Theme: New opportunities for women in traditional rural villages influence their social relations. Two IFAD-financed multisectoral projects in rural Pakistan have recently been studied to learn more about their focus on and their impact on women. One of these projects was implemented in rural villages in Mansehra and the other in villages in the Neelum and Jhelum valleys. Both projects were originally designed with a concentration on women in development. But, as the understanding of the issue evolved during the 1990s, both tried to move towards a more mainstreamed approach to gender. Among other aspects, the 2001 study looked at the effect the gender activities in the projects had either directly, or indirectly on women’s social relations. In the first place, the study noted that there had been changes in the relationships among women, including the emergence of greater solidarity among women. Community-based organizations had been established for women (as well as for men). At the time of the study, the groups had been in operation at least six months. The majority of the members were attending meetings regularly. By and large, these women’s groups were found to be effective, and commitment, tolerance and mutual respect were at a high level among members. Members said that group interactions strengthened their social relationships with other women. Women reported that they benefited from the emotional support of their peers, which, before the existence of the groups, had been evident mainly at weddings and funerals, in the fields, or when the women fetched water. Women in all 12 of the women’s community-based organizations that were visited during the study noted that, whereas “before, they used to suffer alone and in silence with their own problems”, this had now changed. The consensus among all groups visited was also that the women now shared problems during the regular group meetings and felt they did not have to rely only on men. Secondly, the study noted that there had been changes in women’s relationships with their husbands. It found that mutual understanding between husbands and wives and therefore relationships in general had quite improved substantially, although some response-bias may have been involved. All except one of the 12 women’s groups visited noted that men had initially been against forming the group, but were now supportive. Reportedly, the improvement in attitudes and in relationships had occurred because men appreciated the income that women were now generating and the greater sharing of the financial responsibility for the household. As a result, some of the men were also helping out with what had previously been women’s tasks, such as the care of buffalo stock and looking after children, in order to free women up for other activities. Men also said that they now listen to women more and respect their opinion. A somewhat related finding was that the women wanted their sons to be “very different from our husbands”, and, in a more progressive village, some women actually said they wanted their sons “to grow up to obey their wives”. Thirdly, the study revealed that women’s relations had changed towards community outsiders. Women’s involvement in activities beyond the community and their general mobility had increased. The study found that, in the 12 groups studied in depth, the women reported that they could now travel to town and visit health services, the bank, government agencies and so on by themselves. All women’s groups said that, before, it had not been possible for the women to interact alone with male project staff, but now all reported that this was possible. The women’s relationships with outsiders had increased not only because of the visits of project staff to the communities, but also because of the women’s newfound mobility. The women also appeared to have become more politically active. Lesson: A gender-sensitive project intervention in traditional rural communities can have a wide-ranging impact on women’s social relations. This type of impact can be highly positive for gender equity and may facilitate a continuing impact after project exit, including on the next generation. Source: Maria Protz, October 2001, Gender Impact Analysis of the Mansehra Village Support Project and the Neelum and Jhelum Valleys Community Development Project, Rome. |
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