VUP Gender Equity Assessment Report - Final

REPUBLIC OF RWANDA
Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (RLDSF)
Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP) Gender Equity Assessment
Final Report
Prepared by:
Kigali, Rwanda
Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

CIDA DFID DIP DS EDPRS EICV3 EU FGD FS GBV GoR HH HIMO/LIPW HIV/AIDS IGA JADF M&E MDG MINAGRI MINALOC MINECOFIN PLHA PW RLDSF SACCO SIDA SLG UNICEF VSLA VUP Canadian International Development Agency (now DFATD) Development Fund for international Development (UK) Decentralisation Implementation Programme Direct Support Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy Enqute Intgrale sur les Conditions de Vie des Mnages European Union Focus Group Discussion Financial Services Gender-Based Violence Government of Rwanda Household Haute Intensit de Main duvre/Labour Intensive Public Works Human Immune Virus /Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Income Generating Activities Joint Action Development Forum Monitoring and Evaluation Millennium development Goals Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Local Government Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning People Living with HIV and AIDS Public Works Rwanda Local Development Support Fund Savings and Credit Cooperative Swedish International Development Agency Savings and Loans Groups United Nations Childrens Funds Village Savings and Loans Associations Vision 2020 Umurenge Program
DEFINITIONS AND KEY TERMS

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Gender: Refers to the responsibilities, rights, opportunities, respect and value a person receives from society in accordance with his/her sex, and which is likely to change in relation to time, culture and other criteria.1 Gender-Based Analysis: A process that assesses the differential impact of proposed and/or existing policies, programs and legislation on women and men.2 Gender Blind: Describes policies, strategies and programmes that do not explicitly recognize existing gender differences, including in the productive and reproductive roles of men and women. This approach does not distinguish between men and women, and results in bias towards existing gender relations.3 Gender Disaggregated Data: Data that clearly show the differences in the status of women in relation to men in the various socio-economic spheres and why.4 Gender Equality: A situation where women and men fully enjoy the same opportunities in fulfilling their human rights and achieving their potential, gain access to equal participation in all developmental activities from a political, economic, social and cultural perspective, and benefit equally from results.5 Equality of opportunity: Women should have equal rights to human, social, economic and cultural development, and an equal voice in civic and political life.6 Equity of outcomes: The exercise of rights leads to outcomes which are fair and just.7
Gender Mainstreaming in Development Programmes: A process aimed at sensitizing all organizations to recognize gender and address gaps in development programmes.8 Gender Neutral: Describes policies or strategies that use the current gender context to overcome bias, through targeting and benefiting practical gender needs. Despite appearing neutral, these policies may actually impact men and women differently and reinforce existing gender inequalities.9 Practical Gender Needs: The daily and immediate needs of survival, income and livelihoods, which arise from the conditions men and women experience as a result of their gender roles in society. Strategies or policies addressing practical gender needs do not aim to change existing gender roles or relationships, but rather focus on providing goods and services based on the differential needs and experiences of men and women in the current context.10
Republic of Rwanda, Gender Monitoring Office Strategic Plan 2011-2016, Kigali: 2011. Status of Women Canada, Gender-Based Analysis: A guide for policy-making, Ottawa: 1998, p. 4. 3 International Labour Organization, A Manual For Gender Audit Facilitators: The ILO Participatory Gender Audit Methodology, Geneva: 2007, p. 129. 4 Economic Commission for Africa, African Centre for Gender and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Programme of the African Plan of Action to Accelerate the Implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action, A Guide to Data Collection for Impact Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming on the Status of Women in Africa, p. vii. 5 Ibid. 6 Department for International Development, Gender Manual: A Practical Guide for Development Policy Makers and Practitioners, London: April 2002, p. 7. 7 Ibid., p. 7. 8 Republic of Rwanda, Gender Monitoring Office Strategic Plan 2011-2016, 2011. 9 International Labour Organization, p. 131. 10 Ibid., p. 62, 124.
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Productive Roles: Include income generating work done by men or women to produce goods and services.11 Reproductive Roles: Refer to activities carried out as part of caring for the household, its members and the community. It may include child bearing and rearing, collecting water and fuel, cooking, cleaning, and care for elderly or disabled family members.12 Strategic Gender Needs/Interests: The desired changes in roles, relationships and responsibilities of men and women. Strategies or policies addressing strategic gender interests focus on institutional, organizational and personal change. They relate to womens empowerment and rights.13
International Labour Organization, p. 133. Ibid., p. 133. 13 Ibid., p. 62, 137.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................ i DEFINITIONS AND KEY TERMS .................................................................................................... ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... vi 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE GENDER EQUITY ASSESSMENT ................................................... 1 1.2 REPORT OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................ 2 2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND BACKGROUND .................................................................... 2 2.1 GENDER AND POVERTY IN RWANDA ................................................................................ 2 2.2 GENDER AND SOCIAL PROTECTION ................................................................................. 3 2.3 NATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORK ....................................................................................... 5 2.4 RLDSF and VUP.......................................................................................................................... 6 3. ASSESSMENT APPROACH ..................................................................................................... 7 4. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 7 4.1 METHODS AND TOOLS ........................................................................................................... 8 4.2 ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................. 11 4.3 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS......................................................... 11 5. PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS ............................................................................................. 12 6. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP DESIGN ............................................................................ 12 6.1 PROGRAMME GENDER ANALYSIS AND INTEGRATION ...............................................13 6.2 M&E, DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING ..................................................................14 6.3 HUMAN RESOURCES AND CAPACITY BUILDING ...........................................................15 6.4 PARTNERSHIPS .......................................................................................................................16 6.5 GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING .................................................................................16 7. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP DELIVERY ....................................................................... 16 7.1 TARGETING ..............................................................................................................................17 7.2 PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMME COMPONENTS (DS, PW, FS) ................................. 22 7.3 ACCOUNT HOLDER ............................................................................................................... 30 7.4 TRAINING AND SENSITIZATION........................................................................................31 7.5 GRADUATION AND EXIT ..................................................................................................... 33 7.6 APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS MECHANISM ..................................................................... 35 8. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP IMPACT ........................................................................... 36 8.1 INCOME AND HOUSEHOLD POVERTY ............................................................................ 37 8.2 FOOD SECURITY AND ACCESS TO MARKET ................................................................... 38 8.3 LABOUR SUBSTITUTION ...................................................................................................... 39 8.4 HOUSEHOLD ACTIVITIES.................................................................................................... 39 8.5 HOUSEHOLD DECISION-MAKING ..................................................................................... 40 8.6 HOUSEHOLD RELATIONSHIPS ...........................................................................................41 8.7 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION ........................................................................................... 42 8.8 ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES ............................................................................................ 42 9. BEST PRACTICES .................................................................................................................. 43 10. RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................ 44 10.1 VUP DESIGN ........................................................................................................................... 45 10.2 VUP DELIVERY ...................................................................................................................... 47 10.3 VUP IMPACT ........................................................................................................................... 48 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................... 49
TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1: Percentage of FHH Living in Poverty Compared to National Average ............................ 3 Table 2: Districts and Sectors Selected for FGDs and Household Surveys .................................... 7 Table 3: Desk Review and Gender Analysis Documents ................................................................ 8 Table 4: Document Gender Analysis Description ........................................................................... 8 Table 5: KII Participants and Questions ......................................................................................... 9 Table 6: FGD Question Topics ....................................................................................................... 9 Table 7: Household Survey Question Topics ................................................................................. 10 Table 8: Case Study Topics and Participants ................................................................................. 11 Table 9: Household Survey Respondents Profile ........................................................................... 12 Table 10: DS FGD Respondents Profile ......................................................................................... 12 Table 11: PW FGD Respondents .................................................................................................... 12 Table 12: VUP Impact by Cohort 1 and 4 Sectors .......................................................................... 36 Table 13: VUP Impact for Male and Female Headed Households ............................................... 37 Table 14: Wall Type Reported by Sex of Respondent.................................................................... 38 Figure 1: Types of PW projects reported by household survey respondents ................................. 20 Figure 2: PW Participation Days for Male and Female Participants ............................................ 23 Figure 3: Household Survey Response to "Who Selected the Account Holder of VUP?" ........... 30 Figure 4: Sensitisation Topics Reported by Household Survey Respondents ............................... 31 Figure 5: Asset Ownership by Sex of Household Head ................................................................ 37 Figure 6: VUP Income Use by Sex of Respondent ........................................................................ 38 Figure 7: Ability to Make Decisions About VUP Funds by Sex of Respondent ........................... 40 Figure 8: Household Relationship before VUP by Sex of Respondent .......................................... 41 Figure 9: Household Relationships After VUP by Sex of Respondent ......................................... 42 Figure 10: Ability to Pay School Fees or Materials by Sex of Respondent .................................... 43
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Rwandas Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP) is the national programme for social protection of the poorest households in Rwanda. It aims to accelerate the reduction of extreme poverty in targeted VUP sectors. The main components of VUP are:
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Direct Support: targets the extreme poor who are unable to work Public Works: targets the extreme poor who are able to work Financial Services: complements the other two components by offering loans to individuals, groups or cooperatives.
