GENDER PERSPECTIVE WATER HIBAH AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
GENDER PERSPECTIVE WATER HIBAH AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES INDONESIA INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE March 2011
INDONESIA INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE This document has been published by the Indonesia Infrastructure Initiative (IndII), an Australian Government funded project designed to promote economic growth in Indonesia by enhancing the relevance, quality and quantum of infrastructure investment. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australia Indonesia Partnership or the Australian Government. Please direct any comments or questions to the IndII Director, tel. +62 (21) 230-6063, fax +62 (21) 3190-2994. Website: www.indii.co.id. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report has been prepared by Gaynor Dawson, International Gender Specialist, who was engaged under the Indonesia Infrastructure Initiative (IndII), funded by AusAID, as part of this Activity. Any errors of fact or interpretation are solely those of the author.
TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION... 1 CHAPTER 2: DATA COLLECTION... 2 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS... 3 3.1 ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS GENDER EQUALITY... 3 3.2 GENDER EQUALITY OUTCOMES ARE BEING ACHIEVED... 4 3.2.1 Improvements in knowledge, attitudes and skills with regard to gender equality... 4 3.2.2 Access and participation... 4 3.2.3 Gender equitable benefits have been achieved... 6 3.3 PARTNER GOVERNMENT KNOWS THAT INDII SUPPORTS GENDER EQUALITY... 7 CHAPTER 4: WEAKNESSES AND RECOMMENDATIONS... 8 4.1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH... 8 4.2 SELECTION OF PDAM WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS... 8 4.3 LISTING POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES... 9 4.4 COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY... 9 4.5 COUNTERPART GOVERNMENT KNOWLEDGE THAT INDII PLACES IMPORTANCE ON GENDER EQUALITY... 10 i
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION IndII s gender strategy provides the framework and plan for integrating gender equality in the design and implementation of IndII activities. The strategy is in line with AusAID s gender policy and GOI s gender mainstreaming regulations and the aims of its National Medium Term Development Plan. Indicators applied in the evaluation were: Action is being taken to address gender equality in the activity Positive changes in gender equality or women s empowerment have been effected Knowledge, attitudes and skills and practices with regard to gender equality have been improved in at least one level (consultants, counterparts, CBOs, community etc) Partner government officers/communities know that IndII promotes gender equality in its activities. 1
CHAPTER 2: DATA COLLECTION Documents including the activity s Terms of Reference, baseline survey and socialisation report, Socio-economic Survey Final Reports, Socialisation report of the socio-economic survey results, Lists of Potential Beneficiaries and information about water charges from Palembang were reviewed. Communication materials such as booklets and flip charts for the community outreach activity were reviewed. Site visits were made to Serang, Banten Province, and Palembang, South Sumatra and discussions were held with PDAM officers and their water hibah implementing teams, as well as women, men and children in the community. There were considerable differences in each location visited and it is likely that there is a wide variation in the situations of other locations. 2
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS 3.1 ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS GENDER EQUALITY Finding: Action is being taken on a number of fronts to integrate gender equality measures into the activity. Resourcing: A gender specialist is on the implementing consultant team. This has been particularly useful in analysing the survey findings with regard to gender and in facilitating the Semi workshops for presentation of the survey findings. Without the resourcing of a gender specialist on the team it is unlikely that this would have been done as effectively. Training for interviewers: The consultant s TOR requires that the consultant provide training for baseline survey interviewers concerning gender and disability inclusiveness prior to their going to the field. It should be noted, however, that verification that this was actually undertaken was not able to be obtained because no report on the training for interviewers was found. The social economy baseline survey and socialisation workshop: The social economy baseline survey collected sex disaggregated data about household headship, employment, disability and decision making in the household. The analysis was presented and discussed during Semi workshops for participating PDAM, local government officers and selected customers. The presentation by the gender specialist discussed what gender was about, the gender differences found in analysing the survey data and how this could be used for improved effectiveness in implementing the activity. Consumer participation at the workshop: At IndII s suggestion, the Ministry of Public Works requested that PDAM prioritise the selection of women customers to attend the workshop because of women s central role in water management in the home. Community outreach (Activity W009 Public Diplomacy): There are two main activities in the community outreach program which is implemented after the verification of the agreed number of connections installed by respective PDAM. The activities in the community outreach are a radio program of testimonials from householders who have connected to the PDAM supply and an extension education program about the benefits of having a water connection. 1 1 Palembang was still in the process of completing all its connections and had not commenced the outreach activity. Serang had completed the radio program and the community extension educators had received training but had not yet started their outreach program. 3
The implementing consultant for the outreach activities suggested to the PDAM that women and men should be selected in equal proportion to provide testimonials about the benefits of having a water connection on the radio and to be trained as trainers for the extension education program. The consultant provided a gender sensitive explanation to the PDAM about the reason for this: women and men might have different points of view about the benefits of having a water connection because of their different experiences; they had different ways of communicating; and their different experiences made it easier for women and men respectively to relate to the women and men with whom they were communicating. 