and uses by women and men, social
barrier, perception at community and family level, knowledge and understanding, prestige issues, strategies to overcome these barriers. RIB
analysed both quantitative and qualitative data for the research purpose and produced a full report.
A draft terms of reference has been developed for a policy brief on unpaid care work and women’s economic empowerment. Activity planned for
2017
Cumulatively 3 meetings have so far been held to discuss and promote addressing unpaid care work as a barrier to women’s economic participation.
The meetings held included the ‘Gender is My Agenda’ campaign in Rwanda, where women smallholder farmers engaged with the African Union and
the Kilimanjaro initiative side event during the AU summit where rural women presented their demands on rights to land. The Permanent
representatives committee meeting held in Ethiopia in October 2017 this was held with member of the Permanent Representative Committee ahead
of the AU Summit in 2017 and with resident ambassadors of Senegal, Rwanda and other countries.
The duty bearers engaged so far include AU officials and Permanent Representatives Committee FAO and ECA. 50% of the duty bearers provided
positive feedback to ActionAid for example during the PRC meeting, the 5 ambassadors commended ActionAid on its understanding of the real issues
confronting the continent and African Union and express appreciation to the efforts, and process undertaken and further encouraged Action Aid to
not relent in our endeavours as advocacy is a continuous process.
Another meeting was held with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).The key recommendations will be taken up is used to finalise the Advocacy
strategy for the African countries involved in the project. The Executive Secretary Abdalla Hamdok underscored the importance of partnership with
organizations like ActionAid where we have clout to advance and support the policy analysis function of the Economic Commission for Africa to the
AU and the member states and other actors. He suggested that, moving forwards, the two organizations should have a memorandum of
understanding to formalise joint engagement.
During the FAO meeting, FAO also noted that ActionAid is a first point of reference on gender and women’s rights and that they would be keen to
move with ActionAid in the future.
4.4.3 Organise 4 side event meeting (e.g.
rural women present demands at stalls
outside) with AU during the CAADP
Partnership Platform meetings , AU
Summit by 2020 (on annual basis)
4.4.9 Participate in annual lobby meetings
with AU and NEPAD officials to raise
awareness of women’s unpaid care work
and food production to influence policy
making and donors commitments to
reduce women care burden and support
rural women economic alternatives
4.4.12 Organise international meetings to
disseminate information/ research
findings on CRSA during FAO event/ UN
events in Rome.
Activity completed in second quarter: A total of 6 rural women participated in the AU summit in Kigali Rwanda in July 2016. The women participated
in the Gender Is My Agenda campaign ahead of the summit. The POWER project supported 3 project staff and 6 rural women to participate in the
GIMA meeting. The meeting was held under the theme ‘implementing women’s rights in Africa if not now when?’ One of the rural women farmers
from the POWER women’s groups participated as a panellist in the discussions during the Gender is my agenda Campaign conference (GIMAC) and
shared some of the challenges. The rural woman Yenzie, Faustina Laribba from Ghana presented before more than two hundred participants. The
main demands made by the women included the recognition of unpaid care work, support for women smallholder farmers. During the session on
Women’s Rights and Economic Empowerment, Rural women small holder farmers on the panel where they shared the key demands to the Heads of
States concerning the barriers to women’s empowerment for example Unpaid Care Work, women’s right to land, women’s lack of access to finance
and extension services offered by the States. Recommendations were given out by representatives of Rural women Smallholder farmers from Nigeria
and Ghana. A total of 4 rural women were supported to participate in the side event on the Kilimanjaro initiative. The women made demands on their
land rights and joined other rural women in Africa in presenting the demands to the AU Chairperson Dr Dhlamini Zuma.
Action Aid Rural women farmer (Yenzie Faustina Lariba (on the right) participated as one of the panellists during GIMAC meeting.