VUP employs the Ubudehe social categorisation mechanism to identify the poorest households and potential beneficiaries. It is managed by the Social Protection Division of the Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (RLDSF). RLDSF decided to undertake a Gender Equity Assessment of the Programme to ensure that VUP is using effective gender responsive measures. This Assessment provides an analysis of the gender issues in VUP, identifies factors supporting and constraining gender equity, and provides recommendations to improve programming. The Assessment used quantitative and qualitative methods, including a desk review of literature and key documents, a document gender analysis, key informant interviews, focus group discussions and case studies of the programme components. A limited household survey was also carried out to complement qualitative findings. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS The VUP Gender Equity Assessment identified positive findings, including in the design, delivery and impact of VUP. There were best practices implemented at the local level in the selected sectors for this study. There are also some important areas requiring improvement, including revision of policy and programme documents and implementation of key measures to improve gender responsiveness. VUP documents contain some gender sensitive elements, including specific measures, such as equal participation of men and women required for PW and incentives to foster womens participation in FS. However, there is scope to improve the integration of gender responsiveness into the core values and practices of VUP. Further, programme documents lack in-depth gender analysis of the differential needs, vulnerabilities, challenges and opportunities for men, women, girls and boys in impoverished households, gender responsive targets and gender sensitive indicators. Monitoring and evaluation and reporting requirements were limited in their consideration of gender, and programme documents related to staffing, including performance and capacity did not sufficiently require or support the building of knowledge and expertise in gender analysis and integration. In practice, there is limited recognition of the gender barriers to womens participation, which has an impact on selection and targeting, and results in the unequal participation of women. This is particularly related to the gender-based division of productive and reproductive labour at the household level. Women face invisible barriers to participation, particularly related to their domestic and childcare related responsibilities. The extra reproductive responsibilities of women results in a poverty of time, which is more significant for single female headed households.
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PW projects are of limited diversity, which also impacts on eligibility and effectiveness of participation. Although some gender responsive mechanisms have been developed, there is also inconsistent application across VUP sectors. VUP has not yet developed a comprehensive skills building and training program as a mechanism for improving employability of beneficiaries or income generating opportunities. According to this assessment VUP has improved income generation at the household and has increased access to the market. Most respondents also indicated an improvement in the sharing of household decision making and identified improvement in equity in household relationships due to VUP. There was some acknowledgement among participants of a positive improvement in womens participation at the community level. ASSESSMENT RECOMMENDATIONS VUP documents require revision to more strongly integrate gender equality in the objectives and operational processes. Recognition of the gender barriers that currently limit the effective equal access and participation of beneficiaries is required, along with specific measures to address these barriers. To ensure the enhancement of VUP results and impacts from a gender perspective, the establishment of a VUP gender working group and high level gender focal points are highly recommended, as is the inclusion of gender-related results in staff performance contracts and assessments. VUP targeting could be improved through revision of VUP component criteria to improve gender responsiveness. VUP should aim to adequately address the added barriers to participation that women face as a direct result of their gendered roles. A more formal response to the reproductive and childcare related challenges identified is required, particularly to ensure the effective participation of women and men with small children, and pregnant or lactating women. In order to achieve more sustainable and equitable impacts, PW projects should be diversified to ensure participation of different groups, particularly those with specific vulnerabilities. While this assessment found that VUP is having a positive impact, more gender responsive measures to address power dynamics and sharing of household roles and responsibilities are required for a more transformative result. Sensitization should ensure inclusion of gender equality issues. Skills-related training to improve longer-term employability should also be considered, either delivered through VUP or in partnership with other agencies. Improved coordination between VUP and other programmes would enhance the consistency and comprehensiveness of programming. The decision to undertake this study and the willingness of all participants is a positive indication of the desire to improve the gender responsiveness of VUP. In order to increase its effectiveness and impact on poverty reduction, VUP should explicitly aim at contributing to gender equality and womens empowerment, assuming a more transformative role and designing objectives in relation to existing gender inequalities.
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1. INTRODUCTION
Rwandas Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP) began as a flagship programme of the 5 year Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, EDPRS, which is a strategy towards achieving the national Vision 2020. Vision 2020 was launched in 2007 and aims to ensure a better quality of life for all Rwandans through the reduction of extreme income poverty. VUP is managed through the Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (RLDSF), which was established by law no 41/2010 of 25/11/2010. VUP is under the Social Protection Division of RLDSF and operates in all 30 Districts of Rwanda.14 Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Objectives:

Contributing to the reduction of extreme poverty Stimulating changes in the effectiveness of poverty eradication Ensuring that economic growth is pro-poor Ensuring that the majority of the population have improved their living conditions as a result of GDP growth.
The main components of VUP are: Direct Support, which targets the extreme poor who are unable to work Public Works, which targets the extreme poor who are able to work Financial Services, which complements the other two components by offering loans to individuals, groups or cooperatives.
VUP uses the Ubudehe social targeting mechanism to identify the poorest households, and covers Ubudehe categories 1 and 2.15 Through these components, VUP aims to facilitate the graduation of beneficiaries, achieving a decrease in poverty levels. 1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE GENDER EQUITY ASSESSMENT Previous VUP household surveys indicated possible gender differences in the impact of VUP on beneficiaries. Therefore, RLDSF decided to undertake a gender equity assessment for VUP. The overall objectives of the assessment are to: 1. Provide an analysis of the gender issues in VUP outcomes looking at: the 3 types of poverty16 considered in VUP impact analysis institutional, political, social and economic factors, particularly at district, sector, imidugudu and household level, that contribute to gender inequality. 2. Identify both what is supporting gender equity and the constraints to gender equity in VUP outcomes and provide recommendations for VUP to improve future programming.
Stephen Devereaux, 3rd Annual Review of DFID Support to the Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), Rwanda, January 2012, p. 3. 15 Financial Services may be accessed by Ubudehe categories 1, 2 and 3 or by other Ubudehe categories if partnered with participants from Ubudehe categories 1 and 2. 16 VUP uses three different poverty measures: 1) Social poverty ( Ubudehe) as determined by communities; 2) Income poverty measured using proxy indicators, and 3) Human poverty, a multi-dimensional measure of poverty including the dimensions of income, education, health, food/nutrition, water/sanitation, labour, housing, access to productive assets, access to markets and services and social participation.