3.2 GENDER EQUALITY OUTCOMES ARE BEING ACHIEVED 3.2.1 Improvements in knowledge, attitudes and skills with regard to gender equality Findings: A limited number of people have improved understanding with regard to gender equality. For participants at the workshop for the presentation of the social survey results there has been some improvement in understanding gender equality and how analysing gender differences can improve the targeting and the effectiveness of projects. The Serang team who had attended the Socialisation of the Social Economy Survey Results workshop had greater understanding about gender equality and the benefits of knowing about gender differences in comparison with the Palembang team members interviewed, none of whom had attended the workshop. The gender sessions reportedly had enthusiastic participation and in some cases resulted in requests for more capacity building about gender and the implications of gender differences for planning. This indicates that positive attitudes to encouraging gender equality were fostered. However, any impact is limited to those PDAM and local government officers and consumers who had attended that workshop. In addition to the workshops for Socialisation of the Social Survey results, consultants and the Ministry of Public Works requests to ensure that women participate in activities have increased awareness of the need for increased women s participation. 3.2.2 Access and participation Findings: Overall there has been good gender equality in access and participation in activities. Ensuring that women were able to participate in activities has promoted the position of women in the public arena and may have increased the confidence and opportunities of those women who participated to take on other roles in public. Access to information: Women customers interviewed said that women had equal opportunity with men to hear about the possibility of getting a house connection because information about the water connection was provided door to door. In 4
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS locations visited in Serang and Palembang there were two means of communicating with householders about obtaining a water connection. The first was during the baseline survey of households who were potential candidates for a connection. The second was through the Neighbourhood Head (Kepala RT) who is almost always a man. In both cases, house to house approaches were used and both women and men who were in the house were provided with the information. Women interviewed seemed to have been quite well informed about the water connection program and were able to participate in decision making within the home. While some women stated that their husbands had made the decision to obtain a connection, with further probing it appeared that in the large majority of these cases, the decision was made after discussion between the husband and wife and in the case of extended households, other adult members. In only one case amongst the people spoken to, was it clear that the husband had made a unilateral decision to have the water connected. This was where he was the collector of water for the family. The house to house approach enabled women to obtain information directly (when they were in the house at the time). It is unclear whether trying to provide information to both women and men was a conscious aim of the program or not. No evidence of guidelines to ensure equal access by women and men to information about the water connection were found. Applying for a water connection: In Palembang, PDAM officials stated that the majority of people who came to apply for a connection after the information was provided to households were women, indicating that in addition to wanting a connection, they knew and understood what was required to apply. It is unknown whether this was the same in Serang. Socialisation of the Baseline Survey Results Workshops: The majority of consumer representatives attending the workshops were women. Sex disaggregated data of attendees is provided in the reports. This shows that of 7 Semi workshops involving 37 PDAM, 92% (33) of customer representatives were women. Community outreach activities: In the community outreach activities, women and men are being chosen equally to take leadership roles in providing testimonials over the radio and being community extension education workers. In Serang, equal numbers of men and women were selected from each sub district (kecamatan) for training to improve their capacity to undertake the community outreach activity. In addition to Serang, data submitted from training of community extension education workers at Sub district Kesugihan in Cilacap District was that there were 11 men and 10 women participants. This indicates that the consultants are making consistent efforts to ensure equal participation in other locations as well. 5
3.2.3 Gender equitable benefits have been achieved Findings: Women, men and children have benefited considerably from having house connections. Women in particular felt that they were less tired and healthier, their children were healthier, they had more time available for other activities, and their household economies were benefiting. Where men were involved in carrying water, they also identified significant benefits in terms of not having the drudgery of water collection. Men, not only women and children, were targeted for hygiene activities in the community outreach program in Serang. House connections: Women, as the persons most usually responsible for managing water in the house and ensuring that water is available to other household members, bear the greatest burden with regard to water provision when there is no house water connection. They spend significant time and energy collecting water from sources such as dug wells, ponds, rivers, and irrigation canals and spend scarce resources from the household finances purchasing clean water from vendors. Time is also taken walking to and from water sources where people bathe, wash their clothes and defecate often in muddy and polluted water. While bathing and washing at these water sources is frequently a social event, there is also the incentive to do this at the water source in order to save carrying even greater amounts of water back to the house. Women spoken to for the evaluation were very enthusiastic about the benefits that they had felt since having a house connection. Time: The house connection was much more convenient and saved a lot of time for women who no longer had to walk to the water source to do their washing or bathe themselves or children and they no longer had to carry water or organise others to bring water back to the house. Health: Their bodies felt less tired and they felt healthier. In particular, the problem of skin irritation was eliminated. Women felt relieved that their young children in particular were healthier and at less risk of disease than previously because the water that was used for cooking, drinking and bathing was not contaminated. Improved family health means less time spent by women caring for those who are ill or days lost by being incapacitated themselves. Elderly women spoken to said that they were very happy that now they did not have to walk long distances or carry heavy water. Household economy: Women frequently noted that they were spending less money on water than they had when they purchased water from vendors for drinking and cooking. For example, one woman said that previously she paid about Rp60,000/month for water but now paid about Rp30,000 to the PDAM and, additionally, obtained a greater volume of water. Another said that previously she had paid Rp30,000 per month to water vendors for drinking water and now she was paying between Rp9,000 and Rp20,000/month. It could also be assumed that with improved family health there would be less expenditure on treatment for disease such as skin infections and less income earning time lost. 6