AA has participated in the annual lobby meetings with AU permanent representatives committee members to raise awareness of women’s unpaid
care work and food production to influence policy making and donors commitment to reduce care burden and support rural women. The POWER
Team was represented in AU related events in Addis in Ethiopia by ActionAid Rwanda Country Director Ms Josephine Uwamariya in the event of
preparations for PRC and ECA engagements. AU summit 2016 was held in Rwanda and there was opportunity for civil society to participate. The
ActionAid delegation led by the Advocacy team met with 5 Ambassadors who are members of the Permanent Representative Committee of the
African Union. They included His Excellency Mr. Baye Moctar Diop, the Ambassador of Senegal, His Excellency Niam Akibou, The ambassador of Benin
and the Vice Chair of the bureau for PRC, His Excellency Mr. Albert Yankey the Ambassador of Ghana, Excellency Cherif Mahamat Zene the
Ambassador of Chad and Chair of the Bureau of PRC and H.E Hope Tumukunde Gasatura the Ambassador of Rwanda. The team shared the main
demands from ActionAid and key messages from the POWER project on women’s rights. The meetings highlighted the opportunity to input into the
AU reform process by directly engaging with H.E President Kagame as convener of the reform or members of his constituted team. AA would need to
participate in the process and present concrete proposals for them to take forward. This presents a great opportunity as AA Rwanda is one of the
project countries. AAI was also encouraged by the ambassadors to use their offices to channel the proposals to the reform team ahead 28th AU
summit in January 2017.
AAI participated in the Food and Agriculture Organisation ‘step it up with rural women to end poverty and hunger’’ conference in Rome, Italy. The
international project manager (Christina Kwangwari) with support from Alberta Guerra AAIS and ActionAid Italy participated in the meeting. The
activity was moved forward from 2017 as the opportunity to participate came up. The international project manager organised side meetings with
Food and Agriculture Organisation Gender Directorate. The meeting was used to introduce the current work on the POWER project, discuss the
thematic pillars on climate resilient sustainable agriculture, market access unpaid care work and violence against women. FAO is quite keen on
working with AA in terms of adding voice to commitments made on CRSA and unpaid care work with governments and government ministry using
evidence from the project. This is because there have already some influence with government so they committed to support and also carry some of
POWER project key messages. FAO is also keen on issues of market access as well as working on Convention of Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination Against Women related work in particular article 14. In the future FAO and Actionaid will collaborate on gender sensitive value chains
based on the emerging evidence from the POWER Project. FAO were quite impressed about the evidence base we have built over the years based on
FLOW 1 on unpaid care work. The FAO would also play a role in information dissemination more widely within FAO and other UN agencies. FAO
requested AA to input into the upcoming gender module which there are developing and in particular document case study with evidence from the
ground of what worked well so that our evidence can be shared more broadly and be used to influence discussions on agriculture. This is a great
opportunity to influence the discussions on CRSA and unpaid care work within FAO, UN Women and other UN agencies. This will build on ActionAid
policy contribution towards UN agencies and FAO normative standards as well as programming. The meeting also discussed the gender focal points
at national level where the relationship could be strengthened with FAO offices.
FAO also works on labour saving technologies from the perspectives of agricultural production and have several publication FAO also gave positive
feedback that ‘in terms of gender and women’s rights work, Action Aid International is our first reference point.’ S.Lehel FAO, Rome , October 2016
As a follow up to the main event, a dinner meeting was held for selected members including ActionAid. Fatima Shabodien from South Africa and the
international project manager attended the donors’ roundtable
meeting after the main event. During the meeting AAI raised
the visibility of unpaid care work. The meeting was attended
by various participants including EC, USAID, Norwegian
Embassy, Swedish Embassy representatives. Among the key
issues highlighted were the visibility of unpaid care work,
women’s land rights and support to women smallholder
farmers to access resources and access to markets. Fatima
st
Shabodien (1 on the left) from ActionAid South Africa was on
the panel. She highlighted the need for support to rural
women’s movements. The meeting was attended by Alberta
Guerra from IFSN/ActionAid international and ActionAid Italy.
Side meetings were held to discuss future plans for AA
advocacy.
