Equality and Womens Empowerment Programs in Congo - Research Proposal Example

Introduction The aim of this research project is to evaluate the effectiveness of various equality and women's empowerment programs of the NGO Monuc, based in the Republic of Congo. Particularly this study will investigate what programs of gender intervention that are used, how the programs are presented to women, how the women experience the programs, and the effectiveness of the programs to meet set goals. The war in Congo has continued for the past decade, and its impact on women has included displacement, rape, family deaths, stolen children and voluntary and involuntary recruitment to the war effort. Although research on the roles and status of women in Africa has expanded over the past two decades, there is still a lack of comprehensive, reality-based, and sophisticated analyses and documentation of the important issues and debates in this area. It is generally conceded that issues of poverty, reconstruction and national development cannot be addressed without first looking to gender mainstreaming (Sweetman, 2004; Whitebread, 2004; Zucherman & Greenberg, 2004). Political representation of women, as well as women actively taking part in unofficial decision-making processes at the community and family level need to be incorporated into any programs that aim to change gender roles and political power (Kalunga-Banda, 2004). Evaluation of NGO programs that challenge gender polarization are a necessary step to identify opportunities and constraints of this political action, and to determine the benefits and possible negative effects the programs have on women, and their community (McKay, 2004; Sweeman, 2004; Zuchermann & Greenberg, 2004) . Rational In September, 1995 the United Nations signed the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that dictates two main objectives: to confirm women's equal access and full participation in decision-making, and to increase women's ability to fully participate in leadership roles and decision-making processes (SURF, 2003). Gender issues for women do not occur in isolation, gender issues are dynamic and interact with other identities (Cupples, 2004). As NGO organizations such as Monuc utilize western values of democracy that focuses on equal rights for all identities within a community, this research project will draw on the theory of multiculturalism, as envisioned by Will Kymlicka (1995). Kymlicka considers culture to be the most characteristic element of a society, and that policy changes are dependent on how they affect culture. He supports "group-differentiated rights" (King, 2000, p. 5) as a way to negate unequal opportunities. Kymlicka emphasises culture, as the options available for policy changes, and community changes in values and beliefs are predetermined by culture. It is within a cultural community that an individual reflects on its goals. Specific Research Questions What are the cultural values within Congo, pertaining to gender roles, equality and empowerment of women What are the cultural values of social change in Congo What are the cultural values of each community regrading gender equality and cultural change What women focused programs are in use What other women based activities exist in the community Is there coordination between Monuc programs and community empowerment programs, if any exist How do Monuc programs compare with gender equality programs of other NGOs How is gender inequality and disempowerment of women defined in Congo What are the patterns of disempowerment for women in Congo What are the patterns of empowerment for women in Congo Have the women experienced meaningful change due to the programs Have women experienced meaningful change to all of the Monuc programs Do the women consider that their communities and families have experienced positive change due to the programs Do the women consider that their families and communities have experienced negative change due to the programs Have the women been exposed to negative experiences because of the programs At a policy level, what are the implications of equality and empowerment for women in Congo Is the participation of women meaningfully incorporated into policy making Is there meaningful participation of women in resource allocation Do women benefit equally from public and private resources and services Do the women feel that they have the right to build a gender-equitable society Do the women believe that equality of gender will bring peace and community development Do gender awareness programs exist within the communities of women Are gender awareness programs in place by the government of Congo How does Monuc transform gender roles What is the theoretical basis of Monuc gender equality and empowerment for women programs What do women see as their agency within heterosexual institutions How do/did women participate/not participate in the war. What are the women's experiences of human rights violations How do women interpret their psychosocial recovery What are the difficulties faced by women within their community Do the women feel that they have benefited from the programs How do the women interpret their contribution to sustainable development How do women interpret their contribution to peace and prosperity Do the women consider that different motivations for reform exist How effective are the programs from the point of view of the women What do the women see as benefits from the program Do the women feel safe taking part in the programs Has Monuc met its goals for gender equality and empowerment of women in Congo What constraints exist that negate the programs effectiveness What are consequences to the community from women taking part in the programs What are the consequences to the women's family for their participation in the programs What opportunities the programs have created What are the durable and dynamic elements of the programs Design This project will use a qualitative research design, utilizing in-depth interviewing, a book review (Is multiculturalism bad for women by Cohen and Howard, 1999) and document review to explore the effects of gender-equality programs. A field assessment will be undertaken to engage women in various communities who are involved in Monuc equality and empowerment programs. In-depth interviews with at least 30 women aged from to . years, will take place in the towns of .., and ..in Congo. Purposive sampling will be used, as it can effectively group women participants according to criteria selected before the research begins, in this case: women who participate in gender equality and empowerment programs with Monuc. Purposive sampling is a popular method, as the sample size does not have to be fixed before the project begins. It is also an advantage, as this study will have its sample size constrained by time and available resources (Mack, Woodsong, MacQueen, Guest & Namey, 2005). Snowball sampling is a common purposive technique, often termed chain-referral sampling. Participants tap into their social networks to refer potential participants to the researcher (Mason, 1997). An advantage to this method is that "hidden populations" of people not usually accessible to the researcher can be accessed. In-Depth Interviews In-depth interviews provide a human element to the research process (Bryman, 2004). They provide the researcher with insight into the experiences of participants, from the participant's point of view. The interview is a one-to-one process, usually, and allows the researcher to gauge the participant's interpretation of the relationships they see between events, people and social values. The researcher asks neutral questions, listens actively, does not approve or disapprove of answers, and does not encourage the participant to provide particular answers, instead facilitating