MSc Environment and Development 2011

Speaker: Ciara Commins

Projects By: Ciara Commins, Stacey Dunne

and Vivian Simonato

Research from Maranhão to Monrovia –

MSc Env&Dev Projects 2011

Introduction

Urban Vulnerability

Kenya

Women's Empowerment

Brazil

Gender Based Violence

Liberia

Introduction ‘The only thing left to do is not to eat’- Testing Indicators of Urban

Vulnerability to Food Security in Informal Settlements of Nairobi, Kenya

By: Ciara Commins

Gender based violence in Liberia. From Incident to Conviction the Road to Justice

By: Stacey Dunne

Women empowerment in rural Brazil: the case study of women babassu breakers of Maranhão State

By: Vivian Simonato

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Kenya - Urban Vulnerability Background to Study

Concern Worldwide Nairobi, Internship

Urban Emergencies Indicator Project

Research Question

What is urban vulnerability?

Is food security a good base indicator of urban vulnerability?

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Korogocho, Nairobi

Kenya - Urban Vulnerability

Lit Review

Urbanisation – 60% of Nairobi’s

population live in slums

Vulnerability – asset based

Food Security – access,

availability, utlisation

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Food Security

Vulnerability

Urbanisation

Kenya - Urban Vulnerability

Data

Quantitative Urban

Vulnerability Survey

• 370 Households + GPS

Qualitative Re-Sample

• 24 Households

Key Informant Interviews

Background Reports

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Household Data

Kenya - Urban Vulnerability

Results

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Kenya - Urban Vulnerability

Results

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Kenya - Urban Vulnerability

Implications of Research

Visualising the vulnerability

Round 2 Data – July 2011

Transferral of indicators globally

Long term monitoring

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Liberia – Gender Based Violence

Background to Study

Concern Worldwide Liberia – Internship

School-Related Gender Based Violence (SRGBV) Referral

Pathways

Research Theme

• What are the official and un-official pathways used when

reporting SRGBV?

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Liberia – Gender Based Violence

Literature

• Violence in post-conflict Liberia (from 2005)

• SRGBV and GBV in Buchannan - Grand Bassa County

• Referral Pathways

• Implications of Ministry of Justice and UNMIL policies.

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Liberia – Gender Based Violence

Data

Two weeks in Grand Bassa County based in Buchannan.

In-depth field work was carried out in Buchannan, and three

communities in District 2 (St. John River, Compound 2 &

Senyah).

Methods used: In-depth semi-structured interviews

Focus Groups Discussions

33 interviews and 4 Focus Group Discussions were carried

out.

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Liberia – Gender Based Violence Implications of Research

Concern's involvement with the Ministry of Gender and Development (MOGD) and the GBV Task-Force Committee is vital to ensure that information gathered at local levels can be disseminated and eventually reach the Ministries that can implement policy changes.

This involvement needs to be strengthened to ensure development and changes to policies that restrict the conviction of GBV perpetrators.

The introduction of the new Research Consortium involving the “Sex for Grades” study will be a valuable opportunity to further strengthen ties and relationships with the MOGD, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and other NGOs that are a part of the Consortium.

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Brazil – Women’s Empowerment Background to Study

Association of People in Settlement Areas in the State of

Maranhão

Research question

Does participation in cooperatives and rural women’s

organizations (CRWO) impact on the empowerment of woman

in rural Brazil?

Indicators of empowerment: economic independence; decision-

making power regarding reproductive health and education, and

perception of empowerment.

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Brazil – Women’s Empowerment Literature Review

Global women’s empowerment

Women’s lack of decision making power within the household and further spheres in the society

Increasing awareness of women’s role to economic development

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Brazil – Women’s Empowerment

Site

Mearim Valley

central portion of

Maranhão State,

north east Brazil.

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Brazil – Women’s Empowerment

Data

Semi-structured interviews – 25 (15 female members of

CRWO; 10 female non-members of CRWO);

Key Informant interviews;

Focus Group Discussion;

Direct observation (visiting communities; attending to

ASSEMA’s and CRWO’s meetings; and Women’s Group of

Studies);

Informal Discussion

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Brazil – Women’s Empowerment Results

Female members of CRWO Increased capability to perceive and questioning gender gaps at household

(and community levels) after joined CRWO Better management of income Increased willingness and decision-making power to enrol school and

support children’s education Better access to information regarding reproductive health and more likely

to plan the family Female non-members of CRWO Same community = perception of gender gaps and same benefits as members

of CRWO, but less likely to question gender gaps Different communities = no perception of gender gaps; food vulnerability;

exploitation; less likely to enrol school and plan the family

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Brazil – Women’s Empowerment Implications of Research

Expansion of ongoing projects

“What does it means empowerment?” . Choose the words more carefully.

Word does not exist in Portuguese what commonly hindered comprehension

and assessment of interviewees

Intensify mainstreaming programs in:

Enhancing activities related to women’s health targeting men of

traditional communities, burden of family planning belong basically to

the women

Strengthening educational and capacity build initiatives to tackle with

gender gaps

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Conclusion

Making the invisible visible in Kenya

From paper to reality in Liberia

The domino effect of the women in CRWO, Brazil

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion

Thank You

Introduction

Kenya

Liberia

Brazil

Conclusion