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This gender equity assessment focuses on the gender responsiveness of the design and delivery of VUP and the gendered impact on beneficiaries. Access to and participation in VUP, and experience of benefits are assessed to determine key challenges, opportunities and constraints to gender equality and present recommendations. 1.2 REPORT OVERVIEW The report is divided into the following 10 sections. Section 1: Section 2: Section 3: Section 4: Section 5: Section 6: Section 7: Section 8: Section 9: Section 10: Introduction Overview of the literature on gender and social protection and background information Approach to the assessment Methodology, including the methods and tools, sampling and selection and ethics and constraints Overview of the districts and participants in the assessment Findings of the gender assessment of the programme design Findings of the gender assessment of the programme delivery Findings of the gender assessment of the programme impact Gender responsive best practices in VUP Recommendations for improving gender responsiveness of VUP
2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND BACKGROUND

2.1 GENDER AND POVERTY IN RWANDA EICV3 conducted in 2011 shows that poverty has declined significantly in Rwanda. The proportion of the population living below the poverty line was 56.7% in 2006 and decreased to 44.9% by 2010/2011 (the VUP target is 46% by 2012). The proportion of the population living below the extreme poverty line was 36.9% in 2006 and decreased to 24% in 2010/2011.17 In 2009, the VUP Household Survey found that female headed households were Ubudehe poorer, indicating they experienced social poverty more than male headed households.18 The survey also found that women were more numerous in Direct Support, with female headed households making up 62.8% of Direct Support beneficiaries.19 In terms of human poverty, the VUP Annual Report 2009/10 further stated, female-headed households are disproportionately represented among the extreme poor in Rwandafemale-headed households perform worst against almost all human poverty indicators than male-headed households.20 While these findings were from 2009/10, more recent EICV3 findings suggest that the gender difference in poverty reduction is reducing. While the EICV2 survey in 2005-2006 found that female headed households were more likely to be poor than male headed households, by the time EICV3 was conducted, there was a positive indication of reduction in income poverty for men and women in Rwanda. 21
Republic of Rwanda, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, EICV3 Thematic Report: Social Protection, Kigali: 2012, p. 2. 18 Louis-Marie Asselin, VUP Targeting and Poverty Surveys 2009, November 2010, p. 7. 19 Ibid., p. 27. Devereaux also found that DS households are almost twice as likely to be female headed. Devereaux, p. 15. This may suggest that female headed households are more likely to be classified as unable to work due to age, ability or the type of work offered in Public Works. 20 Rwanda Local Development Support Fund, Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme, Annual Report 2009/10, p. 41. 21 EICV3 Thematic Report: Social Protection , p. 4.
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Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment Table 1: Percentage of FHH Living in Poverty Compared to National Average22
EICV1 EICV2 EICV3
HH living in poverty 60.4% 56.9% 44.9%
FHH living in poverty 66.3% 60.2% 47%
Further investigation, however, presents interesting gender dynamics.

In Rwanda, female headed households are determined as those with no adult male present, either permanently, or in practice. Of the permanently female headed households, 70% of the household heads are widows, and 24% are over 65 years old (compared with 9% of male headed households). A further 6% of households are de facto headed by females, as the male household head is absent more than three months in the year. While permanently female headed households are only slightly poorer than male headed households (47% are poor, compared with 44.9% of male headed households), de facto female headed households have a higher poverty rate at 51%. Female headed households own less durable assets than male-headed households, and 86% of female heads of household work in agriculture, compared to 62% of male heads of household. Similarly, female headed households rely more on public and private transfers for their income. EICV3 Gender Thematic Report
Given the overall achievements in poverty reduction, VUP has an important opportunity to promote gender equality as a key component of its programming moving forward. 2.2 GENDER AND SOCIAL PROTECTION Social protection is a mechanism to provide protection for the poor against social and economic risks and to improve the welfare of the population.23 Social protection generally aims to include universal protection through coverage of certain expenses for all individuals, social assistance through ensuring that each individual has a minimum income, and social security through preventing the loss of income. This is achieved through transfers of cash or assets, grants to the vulnerable, labour market regulations and social insurance programs.24 Social protection interventions may aim towards protection, prevention, promotion, and transformation.25 Social protection in Rwanda incorporates these four principles:26
Protection, Prevention, Promotion and Transformation
1. Protective measures provide essential support to those living in poverty and involve cash transfers through VUP. 2. Preventive measures provide a safety net to support people in danger of falling into poverty, through VUP cash transfers and support for access to health and education. 3. Promotion measures support poor peoples investments to move them out of poverty, for example through microfinance initiatives as well as VUP transfers. 4. Transformative measures aim to improve the social status and rights of marginalized people, and include cash transfers through VUP, legislative changes and sensitization to change behaviour and attitudes.
Republic of Rwanda, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, EICV3 Thematic Report: Gender, Kigali: 2012, p. 10. 23 Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Local Government, National Social Protection Policy in Rwanda , Kigali: 2005, p. 4. 24 Ibid., p. 8. 25 Stephen Devereaux, and Rachel Sabates-Wheeler, Transformative Social Protection, IDS Working Paper 232. Institute of Development Studies. Brighton: October 2004, p. 9-11. 26 Government of Rwanda, EDPRS2 Social Protection Strategy, Kigali: July 2013, p. 3, 16-17.
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In terms of gender and social protection, the differential needs and experiences of women and men must be considered at the level of risks faced and design and delivery of interventions. The global literature suggests that social protection mechanisms to date have largely been gender blind, meaning that they have assumed that if measures are generally available to all, they will be equitable in access and participation.27 This is not the case, as women and men face different social and economic risks due to biology and the social roles of care giving and household labour, usually assigned to women.28 Women also tend to be more often employed in the informal sector, including in agriculture, facing risks related to insecure employment and lower wages.29
In Rwanda, at the same time as there has been a decrease in the number of men employed in the agricultural sector, there has been an increase in the number of women in that sector. According to EICV3 data, this shows that males have benefited much more from the growth in non-farm jobs observed since 2005/06.1 The informal nature of the agricultural sector and the resulting challenges for income security lead to persisting gender disparities. EICV3 Gender Thematic Report
Social protection mechanisms may have differential gender impacts depending on how they are designed and implemented, particularly depending on intra-household decision-making and resource allocation.30 Gender norms related to the division of labour in the household and the community are also relevant in terms of programme delivery, including the kinds of activities suitable for women and men and the economic benefits ascribed to different kinds of work (informal versus formal, skilled versus unskilled, reproductive versus productive).31 Finally, benefits may not be equally experienced, for example in the case of cash transfers they may depend on how the resources are transferred and to whom, and in the case of cash for work, that time for work may be extended to ensure the completion of other responsibilities or other reproductive tasks must also covered, such as child care, can actually be detrimental for the beneficiary.32
In Rwanda, a gender analysis of the findings of EICV3 found that women spend on average 20 hours per week on domestic tasks, compared with 9 hours for men. EICV3 Gender Thematic Report
Evidence on social protection programmes does not indicate that they automatically improve womens decision-making roles in the household, or transform gender relations.33 In some cases, beneficiaries have experienced no change, or even an increase in household tensions. 34 As a result, social protection programmes are rarely gender neutral, and many exacerbate or contribute to inequalities.35 Ensuring a gender perspective in both the design and delivery of
Rebecca Holmes and Nicola Jones, Rethinking social protection using a gender lens, Working Paper 320. Overseas Development Institute, London: October 2010, p 1. 28 Cecilia Luttrell and Caroline Moser, Gender and Social Protection, Overseas Development Institute, London: 2004, p. 6. 29 Sarojini Ganju Thakur, Catherine Arnold and Tina Johnson, Gender and Social Protection, Promoting ProPoor Growth: Social Protection, OECD, Paris: 2009, p. 169. 30 Holmes and Jones, p. 8. 31 Luttrell and Moser, p. 8. 32 Holmes and Jones, p 21-22. 33 Ibid., p 24. 34 Ibid., p 23. 35 Luttrell and Moser, p. 11.
