GOOD PRACTICE: Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Primary Schools WOMEN’S RIGHTS THE SADC GENDER PROTOCOL SUMMIT 2014 MALAWI, LILONGWE, 28 TH MAY 2014 BY ISABEL LUCY CHIRWA 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

QUOTABLE QUOTES Amon Lukhele the Executive Director says, ‘Outreach Scout Foundation (OSF) exists to provide optimal framework condition to vulnerable young women and men in rural communities through water and sanitation, environmental protection, agriculture and food security, promoting social justice and good governance, rights of the children, and HIV/AIDS prevention and support.’ 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Synopsis Vulnerable Groups: Outreach Scout Foundation is working closely with adolescent girls in the targeted schools. The organisation is also working with mother groups to enhance girl’s education participation at community level. We provide accurate and reliable information on physical, emotional, sexual changes and sexuality during adolescence and how to cope with them. This is done through providing counselling services to the girls so that they can be protected from gender based violence that might disrupt the accomplishment of their goals in education. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Synopsis Cont….. Type of GBVGirls’/female response Male teachers who propose to girl learners 30% girls said yes Teachers shouting at girls34% girls said yes Boys bullying girls81% girls said yes Boys forcing girls into love affairs73% girls said yes Boys molesting them83% girls said yes Forced marriages 85% girls said it existed Performing household chores during school time 97% of girls said yes Parental force to leave school82% of girls experienced the pressure Differential parental support between boys and girls 66%recognised the existence of the practice The organisation has formed several girls adolescent groups in primary schools, these clubs act as a platform to air out their views which affect them. Research shows that girls are facing numerous challenges in attaining education as follows: 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Synopsis Cont….. These results confirmed the fact that both the school and home environments negatively contribute to girls’ education and the major source of GBV are parents, boys and girls through their lack of self - control to peer pressure. When approached by boys and male teachers for sexual favours girls showed lack of self esteem, interest in their education and a good understanding of their rights. The finding points to the fact that interventions to address GBV have also to target the girls themselves to build their self esteem and develop appropriate aspirations. The project produced reports i.e. Quarterly, middle term and annual as one way of monitoring and evaluation of the intervention. We organised meetings with traditional leaders, teachers, district stakeholders and girls as tools of evaluating the project. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Key objectives To strengthen girls education by providing counselling services in all primary schools by To implement Using Social mobilization campaigns for girls’ education Strengthening community capacity & structures for girls’ education Creating Quality Environments for girls’ education 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Beneficiaries DirectIndirect Name of group WomenGirlsTotalWomenMenTotal Women & girls Total /50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Challenges There was need for adequate funding to procure sanitary pads for girls. This was addressed by training mother groups on how to fundraise for sanitary pads for girls through joining Village Savings and Loans. Male teachers were not comfortable in teaching puberty in females such as, menstruation and discussing menstruation in class was embarrassing when boys started teasing. This was addressed by training female and male teachers to often team up to present menstruation and ovulation topics. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Back ground Counselling is a learning-oriented process which occurs in an interactive relationship with an aim of helping a person learn more about the self and to use such understanding to enable him/her to become an effective member of society. Counselling adolescent girls came into practice because in Malawian families and societies it is a taboo to talk openly about puberty and its development of reproductive system in females. This leaves the girls blank or with inadequate or poor sources of information on their growth and development exposing them to gender based violence. The practice is aimed at:  Providing girls with skills, awareness and knowledge that would enable them confront social inadequacy.  Assisting girls to move in the direction of fulfilling their potential. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Current Initiatives and Achievements The organisation was involved in development of National Girls Education Strategy 2013 to 2017 The organisation has initiated/developed 20 adolescent girls’ clubs Training mother groups 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Key activities Counseling in progress Debates on SRHR The project used a number of different ways in reaching out to the rural masses in the target areas, stakeholders and partners. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Capacity building processes included training and debates. In order to ensure participation of girls in education, the organisation organized forums where they directly interact with service providers in the target areas. Counselling services were provided to girls on coping skills during adolescence and defending tactics from GBV. Training on bad cultural practices OSF organized education policy awareness activities at district and village level. The project also used a number of drama and cultural groups during the awareness meeting. These cultural groups played a big role of attracting people to meetings at the same time educate people on HIV/AIDS, education and human rights. 60 village based drama groups and cultural groups trained on bad cultural practices. Key activities Cont /50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Key activities Cont Awareness meetings The organisation organized district, area and village level education and awareness meetings in the target districts on education rights, the communities were sensitized on the importance of education. The organisation focused much on some cultural practices that reduces/affect education standard of girls. The project had a total of 20 awareness meetings in the 2 targeted districts. Gule Wankulu ( a traditional dance) for Community Awareness 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Key activities Cont Advocacy Meeting with Local Leaders Policy advocacy training for local leaders The project planned to strengthen the advocacy capacity of the local leaders so that they can effectively participate in the implementation of girl’s education. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