In December 2016, The Project manager for ActionAid
Bangladesh Helal Uddin attended the Asia United Nations
High Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment
engagement meeting in Bangladesh. The key messages carried
forward were on unpaid care work, climate resilient
sustainable agriculture, and women’s rights. AA Bangladesh
also shared research finding on UCW and experience on redistribution of UCW through community managed day care centre. It was highly
appreciated by the participants and also recommended to incorporate in the final report. We also shared our experiences on advocacy points for
recognition of UCW by counting it in Gross Domestic Product through National System of Accounts (NSA) and develop system of value in
monetaryAAB shared their experiences with the high level panel. This also helped to raise the visibility on unpaid care work and climate resilient
sustainable agriculture as well as success of integrated approached which address VAW, unpaid care work, CRSA and market access being
implemented in Bangladesh
Monitoring and Evaluation
Technical assistance to develop and
strengthen the M&E Framework for local
organisations (M&E Coordinator to work with
each partner)
International lead consultant recruited to
develop project monitoring tools to (ensure
consistency across four countries)
Coordinated by international consultant,
national baselines conducted and
consolidated at international level
Partner Advisory Group meet once per year
in each country
A detailed project MEL plan was developed and completed through consultative meetings led by the International MEL Coordinator. The MEL
plan guides the all MEL processes of the project. At development stage, all countries have participated and made significant contributions. When
the MEL plan was finalized, each country team had 3-4 hours of skype discussion to make sure that country teams have understand clearly the
content of the MEL plan. The feedback was very positive and all participants of the skype call discussions have shown increased understanding of
the use of the tool to guide the project MEL processes. The participants have rolled out M&E sessions with other field staff to ensure that the data
collectors understand key component of the MEL processes
The entire project MEL tools have been developed and embedded in the country MEL plans. The development process was very gradual and
incorporated inputs from the country teams and project management team. The tools are now being used for data collection and country teams
document their experience in using them, so that they are up to date. The project has also procured tablets at each country to use for data
collection. The International MEL Coordinator has digitized key data collection tools i.e. time diary templates and are now being used for data
collection. This makes the process faster and more accurate, and reduces the amount of the time spent on data entry.
An international consultant was recruited to coordinate the baseline survey work across all countries. In each country a national consultant was
recruited to lead national baseline work. The baseline data collection process has been completed in Rwanda, Bangladesh and Ghana and the
consultants are working on country level reports. Pakistan has faced challenges due to government restrictions for INGOs conducting data
collection for researches, studies and baseline. ActionAid Pakistan and Partners have submitted applications for a NOC (Non-Objection Certificate)
to allow data collection to take place, and are waiting for the decision. In the meantime, the final baseline reports for Rwanda, Ghana and
Bangladesh are expected to be available by the end of March.
The purpose of the project advisory group is to provide inputs and advice on project delivery to ensure the project overall outcomes are achieved
and ensure coordination between implementers, community and stakeholders. The project advisory group acts as an open forum for discussion
where all barriers and solutions are discussed regarding the delivery of the project activities and impact and ensures that all internal and external
project stakeholders are on board and participating in the project.
In Rwanda, the meeting was held in Kigali in Q4. For its first time meeting gathered participants from stakeholders include Representatives of
districts(5), Directors of agriculture and natural resources(5), district staff in charge of civil society(5), Project beneficiaries(7), ActionAid Rwanda
staff(10), Project implementing Projects(6), University of Rwanda College of Agriculture(1), Organic farming network(1), National women council
(1) and Gender monitoring office (1). In this meeting, project achievements and challenges in 2016 were discussed and findings of baseline survey
on time women spend on UCW were validated. The challenges discussed include climate change effect, cultural norms affecting women’s rights
enjoyment and limited resources to address women’s unpaid care work.
In Bangladesh, during December 2016, Gaibandha and Lalmonirhat team formed separate Partner Advisory Groups-PAGs in their respective
districts. PAG is a team consisting of representation from AAB, SKS Foundation, community and project stakeholders including Government
Officials. First meeting of both PAGs were held in December 2016. It was an introductory meeting in both districts. Issues discussed in the
meetings were – Terms of Reference and overall POWER project and involvement in project implementation. In the discussion they agreed on
Terms of Reference and their roles in project implementation mentioned in the Terms of Reference, they got understanding about overall the
POWER project and its vision, mission, objectives, activities etc. They also identified some areas of collaboration including linkage for technical
support for sustainable agriculture, skill development, VAW prevention, etc.
Planned for future years in Ghana and Pakistan
International Project Accountability Meetings
(quarterly) -via Skype
Monthly Project Management Meetings in
each country
Sustainable agriculture technical advisor
monitoring visit
International Project Manager and M&E
Coordinator annual monitoring visits
Training and partner capacity building
5-day partner capacity building workshop on
financial management for 10 partner staff
Two international Project accountability meetings were held, one in September and another in December. The meetings discussed the progress of
activities, the main challenges and monitoring and evaluation. The meetings were attended by the representatives from the four implementing
countries Ghana, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The regional directors for Asia and Africa, Finance, programme and M&E staff from the
Project Management team. The meetings have agreed on key actions to keep the project on track including review of budget to match spending,
updating risk registers and have presented a platform for sharing experience, challenges and successes of the projects.