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social protection interventions is necessary for improving the gender equality of the programme outcomes and the overall benefits for men and women.36 In the context of Rwanda, this requires a comprehensive understanding of the social risks faced by men and women and the barriers and opportunities for advancing gender equality. An assessment of VUP from a gender perspective is necessary to generate a more in-depth understanding of the gender differential experiences of poverty and social risk, the gender responsiveness of the programme design and delivery, and the different impacts of the programme on men and women. 2.3 NATIONAL POLICY FRAMEWORK
Rwanda has signed key international conventions and declarations on gender equality and poverty reduction.37 Rwanda adopted the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, towards improving social and economic conditions in the world's poorest countries. Poverty reduction is an important national development objective, embodied in Vision 2020, and the EDPRS.38 Vision 2020 is a long-term development framework from 2000 to 2020. To achieve Vision 2020, the Government of Rwanda established the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS). EDPRSII was confirmed in May 2013 and includes the thematic areas of Economic Transformation, Rural Development, Productivity and Youth Employment, and Accountable Governance.39 In both Vision 2020 and the EDPRS, gender is a cross-cutting issue in all development-related policies, programmes and plans and in all sectors. 40 To achieve sustainable development and coordinate social protection interventions, the National Social Protection Policy of Rwanda, formulated through the Ministry of Local Government, was developed. The Social Protection Policy specifically identifies the need to reinforce womens participation in production and calls for reinforcement of measures to fight domestic and sexual violence and increase access, quality and use of health and family planning services.41 Finally, the policy notes the need to improve the social status of rural women by encouraging their participation in decision-making.42 The 2011 National Social Protection Strategy includes a social safety net through cash transfers to provide a minimum income and access to core essential services, and increased participation of the informal sector in social security programmes.43 The Strategy states that All programmes will actively seek to promote gender equity and womens empowerment. All monitoring data will be disaggregated by gender we will undertake regular gender audits of our programmesEach programme will be required to set out how it will support the goals of gender equity and womens empowerment.44 The Social Protection sector has recently revised
Thakur, Arnold and Johnson, p. 178. These include the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against women (CEDAW), the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Millennium Development Goals, New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), and the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa. 38 Republic of Rwanda, National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda, Millennium Development Goals: Towards sustainable social and economic growth, Country Report 2007, Kigali: 2007, p. 14. 39 Republic of Rwanda, Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2013-2018: Shaping Our Development, p. 12. 40 Republic of Rwanda, Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) 2008-2012, Kigali: 2007, p. 47; Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2013-2018: Shaping Our Development, p. 85. 41 National Social Protection Policy in Rwanda , p. 11-13. 42 Ibid., p 16. 43 Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Local Government, National Social Protection Strategy , Kigali: 2011, p. 29. 44 Ibid., p. 34.
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the Strategy to include the aim of being transformative, towards improving the social status of marginalized groups and promoting equity and non-discrimination.45 The Government of Rwanda attaches great importance to the promotion of gender equality and equity as a prerequisite for sustainable development. This is a fundamental principle within the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda, 2003, and is further elaborated through the National Gender Policy.46 The National Gender Policy and Strategic Plan recognize the need for equal opportunities for women and men, boys and girls and calls for gender integration in all areas of development. The National Gender Policy also calls for the creation of an environment conducive to the promotion of social security to all groups within the population.47 2.4 RLDSF and VUP The Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (RLDSF) was created on 1 June 2011, with 4 divisions: Corporate Services, Social Protection, Local Economic Development and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. The Social Protection Division manages the Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP) and the Ubudehe Programme.48 The Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP) was started to target poor geographical areas and extremely poor households for social protection. VUP also considers particular vulnerable groups, including the elderly, people with disabilities, child-headed households, genocide survivors and historically marginalized groups.49 VUP seeks to address income poverty, and also considers social poverty and human poverty. Income poverty is a measure of household income, considering the value of food consumption and other basic expenditures. Social poverty is the community perception of poverty and is measured through the six Ubudehe categories. Human poverty is an extended concept of poverty that includes indicators such as assets, durables, level of education, food consumption, water and sanitation, number of adults able to work in a household, housing quality, access to land and livestock and participation in the community.50 VUP operates in all 30 districts in Rwanda. Within districts, sectors are ranked according to poverty level, including consideration of food security, access to potable water, distance to education, distance to health centre and level of village settlement.51 Households are then categorized through the Ubudehe social targeting process, and are put into an Ubudehe category depending on their level of household poverty, including income and access to services.52 Ubudehe categories 1 and 2 are eligible for VUP. VUP is divided into three components: Direct Support (DS), Public Works (PW), and Financial Services (FS). Direct Support implementation began in January 2009, and provides unconditional cash transfers to extremely poor households without adult labour. The amount transferred is increased depending on the number of household members.53 Public Works implementation started in 2008, and provides paid employment for extremely poor households who have at least one adult able to work. Financial Services began in 2010 and complements DS and PW to help
EDPRS2 Social Protection Strategy, Kigali: July 2013, p. 3. Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, National Gender Policy, Kigali: 2010, p. 7. 47 Ibid., p. 15. 48 Devereux, p. 22. 49 Annual Report 2009/10, p. 12. 50 Asselin, p 1-4. 51 Ibid., p. 18. 52 Ibid., p. 18. 53 Annual Report 2009/10, p. 10.
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households graduate out of poverty. Financial Services provides a form of microcredit to individuals, groups or cooperatives through loans under the Ubudehe Credit Scheme.54 VUP is managed through RLDSF staff at national and decentralized levels. The Social Protection Division of RLDSF includes VUP and Ubudehe departments.55 VUP is jointly financed by the Government of Rwanda and development partners. VUP offers a unique opportunity to advance gender equity in Rwanda, given its wide reach across the country.
3. ASSESSMENT APPROACH
The VUP Gender Equity Assessment used an approach developed by the Gender Monitoring Office of the Government of Rwanda for participatory gender audits, as well as gender sensitive research approaches and gender mainstreaming approaches developed by CIDA and DFID. This included a review of Paper, Process and People. Paper refers to formal programme strategies, operational plans, logframes (objectives, outcomes, outputs and activities), and included a gender assessment of key VUP documents. Process refers to procedures and implementation of programme interventions and included a review of the implementation of the programme, monitoring and evaluation framework and reporting, and the programme budget. People refers to the differential needs and experiences of men and women beneficiaries, and the impacts of the programme on their livelihoods. It also included a review of training materials and capacity building plans.56 To achieve the objectives of this Assessment, the following elements have been considered: 1. The current gender equality profile of VUP: o Equality of access and opportunities and equity of outcomes for beneficiaries. o Gender differences based on age, ability and HIV status or chronic illness. 2. Current opportunities and constraints to achieving gender equality and equity.
4. METHODOLOGY
For this Assessment, the poorest District in each Province was selected, as shown in Table 1.
