The 6 Core Commitments for Gender and Non-Food Item (NFI) Assistance NFI (Non-Food Items) and Shelter Cluster - D.R.Congo Gender Perpective 3) Encourage equal representation of women and men in committees involved in the different components of project activities – identification of targeting criteria, beneficiary selection, activity planning, feedback and complaints offices; etc.; seek to have equal representation of men and women among distribution and voucher fair teams, including daily workers. 4) Set up separate waiting and entry lines at registrations, distributions, and fairs in order for vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women, people with infants, and elderly, sick, and disabled beneficiaries to be assisted first. 2) Register the adult woman in all households (except single-male headed households) as the primary recipient of assistance in order to a) reinforce ownership and control of women as the primary target of NFI assistance, and b) not exclude second wives and their children in polygamous families; include a communication component targeting both women and men about this approach to ensure that communities understand why women are registered as the primary recipients of aid; encourage these women to attend the distributions or fairs accompanied by others who can share the work of transporting the items. 5) Address the specific menstrual hygiene needs of women and girls of reproductive age by providing access to appropriate menstrual hygiene supplies; in direct distributions, include sufficient quantities of bedding and blankets to allow for girls and boys to sleep separately. 6) In line with good practices of accountability toward affected populations (AAP), ensure that there are feedback and complaint mechanisms to address any issues raised by those persons assisted as well as non-beneficiaries, including reports of any incidents of abuse and exploitation. Include communication materials at distribution and fair sites focused on preventing situations of abuse and exploitation and underlining that all assistance is free – no one should ask for any payment of money or services in exchange for receiving humanitarian assistance. 1) Consult women and girls as a priority at all steps in project design, implementation and monitoring, and separately from men and boys particularly on the times and place of distributions or fairs in order to ensure equal access to assistance and to reduce the risks of violence; seek to have assessment and monitoring teams and their interpreters include women. The 6 Core Commitments for Gender and Non-Food Item (NFI) Assistance