GENDER MAINSTREAMING & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

B. Gender Mainstreaming & Women Empowerment

IFFDC's approach to mainstreaming gender and women empowerment in all its projects is not about merely adding a gender or even a 'gender equality' component into an existing activity. It goes beyond increasing women's participation to building a sustained process for bringing the experience, knowledge, and interests of women and men on the development agenda. Its efforts for empowering women through transforming unequal social and institutional structures into equal and just structures for both men and women are an essential feature of all IFFDC interventions, and constitute the cross cutting thematic area 'Gender Mainstreaming and Women Empowerment.

PROGRESS

IFFDC is nurturing 1,914 SHG with a total membership of 19,574 of which 94% are women. The cumulative savings of these groups have reached Rs. 591.58 lakh. Loans drawn by members are around Rs. 551.08 lakh. The local banks are also providing financial assistance to them for initiating micro-enterprises for sustainable livelihood development. These SHG are being nurtured through regular Meetings, as well as Skill Development and Capacity Building Programmes. Furthermore, a revolving fund amounting to Rs. 340.78 lakh has been operationalised for facilitating Micro-Credit Mechanism in the rural areas.

To develop skill and open new avenues of income generation for the women members, the innovative technologies of "National Innovation Foundation - India" (NIFI), CIBART, TRIFED etc are being mobilised. Income generating activities such as Handloom items making, Weaving, Bamboo furniture/Products making, Sanitary Napkin manufacturing, Agarbatti making, Spices processing, Wick making, Paper Plates manufacturing, Arecanut leaf plates manufacturing, Beautician, Lac Items making, Applique work, Artificial Ornaments making, Madhubani Painting, LED Bulbs making, Block Printing, Akola Print, Jute Products, Computer Operation etc. have been adopted in the project areas. Moreover, the Bee-keeping units set up with the technical guidance of the National Bee Board and Bee Positive Co. are resulting in additional income generation.

Apart from Self Help Group formation, women membership is also encouraged in Community Based Organisations such as PFFCS, PLDCS, VWDC, LC etc. During the year, the following activities were undertaken for Gender mainstreaming.

Details of Gender mainstreaming related activities:

S. No.	Activities	Achievement (Nos.)
1.	Health Checkup & Sanitation Awareness Programme (No.)	382
2.	Safe Drinking Water (No. of Families)	6,141
3.	Distribution of Smokeless Chulha (No. of Families)	2,788
4.	Women Development Activities (No.)	429
5.	Toilets/Bathrooms Construction (No. of Families)	533
6.	Women Drudgery Reduction Activities (No. of Members)	2,106
7.	Bee-keeping Units - 5 Boxes per unit (No. of Members)	92
8.	Income Generation Activities (No. of Members)	1,993

Outcome

l       Self Self Help Groups (SHG) are helping in addressing the fulfillment of immediate needs as well as the strategic interests of women and helping to bring them into the mainstream. SHG are also discussing their member problems related to health, functional literacy, education of children, child marriage, unplanned family, early age pregnancy, social exploitation and social evils like addiction to alcohol, gambling, tobacco consumption etc. and are identifying suitable solutions for their problems.

l       Solar based drinking water filter units, Solar Street Lights, Solar Home Lights are making life easy for women by reducing drudgery.

l        Skill Development of SHG members has generated incomes and created a sense of cohesiveness, ownership and belonging among them.

l       SHG have been institutionalised in all project villages at present, which is ensuring that the women and marginalised communities are actively involved in the                          participatory planning and implementation exercises.

l       The women are utilising the time saved through women drudgery interventions in their own development & income generation.

l      Open defecation and bathing has reduced as a result of the construction of toilets/bathrooms. Girls and women are feeling safe, which has helped in improving their             self-esteem. The name"Izzatghar" used for the bathrooms by the women of these communities reflect the dignity they are endowed with as a result of these toilets                and also their usefulness.

l       The use of new technology in the toilet construction i.e. Bio-Digester Toilets have helped in the total decomposition of human waste, as a consequence of which the               quality of ground water does not deteriorate, ultimately contributing significantly to the agenda of the Government of India for "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan".

l      These Income generating activities have significantly helped introduce sustainable livelihoods in rural areas and the role of entrepreneur women in their families has              increased.