Table 2: Districts and Sectors Selected for FGDs and Household Surveys PROVINCE DISTRICT SECTOR (VUP Cohorts 1 and 4) KIGALI/MVK GASABO 1.Gikomero 4.Jali SOUTHERN NYAMAGABE 1.Kibumbwe 4.Mugano WESTERN NYAMASHEKE 1.Mahembe 4.Rangiro NORTHERN GAKENKE 1.Minazi 4.Cyabingo EASTERN BUGESERA 1.Kamabuye 4.Nyarugenge
Annual Report 2009/10, p.16. Devereaux, p. 22. 56 Republic of Rwanda, Gender Monitoring Office.
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4.1 METHODS AND TOOLS The methods used in the Assessment included a desk review of relevant literature and documents, a document gender analysis, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, a limited household survey, and case studies of the programme components.57 4.1.1 DESK REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND DOCUMENTS Relevant documents were reviewed to provide background information and context for the Assessment. Key VUP documents were also assessed to determine gender integration.
Table 3: Desk Review and Gender Analysis Documents Desk Review Documents - EDPRSII - National Social Protection Policy, Strategy 2013, and Implementation Plan - National Gender Policy and Strategic Plan - EDPRS I Social Protection Self-Assessment - EICV3 Social Protection and Gender Thematic Reports - RLDSF (draft) Strategic Plan - RLDSF Capacity Building Plan - RLDSF VUP Annual Reports and Action Plans (2009/10; 2010/11; 2011/12; 2012/13) - VUP Intermediate Impact Assessment 2008-2011 - VUP Household Poverty Survey 2008 - Annual Review of DFID Support to the Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), 2010/11 Gender Analysis Documents - Public Works, Direct Support and Financial Services Operations Manuals - Community Sensitisation Manual - VUP Staff job descriptions - VUP Staff Capacity Building Plan - VUP Annual Reports and Action Plans - VUP Targeting and Graduation Guidelines and Listing Forms - VUP Household Poverty Surveys
The document assessment also reviewed the existence and effectiveness of mechanisms to ensure gender equity in access, participation and impact. The key elements reviewed included:
Table 4: Document Gender Analysis Description Key Elements Description of gender analysis conducted Programme strategy Review of gender responsiveness of programme strategy, operational plan, objectives and logical framework Gender Analysis Programme situational gender analysis of social risks Gender analysis of proposed programme interventions and consideration of gender-specific interventions Gender analysis of programme interventions, including gender-specific interventions Programme Identification of programme gender gaps interventions Assessment of programme targeting, access, participation and benefits for men and women Data Collection and Availability, collection, management and use of sex disaggregated data Analysis Gender responsiveness of baseline data, indicators and targets M&E, Budgeting and Gender responsiveness of programme budget Reporting Gender responsiveness of monitoring and evaluation framework and tools, including gender sensitive indicators Sex disaggregation of programme results and gender integration in programme reporting
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All tools and guides are available in the VUP Gender Equity Assessment: Annexes document.
Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment Capacity building Gender integration in capacity building and training plan Capacity of staff and management for gender analysis and mainstreaming
4.1.2 KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS (KIIs) Key informant interviews were conducted at the central and district levels, with 10 central level key informant interviews with RLDSF staff and management and key stakeholders and 5 district officials, 1 in each of the selected districts. Informants and question topics included:
Table 5: KII Participants and Questions KII Participants District Officials: Gasabo Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke Gakenke Bugesera Development Partners: UNICEF, DFID, World Bank RLDSF: DS, FS, PW Officers Director, VUP DDG Social Protection DDG Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Government of Rwanda: MINALOC, MIGEPROF KII Question Topics Programme consideration of the differential needs and experiences of men and women, girls and boys Effectiveness of mechanisms for engaging male and female beneficiaries in planning Effectiveness of mechanisms to ensure equal access for male and female beneficiaries Adoption of measures to address practical and strategic gender needs Programme staff and partners knowledge and experience in gender analysis Measures to improve the contribution to gender equity of the Programme Gaps, barriers and challenges in addressing gender inequality with the Programme
4.1.3 FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS (FGDs) 20 Focus Group Discussions were held with female and male beneficiaries in the poorest sector (VUP Cohort 1) in each of the selected districts. Each FGD included 6-8 participants, who were from all VUP components within the sector. The FGDs with beneficiaries were as follows:
5 with female beneficiaries in PW 5 with female beneficiaries in DS 5 with male beneficiaries in PW 5 with male beneficiaries in DS
As FS is a complementary component, within each of these FGDs, approximately 1/3 of the respondents were participants in Financial Services and were asked the relevant questions. In each district, one focus group was also planned with sector officials from Cohort 1 and 4 sectors and VUP staff from the sector and district, for 5 total FGDs with officials and staff. However due to challenges with the availability of the officials and the distance from the sectors to the district office, a total of 11 FGDs were conducted with staff and officials. The FGDs assessed:
Table 6: FGD Question Topics FGDs with Beneficiaries - Gender differences in access to VUP, participation in VUP and impacts of VUP - Barriers to access or participation due to sex, age, ability, HIV status, and reproductive status FGDs with VUP Staff and Local Officials - Design and delivery/implementation of VUP components at the sector level - Programme components, targeting, appeals and complaints and M&E - Ubudehe selection process opportunities and
Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment challenges - Targeting and selection processes; criteria for determination of Ubudehe category and - Social, cultural, physical, and structural barriers to programme component participation participation - Programme components, targeting, appeals - Outcomes of VUP related to income, access to and complaints and monitoring and evaluation markets, food security, decision-making and community participation - Outcomes of VUP related to income, access to markets, food security, decision-making and community participation
All Focus Group Discussions were 2 hours and were audio recorded for accuracy, with the consent of participants. The Focus Group Discussion Guides are Annexes 5-7. 4.1.4 HOUSEHOLD SURVEY Household surveys were conducted in the 5 selected districts with two sectors selected per district (10 sectors total). The sectors in each District were from VUP cohort 1 and cohort 4. In each sector, 8 women and 8 men were interviewed, as outlined in the following table.
3 women in PW 3 women in DS 1 woman in PW and FS 1 woman in DS and FS 3 men in PW 3 men in DS 1 man in PW and FS 1 man in DS and FS
There were therefore 16 participants per sector, all from different households, for a total of 32 surveys per District, and 160 household respondents overall. With this sample size, the findings have a 95% confidence level, with a +/- 7 confidence interval, based on the household population size in the VUP 2011/2012 Annual Report.58 Given the small sample size, the findings are not intended to be representative, rather they are meant to complement the qualitative information gathered through other methods in this assessment. The participants also in FS were asked the relevant questions for PW or DS, and had the FS questions added to their interviews. The respondents for the household survey were randomly selected from the VUP targeting list provided by VUP staff in the concerned sectors. The survey questionnaire was translated into Kinyarwanda and conducted by enumerators, one male and one female, who interviewed women and men respectively, at participants homes. The survey was conducted with the VUP participant, who was often, but not always, the head of household. The Household Surveys incorporated assessment elements such as disability, age, HIV status, number and age of children, and sex of household head. The Household Surveys assessed:
Table 7: Household Survey Question Topics Household Survey Topics - Access and participation in VUP components - Barriers to participation for men and women - VUP programme implementation for male and female beneficiaries - Differences in experience based on sex, age, HIV status, reproductive status and ability - Family dynamics, equity of outcomes within the household, decision-making - Impact of VUP on time use - Impacts of VUP on male and female beneficiary lives and livelihoods
58
Rwanda Local Development Support Fund, RLDSF Annual Activity Report 2011/12, p. 5.