In Rwanda, the POWER Team has meet on monthly basis to review project implementation progress and discuss on challenges. The meeting
th
participants were 11 project staff from, ActionAid Rwanda and project partners. The outcome of the meeting was avery successful 4 quarter with
a 92% implementation level.
In Bangladesh, partner staff of both districts holds Monthly Project Management Meeting consisting all the partner staff, community mobilizers
and representative from SKS Foundation senior management. In this meeting the usual discussion agenda includes progress against action plan,
problems and challenges form the last month, discussion of solutions and ways forward, conceptual discussion on any new event or activities or
issues and next month’s action plan.
In Pakistan, during this reporting period one project management meeting was conducted at the regional office to discuss the project progress
and the internal and external challenges faced in project implementation. Country Director, Head of Programs, two Policy Officers, Regional
Program Managers, three program officers, one reporting officer and two finance officers attended this meeting. Coping strategies and ways
forward were also discussed and shared with the project staff. During this meeting overall current security challenges and specific to POWER
project were discussed and it was suggested to project team to be vigilant about the situation in project working areas. Following actions were
suggested to follow so that project implementation could not suffer by changing country context:
1) As government has restrictions on conducting research or surveys so we should avoid using shortcuts rather to wait for getting permission
from government.
2) It was also suggested to hold goodwill meetings with district departments on monthly basis and to link project activities with the involvement
of relevant department at least to let government informed about what we are doing.
3) On quarterly basis Country Director and head of program will visit regional office and will meet with any government department to support
project team in building good will relations.
4) We have to ensure the finances have been used for which it has been given to partners and for this we have to ensure monitoring framework
implementation. Quarterly program meetings will be conducted chaired by head of program for program/project reviews
The sustainable agriculture technical advisor Celso Marcatto visited Bangladesh and conducted training on Climate Resilient Sustainable
Agriculture to facilitators and project staff. This enabled good discussions on specific method which would be appropriate in Bangladesh given the
regular flooding in the communities were POWER project is being implemented , opportunities for market access and improvements in market
access. The technical advisor will undertake annual visits to support the team in Bangladesh
The International Project Manager conducted monitoring visit for Ghana, Bangladesh and Rwanda and visited communities, assessed progress to
date, discussed the challenges and successes and made recommendations to the senior management. The Monitoring Evaluation Learning
coordinator undertook one field in Rwanda and provided support during the piloting of baseline tools. It proved difficult to visit Pakistan due to
challenges in getting VISA. Plans are ongoing for an opportunity to travel in 2017 or 2018
In Rwanda, the capacity building workshop was held in Musanze district and was facilitated by the International POWER accountant and AAR head
of Finance. Participants were project officers, accountants, AAR communication officer and women rights and advocacy coordinator. The training
lasted for 3days.
Organise a 5 day training in research, data
collection and monitoring and evaluation for
10 partner staff
AA Bangladesh + Global platform training for
project team partners Finance teams (5x5
day training work shop Financial reporting)
Challenges
In Rwanda, this training empowered project staff on how to collect M&E data, using statistical software analysis and how to interpret results and
use results to draft periodic project reports. Participants acquired practical skills in designing M&E tools, data collection, analysis of data using
SPSS and Excel, interpretation and presentation of findings and draft M&E reports.
In Bangladesh, to successfully implement the project and develop the capacity of partners, ActionAid Bangladesh and Global Platform organized
the `Financial management Workshop 2016’ on 6 November 2016 at Gaibandha SKS Inn Training Centre. This was a one day workshop where 6
Project Officers, 2 Finance Officers, 2 Project Coordinators and 2 senior staffs of SKS Foundation and 4 staffs from ActionAid Bangladesh
participated. Knowledge, common understanding, learning and skills learned from this workshop will help the project team to implement the
project intervention smoothly in a harmonized way. Finally this will contribute to achieve the accounting standard in financial costing and
reporting in the POWER project. The session discussed about accounting, cash book, ledger book, financial statement, internal audit, voucher
preparation, budget, VAT, Tax and purchase system etc. After the training participants now have knowledge of Budget monitoring and
preparation, cash handling process, and procurement of goods/services; the participants are now well versed with what sorts of documentation
needs to be required for financial transactions of an organization. The women identified the NGOAB rules and regulations that need to be
preserved and maintained by an organization for better financial management.