the participant to follow up on previous answers. For this project tape recordings of interviews will be used to type transcripts that will also incorporate researcher notes taken during the interview. The data will then be thematically coded for analyses. Ethics The first rule of research is: Do no harm! And it is not the intention of this study to disrupt the lives of the women who participate. Ethical considerations for this study include respect for them as a person and so acknowledging their autonomy, respecting their dignity and ensuring that their participation is not merely for collection of data. Beneficence will ensure a minimization of risk to the women who participate, at both the psychological and social level. Also, it will involve the communication of benefits for participation for the women. Justice will be incorporated by way of a fair distribution of risks and benefits to the participant. This project seeks to have the women who participate be the ones who will benefit from the research. Introductory guidelines will be developed to recruit participants. This project is very sensitive to the socio- cultural environment that the study will take place in, and so a multi-step recruitment process will be used. This will involve first making contact with official and unofficial community gatekeepers to gain permission, and to ask for their cooperation. Ideally a community forum for the research project will be established. Next information sheets and flyers will be distributed within the community, as well as advertised on local radio, TV and in local papers. Participants recruited will then, if they consent, tap into their social networks to contact further potential participants. Informed consent will ensure that the women who participate understand what they are participating in, and ensure respect for their dignity (Mack et al., 2005). Where necessary formal consent shall also be sought from community leaders. Of course consent forms may not be appropriate for all participants (e.g., missing limbs, illiteracy). Informed consent includes the awareness of the researcher that participation is dependant on the women's understanding of the aims of the project, and what is expected of the women during their participation. The research will emphasise to each participant her right to confidentiality, anonymity and voluntary withdrawal from the study at any time without penalty. Also, coercion of participation will be avoided at all costs, as the emphasis is on voluntary participation. Hence, informed consent will maintain the wellbeing of the participants as its priority. The consent form will be read out loud to each participant, and will be printed in language, as well as in English. The participants will be asked if they understand what is involved in the project, and unfamiliar terms will be explained. The name and contact details of the researcher will be made known, and community contacts made available in case participants should be distressed during or after the interview. The researcher will sign the consent form for those who are unable to, after they have given oral consent. Literate participants will sign the form themselves. Ideally, the researcher will be in close contact with community gatekeepers, and so will be respectful and responsive to their advice. It is acknowledged that gatekeepers are likely to have previous relationships with the participants, and will continue that rapport after the project has completed. As such, community gatekeepers may be held responsible for misunderstandings, or possible negative consequences of the research project. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Research Design There are numerous strengths and weaknesses of this research study. Strengths include the gaining of a personal perspective as opposed to a group interpretation of participation in gender-equality and empowerment programs. Also, use of the interview method allows the women to share their feelings, opinions and experiences of the programs, and the consequences of the programs for themselves, their families and communities. It is strength to gain the individual's interpretation of events, and how they structure their worldview. The interview process will also allow the researcher to observe the conversational nuances, body language, casual comments and contradictions of participant interpretations. In fact, the interview process can be an extremely positive experience for both the interviewer as they are entrusted with the personal experiences of another. The interview can also be of benefit to participants in that it can be cathartic, allowing them to express themselves in a way that would not normally be possible. However, due to the subjective nature of the interview process, it is inevitable that the information collected will also contain biased opinions and feelings. Also, interpretation of the data will be subjective, and so exposed to researcher bias. It is also likely that given the current political situation in Congo that the women participants may modify their answers in order to safeguard their personal, family and community safety. Conclusion This research project aims to better understand the use and effectiveness of gender-equality and empowerment programs for women in Monaco programs. Expanding knowledge of gender issues, and their contribution to development of Congo is a desired goal. It is important to monitor intervention programs to evaluate if the are on track, and to consider their effectiveness and possible ineffectiveness. Specific research questions shall enquire into the programs effectiveness in meeting the needs of the women, the causes of continuing inequality, and constraints to gender equality and empowerment. In addition, this project will provide a critical review of a broad range of policies and interventions that are being pursued a non-governmental organization to improve the quality of life of women in Congo, and the contribution of this to sustainable development. Timeline References Bryman, A. (2004) Social research methods (2nd ed.). Oxford Press: Oxford. Cupples, J. (2004) Counter-revolutionary women: gender and reconciliation in post-war Nicaraguan gender ideologies. Gender and Development, 12(3), pp. 8-18. Cohen, J., & Howard, M. (1999) Is multiculturalism bad for women Princeton: Princeton University Press. Kalunga-Banda, A. (2004) Post-conflict programmes for women: Lessons from the Kosovo women's initiative. Gender and Development, 12(3), pp. 31-40. King, J. (2000) Justice and refugee policy: the debate on refugees and open borders. Annual Conference of the Australasian Political Studies Association Australian National University, Canberra, ACT. Kymlicka, W. (1995) Multicultural citizenship: A liberal theory of minority rights. Oxford: Claredon Press. Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, K., Guest, G., and Namey, E. (2005) Qualitative research methods: A data collector's field guide. North Carolina: Family Health International. Mason, J. (1997) Qualitative researching: An introductory text. New York: Sage Publications. McKay, S. (2004) Reconstructing fragile lives: Girls' social reintegration in northern Uganda and Sierra Leone. Gender and Development, 12(3), pp. 19-30. SURF: Sub-Regional Resource Facility (2003) Experts meeting on gender mainstreaming of poverty reduction strategy papers in selected African countries. Southern Africa, Pretoria, March 24-26 Sweetman, C. (2004) Editorial. Gender and Development, 12(3), pp. 2-7. Whitebread, J. (2004) Mainstreaming gender in conflict reduction: From challenge to opportunity. Gender and Development, 12(3), pp. 41-49. Zucherman, E and Greenberg, M (2004) The gender dimensions of post-conflict reconstruction: An analytical framework for policymakers. Gender and Development, 12(3), pp. 70-82. Read More