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4.1.5 CASE STUDIES Four programme component related case studies have been developed, 1 for each VUP component and the Ubudehe targeting mechanism. The case studies illustrate in more depth the experiences of individual VUP participants and the impact that the program has had on their livelihoods. They were carried out in four sectors, three rural and one urban and focused on the experiences of participants and their description of the gender responsiveness of the programme design and delivery, and the impact of the programme component on gender equality for beneficiaries. Case studies were developed through interviews with participants, and also illustrated specific areas of interest, as follows:
Table 8: Case Study Topics and Participants Specific Areas of Interest Participants HIV+ Male FS beneficiary who is living with HIV in Minazi Sector Disability Female DS beneficiary who is disabled in Mahembe Sector Pregnancy Female PW beneficiary who is 7 months pregnant in Gikomero Sector Children under 5 years old Female VUP beneficiary with 3 small children under 5 years who is in Ubudehe category 1 in Kamabuye Sector.
4.2 ANALYSIS The documents for the gender analysis were reviewed using an assessment tool and findings are synthesized in the following section of this report. Quantitative data (from the household survey) was analysed using excel and SPSS. Qualitative data (FGD and KIIs) was recorded into a data entry tool and assessed according to the themes of the discussions. Case studies have been developed into narratives reported alongside the quantitative and qualitative findings. 4.3 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS In the preparation for the field work, enumerators were trained on research ethics, gender sensitivity and proper conduct. All tools and forms were translated into Kinyarwanda. Respondents were informed that participation was voluntary and their identity would be anonymous in the final report. Each of the FGD, KII and household survey participants signed consent forms prior to their participation and were provided with an explanatory letter of the assessment in Kinyarwanda.59 The major constraint during data collection was distance between sectors and imidugudu in the selected districts, which led to delays in the field work. To remedy this challenge for the household survey, the initial pre-selected household was interviewed, and other respondents were then selected based on eligibility and proximity to the first randomly selected household. For the FGDs, the distance and busy schedules of the participants made it difficult for targeted officials to assemble at the district office. FGDs were instead conducted in each sector with officials connected to VUP, explaining the additional FGDs conducted in the assessment. The other major constraint was in Nyarugenge Sector, Bugesera District, where beneficiaries had not yet participated in a Public Works community project. The survey was conducted with eligible beneficiaries but some questions were not applicable.
All participation was voluntary. Only those consenting to participate were included, as consent forms were received prior to the interview, FGD or survey. Participants were also informed that they had the right to end the interview at any time, or to retract their consent at a later date. There were no instances of refusal to participate.
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5. PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS
There were 160 respondents in the household survey. The average age of respondents was 55 years; 54 years for female respondents and 55 years for male respondents. Of the female respondents, 11 percent reported having a disability, compared to 8 percent of the male respondents. Overall, about a third of households indicated they were female headed, and these were households where no male adult was present.
Table 9: Household Survey Respondents Profile General Profile Female Headed Households Head of Household 34% How designated head of All female headed households household had no adult male present Average number of children 2 Children under 5 years 29% Children with a disability 5 households Male Headed Households 66% Male headed households had an adult male present 3 32% 5 households
There were 76 DS beneficiaries who participated in the FGDs, 33 men and 43 women. 7 female DS beneficiaries were also in FS, and 7 male beneficiaries were also in FS.
Table 10: DS FGD Respondents Profile DS FGD General Profile Average age: 69.6 years Average level of education: 1.2 years Average number of children: 5.2 Children under 5 years: 17.2% Women 72.7 years Less than 1 year (0.1 years) 5.1 18.6% Men 65.4 years 2.7 years 5.3 15.6%
Although respondents were not asked about whether they had a disability or their HIV status, 6.7 percent of respondents reported that they have a disability, and 2 participants, 1 man and 1 woman, disclosed that they are HIV positive. There were 77 PW FGD participants, 37 men and 40 women. 37 of the participants were also in FS, with 20 of the women in the FGDs in FS, compared to 17 of the men.
Table 11: PW FGD Respondents PW FGD General Profile Average age: 42.7 years Average level of education: 4.2 years Average number of children: 3.9 Children under 5 years: 48% Women 40.5 years 4.1 years 3.4 27.5% Men 45.2 years 4.2 years 4.5 64.8%
2.5 percent of participants reported having a disability, although this was not asked of participants, and those in the PW FGDs reporting a disability were female. Further, 1 female PW respondent disclosed that she is HIV positive.
6. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP DESIGN

VUP design was assessed through the gender analysis of key programme documents. The assessment found that programme documents, including annual plans, reports, monitoring and evaluation frameworks and implementation manuals contain limited gender sensitive elements. While VUP is intended to accelerate poverty reduction, it is clear that in order to do so, the
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differential experiences of poverty among men, women, boys and girls needs to be understood and a gender sensitive approach from the design of the programme is required. This section is focused on the assessment of the programme design, including: Gender analysis and integration; Gender sensitive data collection, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting; Human resources; Partnerships; and Gender-responsive budgeting. Assessment of the programme implementation is in the following section. 6.1 PROGRAMME GENDER ANALYSIS AND INTEGRATION In VUP, the gender analysis of the background context and programme design has to date been limited. In particular, programme documents lack in-depth gender analysis of the differential needs, vulnerabilities, challenges and opportunities for men, women, girls and boys in impoverished households. Although the 2010/2011 Annual Report recognizes the concentration of poverty impacts in female-headed households, subsequent reports do not elaborate gender analysis or gender responsiveness of interventions. The Public Works, Direct Support, and Financial Services Manuals do contain some measures or targets to improve gender equity target, but there are no include explicit gender equality objectives.60 There are some gender responsive measures in the PW Manual, including the target of 50% of participants in PW being women.61 There is also some reference to gender-related barriers to womens participation and possible ways to overcome them in the PW Manual,62 as well as the need to balance work teams in terms of gender, age skills and strength. 63 There are no apparent gender-based criteria for selection of PW projects.64 Training for PW beneficiaries is intended to enable promotion out of poverty through new skills development and mindset change.65 While there is no specific gender related training planned in the PW Manual,66 the logical framework states that training and sensitization will include public messages on health and education and on cross-cutting issues such as gender equality.67 The Direct Support Manual also includes reference to trainings concerning gender equity. However, the description of the modalities of DS in the Manual does not mention gender issues and there are no practical steps outlined to integrate gender equality in programme initiatives. The FS Manual does not mention provide gender analysis of financial exclusion or mention the different needs and experiences of men and women borrowers. However, there have been some measures to address gender equality in Financial Services, including an increased loan amount for groups or cooperatives that have more than 70% female members (they receive 85,000 Rwf each instead of 75,000 Rwf), as outlined in the VUP Financial Services Manual. Nonetheless, the limited aspect of these measures was recognized by a key informant, who stated:
Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Local Government, Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), Public Works Operational Framework and Procedure Manual, Kigali: 2009; Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Local Government, Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), Direct Support Operational Framework and Procedure Manual, Kigali: 2009. 61 Public Works Operational Framework and Procedure Manual , p. 12. Proposed changes to the VUP logical framework are included in the VUP Gender Equity Assessment: Annexes document. 62 These include having work sites close to beneficiary households, providing crche facilities or supporting pregnant and breastfeeding women.62 63 Public Works Operational Framework and Procedure Manual , p. 21. 64 Ibid., p. 13. 65 Ibid., p. 5-6. 66 Ibid., p. 15. 67 Ibid., p. 24.
