WOMENS EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABLE MICROFINANCE

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WOMENS EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABLE
MICROFINANCE
Session 5

• WALKING THE TALKINTERNAL GENDER POLICY

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WALKING THE TALK

• STRUCTURAL INCENTIVES
• Focal point and mainstreaming
• Integration of empowerment indicators into
  ongoing monitoring and evaluation
• Staff targets for empowerment achievement

• FAMILYFRIENDLY
• Flexible working arrangementsflexi-time,
  flexi-place, part-time and job sharing encouraged
  at all levels including senior managers.
• Can any work be done from home?
• Maternity and paternity leave policies.
• Childcare and dependent care leave and support.

All staff gender aware Balanced representation
of women and men in senior management positions
at headquarters and in the field.

• RIGHTS AT WORK
• Review of all norms and job descriptions from a
  gender perspective
• Equal pay for equal work
• Freedom from sexual harassment (women and men)
• Establish rights and responsibilities
• Structures for participation by all staff in
  decision-making

• RECRUITMENT PROMOTION
• Gender awareness included in job descriptions
  and as key criterion for recruitment and
  promotion.
• Advertising through channels likely to reach more
  women.
• Proactive hiring and promotion strategies to
  recruit women into senior management positions
  until gender balance is reached.

• TRAINING
• Ongoing training for all male and female staff
  in gender awareness, sensitisation, planning and
  analysis.
• Follow-up training with specific tools and
  methodologies
• Training for women to move from mid- to senior-
  level positions.

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BENEFITS for women and men and the organization
Good work relations
EMPOWERINGORGANIZATION
Greater staff work satisfaction
ABOVE ALL Organizational culture and systems to
value the contributions of both female and male
staff at all levels Norms of behaviour for both
men and women Willingness and support for change
at all levels
Misunderstandings between men and women
Less stress
Tensions between those with families and those
without
Establish agreed rules and norms
Trained experienced female staff get betterpaid
jobs elsewhere
Who will bear the costs? The organization?
Clients? Donors?
Participatory negotiation and dialogue
CHALLENGES
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YOUR QUESTIONS ??