In Rwanda, challenges included rainfall irregularity which will affect crop yields, delayed the start of project implementation and meant the
baseline survey could not be completed as planned. There were some delays in project staff recruitment, and the timing of project inception
workshops and launches at different district and national levels. However, with the experience from FLOW 1 AAR has now caught up and is on
track.
In Bangladesh,
 Some group members, especially in Fazlupur union (char area) of Gaibandha, have lost their houses during the flood and continuous river
erosion. They have been migrated to a detached place from their previous area, which makes the communication with them difficult.
Community Mobilizers took the challenge positively by giving extra effort. Some strategic changes have been undertaken for those
groups, such as rotating training venues to reduce hardship for participants. We also revised the Risk Matrix and identified some
alternatives through a participatory consultation process. We also focus on building community resilience through CRSA capacity building
of the group members and focus is given to preparedness to be resilient.
 Some thematic issues (like rights-analysis phase, power analysis, women’s leadership, financial terms) are harder to understand for the
aged and illiterate group members. During training and weekly meetings, peers have been combined, one literate and one illiterate
participant, to help each other.
In Ghana, the illiteracy levels of both men and women in rural areas hampered the smooth filling of the time diaries which is a key monitoring tool
for tracking time use in the project. The next trainings on time diaries will be tailored towards training for women and men on numerals and
alphabets to support them complete time diaries.
In Pakistan, the challenges include:
 Increased regulation and approvals required, as government of Pakistan has asked all NGOs to go for verification process as per new
requirements. Surveys, baselines and researches are restricted by government of Pakistan.
 Government’s restrictions towards working in Azad Jamu and Kashmir AJK led to a change of project location from district Muzaffarabad to
district Shangla.
 A No Objection Certification is required for all baseline or survey activities, these have been applied for but the process is taking sometime,
leading to delays in the implementation of the baseline.
 Due to cultural constraints at the initial stage engagement of rural women in some areas is challenging but it will be overcome through men,
 traditional and religious leaders’ sensitization.

Lessons Learnt In Rwanda: Women spend approximately seven hours on Unpaid Care Work each day. If women’s economic and leadership empowerment is to
be achieved, the burden of Unpaid Care Work should be reduced, recognized and redistributed. If women can access childcare centres, cooking
energy and household water harvesting can significantly gain more time for economic and leadership participation so as to achieve women’s
rights enjoyment

In Bangladesh, below are lessons learnt:

 Regular communication with local government officials helped the participants receive services and support easily. For example Lucky
Begum, President of Uzzal Upahar Nari Dal, Kanchipara Union, Gaibandha. Through her leadership, communication and continuous lobby
with Union Parishad she could secure 5 old allowance cards, 4 widow allowance card, 2 cards for disable persons, 3 cards for agricultural
entitlement, 12 VGF cards, and incorporated name of 32 persons for 100 Days Work Scheme last year. Sensitization meetings and spouse
meetings helped community people, particularly men, to understand and build awareness on unpaid care work, which they could not
recognize earlier. For example Dipti Rani (28). President of `Chadni Nari Dal’. She lives in the Moddho Uria village, Uria union under
Gaibandha district. Her husband name is Abdul Hai. He has a small shop. He now understands the role of women in unpaid care work and
being sensitized after participating in the Spouse meeting. Now he helps her a lot by taking care of children, helping her during cooking
and similar house hold choirs.
 Practical session during the training on Homestead Gardening helped the participants understand the process and techniques more
easily.
In Ghana, below are the lessons learnt:
 Reflection Action makes it easier for group facilitation especially analysing issues about rights issues. It has enabled women to
understand the need for rights analysis and prioritization of issues for a concrete course of action.
 Networking and working in collaboration between traditional leaders such as community chiefs. They helped to demystify their views
about unpaid care work and violence against women.
 The use of community platforms such as COMBAT, reflect groups and other farmer network members who are part of power holders at
community level creates a leverage for them to committee themselves and respond positively to issues of women and try to address
them.
Global:
 Countries operate in different contexts and this is an important practical consideration when planning in multi country projects and for
international activities. For example the Pakistan context proved very difficult in working on baseline and activities and required timely
flexibility to change project implementation area and strategy. Partners and countries will be at different levels so it is important to
provide ongoing support for any countries, partners and staff who may face challenges during implementation.