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS Income earning activity profits: In Palembang a number of women commented that their income earning activities which required clean water, such as preparing and cooking vegetables, snacks and drinks for sale, were much more profitable now because they no longer had to purchase water at high cost from a vendor. Toilets: In Serang many households had built toilets after receiving the house water connection which meant they had a good supply of water for cleaning themselves after going to the toilet and for flushing and cleaning the toilet. If constructed to correct standards, this is likely to result in improved environmental sanitation and health benefits for families which will especially benefit women as the main carers of family members who fall ill and whose housekeeping monies may be used to pay for treatment. Hygiene outreach: Frequently in development programs women are the targets of hygiene activities. This ignores the health information and behaviour change needs of men. In Serang, men were included with women and children as the targets for the Pola Kehidupan Sehat (Patterns of Healthy Living) community outreach activity. Men were to be approached through the mosques, women through the women s groups in the village and children in the schools. 3.3 PARTNER GOVERNMENT KNOWS THAT INDII SUPPORTS GENDER EQUALITY Findings: The Palembang PDAM officers who were interviewed did not know that, in line with AusAID gender policy, IndII supported and promoted gender equality in its activities. In Serang, the PDAM officers did not recall whether they had specifically been told this but had inferred that IndII placed importance on gender equality from the consultant s requests for women to be involved in the community outreach program. 7
CHAPTER 4: WEAKNESSES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4.1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH The material produced for the community extension and education outreach, in particular the flip chart which is to be used for the extension workers with community groups, is very unequal in its portrayal of women and men. There are many more men portrayed than women Women are only portrayed in stereotypical domestic roles Men are portrayed only in positions of authority A woman is shown as passive and in the background, while males are in the foreground and more active. Recommendations The company producing the communications material will be made more aware of gender equality in images. A short guide on what to do and to avoid for improved gender equality has been produced as a result of this review. The content of the short guide was discussed with the communications consultant. IndII s communication team should collaborate with the national gender adviser to monitor all material produced to ensure that it does not reinforce gender stereotypes or inequalities. 4.2 SELECTION OF PDAM WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS In Serang, the PDAM team in the field included officers who had attended the workshop where gender issues were discussed and they had a good appreciation of gender issues relevant to piped water supply. However, in Palembang the MBR team did not seem to include anyone who had attended the workshop, thus negating some of the positive effects of increasing understanding of gender issues and their relevance for increased effectiveness in implementing activities in the community. Recommendations It is recommended that for any similar workshops in the future where the results of surveys and their implications for implementing the activity are discussed, the Public Works letter of invitation should require that the attendees will be the members of the team who are going to be closely involved in decision making about the field situation or in implementation in the community and should include both women and men. 8
CHAPTER 4: WEAKNESSES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4.3 LISTING POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES The initial technical surveys collected the names of potential beneficiaries of water connections. While, generally, activity reporting has been excellent in providing sex disaggregated data, these key documents were not sex disaggregated, although it was clear that a significant number of names on the lists are those of women. Recommendations Future initial surveys of potential beneficiaries for hibah activities should include a column to indicate whether they are women or men. 4.4 COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY 1. Women may communicate more effectively with other women in the community than men. Recommendation It is recommended that for future baseline surveys it is ensured that women be selected equally with men as interviewers and that where Neighbourhood Heads are used to consult householders, PDAM be requested to ensure that a woman leader is also asked to be involved. 2. While women had obtained information about the water connections from the survey interviewers or neighbourhood heads, it was unclear whether this was just an incidental outcome of the house to house approach which was taken or was planned. Recommendation It is recommended that for future hibah activities clear and specific guidelines be in place to require information be provided directly to both women and men in the household. 3. Information about how bills are calculated and the household s responsibilities for on-going maintenance of pipes and taps between the meter and the house was not 9
given at time of fitting the house connection in Palembang and women in the more recently connected areas who were interviewed did not know it was their responsibility. While this is a problem for both women and men in the household, in a significant number of households in both Palembang and Serang, women were de jure household heads because they were widowed or divorced.2 Others were de facto household heads because husbands were working away, had left the family, were absent for other reasons, or were chronically ill. This highlights the need to ensure that women as well as men in the household are provided with information with information so that they are able to make decisions and act as necessary if their husbands are not present. Recommendation It is recommended that the project ensure that PDAM provide both women and men with clear information about the calculation of water usage and cost and respective responsibilities before or at the time of the connection. 4.5 COUNTERPART GOVERNMENT KNOWLEDGE THAT INDII PLACES IMPORTANCE ON GENDER EQUALITY Recommendation IndII needs to pay more attention in its communication with the counterpart government organisations from the beginning to emphasise that IndII requires that women and men are given equal opportunity to participate and benefit in all activities. 2 The Social Economic Surveys found that 10.6% of households in the areas surveyed were female headed. This is less than the figure for Indonesia overall which is around 13%. 10