There is no Sustainable Development without Community Development Provide an example of the way in which CD can embed SDGs in work

Community Development The purpose of community development is: To collectively bring about social change and social justice by working with communities to identify their needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities Plan organise and take action Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the action All in ways which challenge oppression and tackle inequalities. The purpose of CD aligns with the aspirations of social change , as do SDGs

Community Development & Sustainable Development Goals SDG aims End poverty Protect the planet Ensure prosperity for all CD values: Social Justice Human rights Community empowerment Equality Recognition that achieving the goals requires action at all levels. CD operates at grass roots level with communities of geography, interest or identity. Central to both CD and SDGs is a strong commitment to social justice, human rights, and citizen empowerment. Demonstrate links with an example of CD practice with refugee and asylum seeking women.

End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere Context for refugee women: Gender based persecution - Why do women flee? Sanctuary in UK? - Discrimination and extreme disadvantage – gender, race &religion As a community of interest, refugee and asylum seeking women experience extreme disadvantage and discrimination in terms of gender, race and religion as well as suffering from the impacts of austerity and scapegoating emanating from the right wing ideologies of the current UK government. What can CD offer women seeking sanctuary? Provide skilled support to enable women to: work collectively to challenge discrimination and disadvantage and to campaign for positive change.

Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels An example of a SDG target which is relevant to refugee women.

Community Empowerment Collective action to address community needs and aspirations Impact on the decisions that affect their lives Bring about positive change in the quality of community life Community empowerment is an outcome of skilled CD intervention.

Example of CD practice Group of refugee and asylum seeking women   Group of refugee and asylum seeking women Works together to affect positive change to policy and practice that affects their lives. Women’s experience of the asylum system, barriers to employment and housing policies and practice prevents effective sustainable settlement. Women’s claims for asylum is too often rejected, due to lack of understanding of gender based persecution, resulting in a lengthier time in asylum process. RWSG has – campaigned with partners across UK to affect broader understanding of gender issues Increasingly, leave to remain is granted for short periods – 2 years – rather than indefinite Barriers to employment – Produced “The Struggle to Contribute” report and regular meetings with DWP Sub standard asylum accommodation and poor housing policies – highlighted with Key decision makers and media

Holistic and grass roots CD - processes Understanding community Organisation Developing an understanding of the community is crucial this requires really listening to the groups lived experience and understanding / contextualising these issues. Organisation: bringing people together enabling them to identify issues and needs and to organise around issues of common concern; helping group to organise and plan action

Motivation Relationship CD processes Motivation: encouraging group members to believe that, working together, they can make positive change happen; building motivation also maintains focus on the long term goals •Relationship: developing effective relationship with group members which is based on mutual respect and understanding and helping group to build and maintain relationships with each other and with key stakeholders

CD processes Analysis Engagement Analysis: supporting the group to analyse their own experiences and identify common issues which are then used to set the group’s agenda. This CD intervention not only creates a sense of belonging through identifying common issues, but also enables the women to strategically use their personal experience to affect change at the policy level. It is essential to analyse the issues within the context of structural inequalities and social injustice in order to develop an empathetic approach. Engagement: Ensuring effective representation, supporting connections and engagements with wider community, seeking out and encouraging representation from grass roots refugee community organisations and supporting engagement with decision makers and service providers

Building skills and confidence CD processes Building skills and confidence Nurturing Building skills and confidence for collective action and work towards a solution of the identified issues Nurturing: Since the members of RWSG tend to have unstable living conditions due to the nature of the asylum process, the CD process includes maintenance of the group, nurturing a good atmosphere and a positive outlook within the group . Evaluation: supporting the group to review their actions and engagements, recognise achievements, identify and analyse their collective learning and agree future priorities and action.

Analyse and Collectivise Common issues Sense of belonging Affect change at policy level The key aspect here is on collective action, not about solving individual issues, although, inevitably individual refugee women do benefit from any positive change brought about by the group. We need to pause and recognise the huge issues being tackled by the group and the sometimes overwhelming barriers to their influence It is in this context that CD practitioners need to recognise small changes, such as raising awareness as well as any hard fought successes such as Home Office provision of child care for asylum interviews.

Impact of CD – RWSG member “I didn’t know about my rights; that you are free to speak out for yourself; I never used to do that. I was just scared. I thought maybe because I am an asylum seeker I am not allowed. But then being with RWSG… now we know our rights. Now we are free to speak out. We do not have that stigma, but other asylum seeking women still have this stigma, they are still scared. Since I have been involved with RWSG, I feel free. I feel I can do anything.” RWSG member

Impact of CD – RWSG member “Because of community development support, we built the confidence to speak in front of powers like the House of Commons”.

Impact of CD – RWSG member “We are trying to make the asylum process gender-sensitive. This has a positive impact…although we haven’t had the changes done, at least we have had our voices heard. They know that there is a group of women which is pushing for these issues. If we don’t get a positive response, we keep pushing. We don’t just drop it. We don’t give up. We haven’t succeeded yet. But I think it is a step in the right way.”

Impact of CD -Stakeholder “After the first meeting, I remember feeling slightly alarmed at the extent of the barriers that are in place that I wasn’t quite aware of. It almost made me feel a little bit sad, to be honest. It has definitely opened my eyes. It feeds into loads of aspects of my work, just to have in the back of my mind how our customers feel and how they view us.”

More information on RWSG http://www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/search?q=raising+refugee+womens+voices