Extension Services & Technical Programs in Small Land Holder Tea Production (ES-TEA) Project Proposal: Women’s Industry Leadership Through Skills-Based Educational Programming Gender Analysis & Development Planning Kaitlyn Elias

Gender Themes Based on Literature “While formal equality refers to the adoption of laws and policies that treat women and men equally, substantive equality is concerned with the results and outcomes of these, ensuring that they do not maintain by rather alleviate, the inherent disadvantage that particular groups experience” (UN Women Progress of the World’s Women, 2016) “The potential to advance towards substantive equality is greatest when the claims of organized groups of women find openings and receptivity among actors in position of power, and when there are mechanisms in place – such as public consultation and petitioning processes, or parliamentary committees – through which women can legitimately articulate their claims and policy demands” (UN Women Progress of the World’s Women, 2016). Process Power: “This model of power is not a zero-sum: an increase in one person’s power does not necessarily diminish that of another” (Rowlands, 2008, 12). “All the evidence points to the fact that economic independence through employment or otherwise enables women to share in decision-making and to exercise their autonomy as individuals with rights and aspirations (CENWOR, 1987, Jayaweera, 1999, 185) “Education is an enabling factor in the development of capabilities, but not necessarily a facilitator unless women have control of resources. (Jayaweera , 1999, 185)” “2030 Agenda…promotes the economic rights of women and girls by calling for decent work, equal pay and equal rights, and ownership and control over economic resources – such as land, property, technology, and financial services” (UN Women 2030 Agenda, 2016). Empowerment, “empowerment as a gift does not involve a structural change in power relations” (Rowlands, 2008, 13) It is with that notion that I ascertain development alone will not accomplish the empowerment of women, but the structural reformation, political reformation and societal processes over time will result in the process of women’s empowerment. In seeing power as process, I refer to Rowlands definition of multiple definitions of empowerment: power to, power with, and power from within (Rowlands, 2008, 13). “This model of power is not a zero-sum: an increase in one person’s power does not necessarily diminish that of another” (Rowlands, 2008, 12). Gender, education and development: beyond access to empowerment

Agricultural Themes Based on Literature “Agriculture remains the most important source of work in South Asia, employing 71 per cent of women and 47 per cent of men. Virtually all agricultural employment is informal. (Brouder, et. al, 2014)” “They (women in Sri Lanka) are engaged in semi-skilled jobs with minimal transfer of technology and lack of facilities to upgrade skills, denying them any opportunity of upward occupational mobility. (Jayaweera, 1999, 183) The gender pay gap is 33 per cent in South Asia (compared to 24 per cent, globally). In South Asia gender pay gaps are wider in urban areas than rural areas: urban women earned 42 per cent less than men, compared to 28 per cent less than men in rural areas. Both women and men have lower than average earnings in rural areas and, in absolute terms, rural women are at the bottom of the earnings ladder. (UN Women, Facts and Figures, 2017)” As reported, “Chan argues that the activities of smallholder farmers are less environmentally friendly and thus hard to incorporate them in export market supply chains that call for increased quality, social and environmental standards. (Elias, 76)”

Project Partners Sri Lanka Tea Board, Government Organization Ministry of Plantation Industries, Government Organization Tea Shakti Fund, Government Organization Tea Research Institute and associated regional extension centers (TRI) UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Ethical Tea Partnership, International Organization, UK Care International UK, International Humanitarian Agency Centre for Women's Research (CENWOR) – Sri Lanka Self Help Groups (Established in Phase 1 for Phase two)