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Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment FS provides more support to stimulate women's participation but does not take into account limitations linked to reproductive work. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
Although the 2012 HIMO/LIPW Revised Strategy does not include analysis of the needs and gaps between men and women, or gender-related barriers that may prevent womens active participation, it does make reference to objectives of gender equality and womens empowerment. These objectives include creating skills and capacities of women and youth for off-farm jobs.68 There is also some reference to gender equality in sensitization activities.69 The strategy also recommends diversification of PW projects to further enable engagement of different groups, including women. This is important as the limited diversity of the PW projects currently means that they do not necessarily result in skills-building or engagement of individuals with capacity to work but who cannot do heavy labour. The recently developed Community Sensitization Manual includes analysis of womens roles and responsibilities and the gender barriers they face, but there is limited analysis of the roles played by men and boys or the need for their engagement in supporting household activities. However, the Manual does describe some gender responsive interventions, such as recognition in selection criteria of labour availability as broader than physical ability. It also includes modules on gender equality, womens rights, family planning and girls education. There is also a recommendation of early childcare centres as a potential source of employment for Public Works. Despite some progress in more recently developed documents and tools, key informants agreed that VUP and its components only partly consider gender differential needs, vulnerabilities and experiences. A District level key informant stated:
VUP aims at reducing the poverty level of a household and community as a whole and does not provide specific attention to gender related issues. District Key Informant Interview
Recommendations for improving the gender integration in the objectives and planned interventions of programme documents are in section 10. 6.2 M&E, DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING The M&E Manual does include some gender sensitive indicators on male and female beneficiaries and targets for inclusion of women in Public Works and Financial Services. The M&E Manual includes sex disaggregated data for PW and DS beneficiaries in terms of participating households. Sex disaggregated data is also collected on households through the VUP Household Poverty Survey, but is not necessarily applied to outcome-level indicators to determine gender differentials in impact. The Targeting, Exit and Graduation guidelines do not mention gender sensitive data collection. In terms of monitoring and evaluation, these guidelines do mention that targeting should be monitored to determine whether the programme is equitably reaching hard-to-reach groups such as families with members with disabilities, children-headed households, women headed households.70 Further, the guidelines indicate that monitoring of the Exit mechanism should be
Republic of Rwanda, Ministry of Local Government, National Labour Intensive Public Works (HIMO/LIPW) Strategy , Kigali: September 2012, p. 9, 14, 18, 20, 23. 69 Ibid., p. 19, 22. 70 Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda Local Development Support Fund, Guidelines on VUP Targeting, Exit and Graduation , Kigali: September 2012, p. 16.
68
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done to give information about whether there are differences in poverty change by household type, gender and geographical area.71 The PW Manual includes baseline sex disaggregated data in terms of household composition, and reference is made to the marital status of household members.72 The PW Manual indicates that data collection and analysis will refer to income allocation at the household level, in terms of how resources are spent, but this is not connected to decision-making processes.73 There is no further explicit reference made to gender-related data collection and analysis. In some cases, such as the participation of beneficiaries in PW, sex-disaggregated data is not available or adequately collected, and where is it collected it is not sufficiently analysed.74 The HIMO/LIPW strategy does not include gender sensitive data collection and analysis, gender sensitive targets or indicators There is no reference to gender sensitive data collection or M&E in the DS Manual and there is limited gender sensitivity in the Routine Monitoring Template and Impact Evaluation components of the FS Manual. The FS implementation Manual does require collection of sex disaggregated data related to borrowers, but there are no mechanisms for collection of sex disaggregated data in the Ubudehe Credit Scheme Manual. Key informants agreed that gender related information is mainly collected through data disaggregated for men and women.75 A District key informant stated:
The data collected is by specification of criteria, there is gender data collected of a household, there are type of vulnerabilities of household head and other specification. It is enough so far but should be improved by doing it frequently. District Key Informant Interview
The reporting in the Annual Reports is not gender sensitive, and there is very little sex disaggregation of programme results and output level data reported. Although PW beneficiary data is sex disaggregated in Annual Report, FS and DS data is not, and no other sexdisaggregated data is provided. There is also no reference to requirements for gender sensitive reporting in the PW, DS or FS Manuals, nor in the Targeting, Exit and Graduation Guidelines. There is also a lack of reporting on gender impacts at outcome level in the M&E Manual and no reference to gender sensitive reporting in the HIMO/LIPW Strategy. 6.3 HUMAN RESOURCES AND CAPACITY BUILDING Gender responsive staffing, human resources and capacity building is not mentioned in programme component manuals and guidelines, and there is no mention of efforts to improve gender equality in the Annual Reports. VUP job descriptions do not have requirements for staff to carry out gender analysis or mainstreaming. Despite recognition by key informants of the lack of gender-related requirements for staffing, capacity and performance, there have been limited initiatives to improve gender responsiveness within VUP.
Ibid., p.16. Public Works Operational Framework and Procedure Manual , p. 23. 73 Ibid., p. 17. 74 In the case of PW, participants register according to the name or the household representative, even if this is not the person carrying out the work. Because registration at the worksite is under the name of the beneficiary initially identified by the community (usually the household head), actual data on who is participating and for how many days in the work, as well as their needs and experiences, is limited. 75 District Key Informant Interview
71 72
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Gender related capacity building is not sufficiently included in the Staffing and Capacity Building plan.76 Central level respondents generally indicated that VUP staff had limited gender related knowledge and skills, resulting in a key gap in improving the gender responsiveness of VUP. Further, most of the training and capacity building received to date has not been provided through RLDSF, rather respondents who had received training received it through other employment or due to a personal association with other organizations. A central level respondent indicated:
VUP staff at the central level has more training on technical issues but not on gender sensitive/genderrelated issues. VUP staff at the local level receive more training on gender through NGOs. Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview
The engagement of organizations with gender expertise is positive, but the reliance on other organizations to provide training independently and the ad hoc nature of the trainings does not guarantee gender capacity building for all VUP actors. The development of the Community Sensitization Manual is a positive tool to improving VUP capacity building on gender, and the process of dissemination and implementation is a key next step. 6.4 PARTNERSHIPS References to collaboration or partnerships on gender do not appear in the Targeting, Exit and Graduation guidelines, the PW or DS Manuals or Annual reports. However, the HIMO/LIPW strategy calls for the development of collaboration with the National Gender Machinery. It includes MIGEPROF in the National Steering Committee and notes that MIGEPROF and NWC will provide technical support.77 The Community Sensitization Manual also includes action points and references related to the National Gender Machinery and other womens civil society organizations. 6.5 GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING Although RLDSF produces a gender budget statement, the application of gender responsive budgeting (GRB) to VUP was unclear, and no requirements or guidelines for integrating GRB were included in the key programme documents. Fund allocation for VUP components is explained in the VUP Guidelines, but there is no reference to gender responsive budgeting.78
There is no specific gender budgeting in the VUP budget. The budget provided is for general use and for beneficiaries. Gender responsive budgeting is only included in the general budget of the district. District Key Informant Interview
Although RLDSF provides a gender budget statement for its overall programmes and the districts have gender budget statements, there is no requirement for gender budgeting for VUP at either level, indicating a gap in setting gender specific targets or programming.
7. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP DELIVERY

VUP delivery includes the implementation of the targeting mechanism, access to and participation in VUP components, sensitization programming, graduation and exit mechanisms
Republic of Rwanda, Final Draft VUP Staffing Strategy and Capacity Building Plan, Kigali: December 2012, p. 2. National Labour Intensive Public Works (HIMO/LIPW) Strategy, p. 24-25. 78 Guidelines on VUP Targeting, Exit and Graduation , p. 6.
