Pilot Project: Women’s Participation in Camp Governance Structures Study Team Training Research. Rethink. Resolve.

The International Organization for Migration… Established in 1951. IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and helps to ensure the orderly and humane management of migration. IOM began working in Nigeria in 2001. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

The Women’s Refugee Commission… Founded in 1989. Conducts research and advocacy, primarily at the global policy, funding and programmatic levels. Focused on displaced women, children and young people. Programs on livelihoods, adolescent girls, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), child protection, fuel and firewood and disabilities. At the same time, services are unavailable or very difficult to access for the millions of people currently displaced by humanitarian crises. Health systems are often further weakened in a crisis – health facilities are destroyed, health worker shortages are compounded as health workers themselves are personally affected by the crisis - including security constraints. Logistics systems ground to a halt or barely falter along. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Pilot Objective To improve women’s participation in governance structures in camps and camp-like settings to reduce women and girls’ perceptions of risks to gender-based violence. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Study Question Does women’s participation in camp governance contribute to reducing their perceptions of gender-based violence risks in the displaced community? Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Definitions: “Gender-based violence” Violence based on a person’s “gender”. We will review this in more detail shortly. Gender-based violence is any harm enacted against a person's will that is the result of power imbalances that exploit distinctions between males and females. Violence may be physical, sexual, psychological, economic or socio-cultural, perpetrated in private or in public settings. Although not exclusive to women and girls, GBV principally affects them across all cultures. GBV can occur throughout a woman's lifecycle, from early childhood marriage and genital mutilation, to sexual abuse, domestic violence, legal discrimination and exploitation. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Definitions: “Participation” CCCM’s definition of “participation” We will review this in more detail shortly. Participation: Process that requires planning and resources and where individuals and groups from the displaced community identify and express their own views and needs and where collective action is taken to significantly contribute to solutions Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Sub-study questions Where do people go to voice their concerns, ideas, and questions, including about safety? What are the barriers exist for women and girls to voice their concerns in the camp or formal camp governance structures? What factors facilitate for women and girls to voice their concerns in the camp or formal camp governance structures? What process could better respond to the needs and concerns raised by women and girls in the camp? Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Sub-study questions What are some strategies to increase women’s ability to contribute to make decisions in the camp? What can camp leaders can do to support more women and girls to participate in camp life? Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Activities Literature review. Consultative process to develop assessment methods and tools. Piloting of the tools in five settings. Implementation of action plans in each setting. Evaluation of change in each setting. Documentation and dissemination of findings and recommendations. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Where will the pilots be conducted, and how were the sites selected? Study sites: Rakhine State, Myanmar Yola, Nigeria Mindanao, Philippines Iraq South Sudan Settings were selected based on: Existence of internally displaced person settlements. IOM’s presence. Existence of referral services. Target population Persons with disabilities, including those with physical, intellectual, sensory and mental impairments, who have been displaced or are crisis-affected Research. Rethink. Resolve.

Who are we speaking with as part of the pilot? Women leaders Women non-leaders Men leaders Men non-leaders Adolescent girls (14-17 years of age) – where possible Research. Rethink. Resolve.

How will the study be conducted? Group activity Women leaders Women non-leaders Men leaders Men non-leaders Adolescent girls (14-17 years of age) – where possible Individual interviews Women, men and adolescent girls that cannot come to group activities Camp management stakeholders Research. Rethink. Resolve.

What will the information be used for? To advocate for improved women’s participation in camp governance structures, and how to best do this. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

What are the objectives of the training? To understand the topics and issues discussed in this study. To learn the principles of qualitative research used in this study. To learn about research ethics and how to conduct the study ethically. To apply learning and practice data collection skills. Research. Rethink. Resolve.

What will you get out of being a part of this study? Learn how to conduct qualitative research on a sensitive topic. Take part in data collection. Facilitate inclusion of refugees and displaced persons in your own organization’s work. Be recognized for your participation in the global study. Research. Rethink. Resolve.