GENDER MAINSTREAMING & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

IFFDC's approach to mainstreaming gender and women empowerment in all its projects is not about adding merely a 'woman's component' or even a 'gender equality component' into an existing activity. It goes beyond increasing women's participation, bringing the experience, knowledge, and interests of women and men to bear 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 1,896 SHG with a total membership of 19,403of which 94% are women. The cumulative savings of these groups has reached Rs. 581.75 lakh. Loans taken by members are around Rs. 216.26 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, Skill Development and Capacity Building Programmes. Furthermore, the revolving fund amounting to Rs. 331.73 lakh has been operationalised for facilitating Micro-Credit Mechanism in the rural areas.

To develop skill and open new avenues of income generation to the women members, the innovative technologies of "National Innovation Foundation - India" (NIFI), CIBART, TRIFED etc are being mobilised. The income generating activities suc as Handlooms items weeving, Bamboo furniture/Products making, Sanitary Napkin Manufacturing, Agarbatti Making, Spices Processing, Wick making, Paper Plates manufaturing, Arecanut leaves plates manufacturing etc. have been adopted in the project area. Moreover, the Bee-keeping units setup with the technical guidance of 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, WUC, LCs etc. During the year following activities were undertaken for Gender mainstreaming.

Details of Gender mainstreaming related activities:

Outcome

50. 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 problems related to health, functional literacy, education of children, social exploitation and social evils like addiction to alcohol, gambling, tobacco consumption etc. and are identifying suitable solutions for their problems.
50. Skill Development of SHG has generated income and created a sense of cohesiveness, ownership and belongingness amongst community members.
50. SHG have been institutionalized in all project villages at present, which is ensuring that the women and marginalized communities are actively involved in the participatory planning and implementation exercises.
50. The women drudgery reduction activities helped in saving time and labour of the women. The women are utilising the saved time in their own development & income generation.
50. Open defecation is reduced due to construction of toilets. Girls and women are feeling safe which has helped in improving their self-esteem.
50. Use of new technology i.e. Bio-Digester Toilets helped in total decomposition of human waste consequently the quality of ground water does not deteriorate ultimately it contributes significantly to the agenda of Government of India for "Swachh Bharat Abhiyan".
50. Income generating activities helping in sustainable livelihood in rural area and the role of entrepreneur women in their families has increased.