Equal opportunities, equal benefits
A gender mainstreaming strategy for NTFP
Introduction:
Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFP) is a Cambodian non-government organisation based in Rattanakiri province. Since 1996, NTFP has been active in assisting indigenous communities to protect and promote their rights and to preserve their land and natural resources.
NTFP believes that women are the catalyst for social and economic change. In 2011, NTFP committed to review their current programs in relation to gender. The intention wasto identify gaps and opportunities for strengthening the focus on gender within the organisation, specifically with regard to organisational policy, strategic planning, program operation and management, and staff capacity development.
As part of thisreview process, NTFP commissioned an international NGO, Cord ,with which it already works in partnership, to facilitate the preparation of three documents: a gender mainstreaming strategy and an accompanying implementation plan and capacity development plan. These documents are written in Khmer. This document summarises in English the key elements of all three documents.
Gender mainstreaming strategy
NTFP’s gender mainstreaming strategy comprises an overarching goal and five objectives, one of which is an enabling objective (objective 5). The five objectives are further divided into a series of more detailed objectives or main activities. The goal and objectives are listed below. Appendix 1 contains a model of change that depicts how the goals and objectives fit together and connect with each other.
The overarching goal of NTFP’s gender mainstreaming strategy is that:
Women and men have equal opportunities in their households and communities and derive equal benefits from development.
Objective 1: The rights of women and men to participate in making decisions that affect their lives are upheld
1.1 Encourage and support women to express their views
1.2 Build confidence for women regarding the value of their contribution
1.3 Adopt a rights based approach in all NTFP projects and programs
Objective 2: Women and men have equal access to NTFP and other relevant services
2.1 Provide timely access to relevant information for women and men
2.2 Provide and promote equal access to NTFP services, noting that access means geographical, physical, cultural and socio-emotional as well as financial access
2.3 Assist women to access other relevant services
Objective 3: Women and men participate actively in contributing to their community’s development
3.1 Actively include women in all capacity development opportunities
3.2 Encourage women’s participation in community leadership
3.3 Promote and support equal participation in identifying issues, planning, implementing and evaluating projects
Objective 4: Women’s power and importance in family and community life is acknowledged, embraced and celebrated
4.1 Promote equal sharing of household work
4.2 Educate community members regarding gender discrimination and violence against women
4.3 Recognise and celebrate the important role of women in the family and community and spiritual matters
4.4 Encourage and support men to accept responsibility for addressing gender discrimination
Objective 5: NTFP is governed and managed in a gender sensitive manner
5.1 Ensure that women are appropriately represented among board members and management staff
5.2 Regularly review the integration of gender issues in all aspects of organisational life
5.3 Build the capacity of staff to work in a gender sensitive manner
5.4 Develop and/or revieworganisational by-laws and policiesin a gender sensitive manner and to ensure alignment with principles of gender sensitivity
Implementation plan:
Using each of the detailed objectives outlined above as the starting point, that is, as the identified main activities, the implementation plan outlines in yet more detail how each activity will be taken, when specified actionsare scheduled to occur and who will be responsible for each. The implementation plan is relevant to – and captures information about – each of the programs and projects delivered by NTFP. Expected results are also clearly outlined in the implementation plan.
The implementation plan extends to 15 pages. In the interests of brevity, it is not translated and included here.
Staff capacity development plan:
The staff capacity plan is attached in its entirety (refer Appendix 2). The plan is still in draft form because responsibility for each action item in the plan is yet to be allocated.
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