Gender-Transformative Evaluation: Gender, Poverty and Empowerment Framework Ranjani K Murthy Consultant: Gender, Equity and Development Gender-transformative and equity focused evaluation (WS-3) Evaluation Conclave, 2015 Kathmandu, Nepal

Different ways gender may be present or absent in evaluations (adapting Kabeer, 1994) Gender-blind Gender-instrumental Gender-specific Gender-transformative Gender sensitive Aims, Objectives, Scope, Methodology, Methods, Team, Analysis, Validation, Report, Dissemination

Feminist evaluations Liberal feminism Marxist feminist Radical feminist Socialist feminism Black Dalit feminism Eco feminism

Gender-transformative evaluations Are gender-transformative evaluations and feminist evaluations different? Socialist feminism Gender-transformative evaluations

Different gender-transformative evaluations Modification of traditional Engendering Log Frames Feminist theory of change New ones Change Matrix Making the Case Social Relations framework Gender, poverty and empowerment framework Women’s empowerment assessment tool 12 Box framework

This presentation focuses on Gender, poverty and empowerment framework

Gender, poverty and empowerment framework (Murthy ) Adapts Sen: Entitlements Rowlands: Power

Gender and Poverty Gender and poverty Dimensions General Gender intensified Sex/gender-specific Causes HH Entitlements Women ‘s Vulnerability HH/Gender specific Coping Risky occupations;

Empowerment (Rowlands) Power to Power within Power with Labour, mobility, resources, body, political participation…

Assessing gender and poverty impact: participatory tools Gender-based access to resources Gender-based control over resources Gender and social/ resource map Gender and seasonality mapping Gender and well being ranking

Assessing contributing to shifting power relations: Participatory tools Power to - Gender division of labour, resources, mobility mapping, body mapping, decision making matrix , power walk Power with - gender sensitive social maps/resource maps, Violence mapping, rating o f government services, assessment of project Power within -Group goals, Gender and equity values mapping, Caste discrimination mapping Composite: road map of change, happiness, GAM and empowerment mapping, story telling

Assessment tools Engendered guidelines intra-household, group level, farmer’s organization, VAW group…. before-after comparison participant-control group comparison participant- wives of male participants Gender-sensitive participatory evaluation tools

Illustrations Used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri lanka, Sudan, Moldova, Vietnam In Tool kit book rural credit and livelihood projects; few in urban areas in India and Bangladesh

Three options Take 4-5 composite tools and explore their use in gender, poverty reduction and empowerment evaluation Take 4-5 non composite tools which you want to know about and explore their use in groups Groups explain to larger group 12 tools using tool kit no hands on

Important findings: Gender and poverty assessment Improvement at HH/intra-HH/village level happening, but Poor women and girls have lesser access to basic needs than men and boys; few deviants Poor women have lesser access to assets/means to overcome poverty; in particular immovable assets and larger livestock. Poor women heterogeneous, marginalized women have lesser access to assets and government services Poor women’s seasonality needs to be taken into account; women managed livelihood needs strengthening; work load reduced Households slip into poverty through giving dowry, alcoholism, death of earning member- transformative social mobilizaton req. Women slip into poverty through death and desertion of husbands Faced with acute poverty poor women adopt adverse strategies Livelihood programs that do not factor gender/equity have little impact on women/marginalised

Important findings: Impact on women’s empowerment The space for women to come together is important, but not enough. Mobilization with a gender transformative lens fosters empowerment; questioning dominant paradigms Mobilization on credit+important- assets, value chains, social and political Attitudes difficult to change- gender, dowry, color, caste, orientation, sexual desires etc Poor women are slowly entering male domains, little vice versa. Taboos around women’s body remain. Intra-HH decision making changing slowly but on smaller issues Engaging with men and boys on gender limited in rural areas Women’s empowerment and poverty reduction are related * Caste employer and dalit women leader, police and fish pond.

Gender, poverty and empowerment diversity Gender Poverty reduction Rights/ Justice approach

Combine qualitative and quantitative methods Gender poverty and empowerment assessment Guidelines Non members Members Coop, local government Federations SHGs Gender sensitive Participatory tools (30 of each) - Nutrition service, Health Triangulation Education Collective analysis Taking back findings

Keep in mind: Gender sensitive participatory tools Time Privacy Consent Confidentiality Managing backlash Counseling Season

Thank you Learning together Gender Transformative evaluations