OSF arranged inter-club exchange study visits so that the group that had been trained should continue sharing the lessons that were achieved. OSF planned to strengthen the monitoring process so that the clubs that had been trained should continue meeting and doing their activities. OSF proposed that it will continue linking up the girls’ project into other girls Networks with similar interest so that they can continue with their programmes. OSF linked with the district councils so that when they make budgets they include funding for the project. Sustainability and Replication 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Amount local currency (specify) Amount in Rand Gender specific allocation 1,000, Gender in mainstream projects (please specify) Provision of sanitary pads 700, Training of mother groups 250, Amount contributed in cash or in kind by partner organisations (please specify) Expertise 200, TOTAL /50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS

Working with governments The organisation achieved several results; improvement of girls’ education in 10 primary schools, Changing of behaviour of Teachers, the organisation took part in girls education strategy with the Ministry of Education. The girls increased in enrolment in standard 5 to 8, reduced gender based violence amongst parents and teachers, formation of mother groups, increased life skills education One of results girls increase in class 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Evidence “Increased numbers of girls equitably accessing, participating in and completing quality primary, secondary and higher education through the removal of obstacles to their education thereby contributing to the achievement of gender equality and empowerment to effectively contribute to sustainable social, economic and human development. The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2 – Achieve universal primary education: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling; and MDG3: Promote gender equality and empower women: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by These international goals are reflected in national development goals through the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS II, 2011 – 2016), the National Education Sector Plan (NESP 2007 – 2017) and its implementation strategic plan – the Education Sector Implementation Plan (ESIP 2009 – 2013)”. Said by Charles Mazinga Director of Ministry of Education. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Working with Civil Society Outreach Scout Foundation is working with Mother groups, Community based organisation, local NGOs and International NGOs. These organisations are participating in our awareness meetings, workshops, consultative meetings that we conduct periodically. These organisations also invite OSF to be part of their interventions and most of the interventions that it manages are Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights. The interventions we implement are much focused in contributing to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2 – Achieve universal primary education: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course of primary schooling; and MDG3: Promote gender equality and empower women: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by These international goals are reflected in national development goals through the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS II, 2011 – 2016), the National Education Sector Plan (NESP 2007 – 2017) and its implementation strategic plan – the Education Sector Implementation Plan (ESIP 2009 – 2013). 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Evidence “Education is the key to growth of economy hence the need to educate a girl child “Mr. Genuos Mlowoka, Phunzirani Development Organisation programme Manager 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Working with communities Zeal to send girls to school increased Gender based violence reduced Mother groups created Increased number of girls which complete standard 5 to 8 classes Bad Cultural practices reduced More men taking part in sending girls to school Number of girls increased who attain education. One of the results 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Evidence “Sending a girl child to school is not a loss” Mrs. Yohane a villager Likasi Area in Mchinji District 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Working with the media In our activities we work with Print and Electronic Media houses to advance girls education. The activities we interact with Media; Community awareness, school debates, workshops, trainings and other advocacy meetings. A Journalist interviewing a school girl reading performance 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Capacity Building group discussion during stakeholders meeting Community based organization meeting 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Training content Historical perspective of HIV/AIDS in Malawi and its linkages to gender Concepts of Gender, Sex and Sexuality Gender and Vulnerability Gender Dimensions of the impact of HIV/AIDS HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) as a Gender issue - Debate Gender sensitive Sexual and Reproductive Health Programme Gender related risky factors on HIV/AIDS Gaps on the linkages between gender and HIV/AIDS Impacts of gender related risky factors on HIV/AIDS Places where gender related risky factors on HIV/AIDS occur Identifying gender related risky factors on HIV/AIDS for Advocacy 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Evidence Mr. James Moyo, Executive Director, Stay Alive organisation 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Lesson learned and innovation OSF learnt that adolescence interventions should be able to involve adolescents to achieve intended results of the project. The project formed SRHR clubs in primary schools as innovation 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

SRHR girls club Photographs Mother group 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Missing elements in the SADC Gender Protocol SADC Gender Protocol supposes to create a sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Network so that issues of girl’s education, evil cultural practices, gender based violence must be reduced. This forum will act as platform to all organisations in SADC level. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA

Main value of the SADC Gender Protocol Public education and awareness of gender equality issues. 50/50 BY 2015: DEMANDING A STRONG POST 2015 AGENDA