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and the Appeals and Complaints mechanisms. This section considers the differential experiences of accessing and participating in VUP delivery and existing gender barriers. 7.1 TARGETING VUP targeting includes three phases of selection: i)
ii) iii)
selection of sectors for participation in VUP selection of households for inclusion in VUP based on Ubudehe status selection of VUP households for including in programme components
Of most interest to this assessment is the selection of VUP households for the programme components, which will receive the greatest focus in this report. As detailed in the introduction, the selection of sectors was initially done considering the poverty status of the sector, with the poorest sector in each district selected. There was consistency among FGDs with officials in explaining how sectors were selected for inclusion in VUP, although consideration of gender inequality was not part of the targeting approach. 7.1.1 UBUDEHE TARGETING Ubudehe categorization is a system of social poverty mapping done at the community level which VUP uses as part of its targeting framework. Ubudehe Categorization focuses on consideration of social poverty of households, and criteria are the same for men and women. Some district officials did note the consideration of special cases within a household, including disability of female or child-headed households, for determination of Ubudehe category.79 Thus, there is some recognition of gender elements, but limited use of gender analysis in criteria development and application in targeting. Key informants agreed that the definition and application of VUP eligibility criteria should be improved in order to be more gender sensitive and allow more effective selection of beneficiaries: Ubudehe categorization should be less subjective and standardized at the national level; it should also take into account disabilities.80 7.1.2 VUP TARGETING There was overall agreement among officials and beneficiaries that the targeting mechanism provides equal access. However, there was some concern about the mechanism, in terms of ensuring consideration of specialized groups or individuals within households. While most key informants agreed that VUP considers vulnerable households, primarily through Ubudehe categorization and the availability of the labour force in the household, VUP remains limited in its consideration of specific vulnerabilities experienced by men and women. As a measure to improve the gender responsiveness of the targeting process, key informants at the central level suggested that beneficiaries should be targeted using a more comprehensive approach, including by carrying out an improved assessment of household members differential needs and skills. 81 While VUP targets households living in extreme poverty, there should be improved measures to ensure the targeting of vulnerable households which may experience poverty more deeply.
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mugano Sector, Nyamagabe District, 25 July 2013; Minazi Sector, Gakenke District 31 July 2013; Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013; Cyabingo Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. 80 Development Partner Central Level Key Informant Interview 81 Development Partner Central Level Key Informant Interview; RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
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7.1.2 VUP COMPONENT TARGETING (DS, PW, FS) Direct Support is for those who are poor and vulnerable and unable to work. Public Works supports the poor through providing work where they are paid a daily wage, and Financial Services encourages beneficiaries to take loans and develop income generating projects.82 DIRECT SUPPORT The selection process for DS includes households whose members live in extreme poverty but are physically unable to work. FGD participants indicated that the community selects the beneficiaries and community leaders approve the list. Beneficiaries stated that selection for DS is done by consideration of physical ability to work as those unable to do physical labour, who are also in Ubudehe categories 1 and 2, are placed in DS. Officials in Mahembe clarified that The beneficiaries for Direct Support are mainly old people who are vulnerable and not able to work. We also include orphans living alone and widows.83 Similarly, officials in Rangiro indicated that elderly men and women are prioritized for DS.84 In some cases, where the household is de facto female headed, particularly where the husband is in prison or adult children are students, the labour force of the household is considered less available.85 However, according to beneficiaries in FGDs, currently households are primarily considered a single entity, rather than considering the special needs of the individuals within the household. This means that, except in special circumstances, communities assume that the needs of the members of the household are the same, and that these needs will be looked after by the household head.86 Unfortunately, this is not always the reality. Women in DS in Minazi identified a woman who was left out of DS:
She has people at home who can do the work, but those people dont help her. They all leave in the morning and come back in the evenings but never provide any help to her. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector
This FGD also said that older people can be left out of VUP if they have someone at home who can work, but there is not necessarily any evidence that that person provides support. 87 The limited consideration of household dynamics in the selection process reduces the overall effectiveness of the programme, particularly in terms of effective categorization in the programme components. More consideration of household dynamics, particularly in term of who is contributing to the households is required. To achieve this, more direction for communities about consideration of availability of labour in a household that goes beyond physical capacity is needed.88 PUBLIC WORKS In Public Works, households are selected based on the ability of an adult member to work. These households are not guaranteed VUP funds, rather this depends on the availability of community projects for them to be assigned to work. Funds are paid based on days of work by an individual, and the amount is not scaled up based on the number of individuals in the household. Officials in Minazi explained, The beneficiaries are paid a da ily wage but it is transferred through their account at the SACCO. Only 1 person per household is allowed to
District Key Informant Interview FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 84 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Rangiro Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 85 FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 86 FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 87 FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 88 Some direction is provided in the Community Mobilization Manual and this is an important starting point for addressing this issue.
82 83
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work.89 Households are identified at the project site by the name of the household head, which is usually a man. For, example a woman in Gikomero in PW stated:
My husband is disabled but he was put on the selection list as the household head but I am the one who works in his name. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector
Despite her being the one participating in the income generation, her husband is still considered the household head. Because households are not guaranteed participation, selection has an additional step. As there is usually not sufficient work for all PW households targeted, once there is a project being carried out in a community, the community identifies who on the list of initially selected PW households will participate. Men in PW in Minazi stated, As sometimes they need fewer people to work, we look at someone who really needs the money to survive and we put them forward, but they should be on the list of categories of Ubudehe 1 or 2.90 This was also explained by officials in Minazi, The target list is prepared from the selection list done by the community. When there is a project to be done, an announcement is made in the Umudugudu for those who are eligible and want to work.91 Despite being targeted for PW in the initial phase, in some communities, those without sufficient physical ability to do the work may simply not be selected for the particular project. Women in PW in Kibumbwe stated that selection sometimes depends on the kind of project. They select according to who has strength and sometimes they leave behind people due to a lack of strength.92 Other potential barriers to participation include womens reproductive responsibilities, such as child care. One key informant recognized these challenges, stating:
In theory everybody is equally eligible for PW but women face more constraints. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
However, this recognition has not yet resulted in the elaboration and inclusion of gender sensitive criteria to ensure the adequate consideration of these constraints in the targeting of beneficiaries. Improving the gender responsiveness of the design and implementation is required, including the development and implementation of gender sensitive criteria for targeting, to address the particular constraints experienced by women. PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS The type of PW project being carried out in the community, determines the kind of work required, and the number of beneficiaries who will participate. Officials in Minazi explained that projects are approved by the Umudugudu officials with the Ubudehe officer, and the Cell Executive Secretary also approves. This is followed by appraisal and approval at the sector level.93 Most of the projects are related to sector infrastructure or agriculture development, and have included radical terraces, road construction and rehabilitation, building of schools and
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 91 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. 92 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 93 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013.
89 90
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health centres.94 The types of PW projects that survey respondents participated in are included in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Types of PW projects reported by household survey respondents
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 1% 14% 76% 74% 92% 74% 49% 74%
42%
Ditches
Health Centre
Radical terraces Men
Road School construction construction
Women
Although survey respondents and beneficiaries participating in FGDs indicated that the projects benefit the community, there was recognition at the central level that the PW projects should be diversified to ensure participation of different groups, particularly those with specific vulnerabilities. According to a central level key informant:
In theory the new Social Protection Strategy calls for differentiation of PW projects so as to respond to the needs of pregnant and lactating women. But in practice we haven't identified many diverse opportunities. Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview
This acknowledgement of the limitations of PW projects and selection mechanisms creates space for improving participation, which is discussed further in this report. FINANCIAL SERVICES Selection for Financial Services is a different process from Public Works and Direct Support, due to the complementary nature of this component. To be selected, beneficiaries prepare an income generation project, file the forms with the authorities and present the project. According to officials in Minazi, Interested beneficiaries have to prepare their projects (mostly farming projects and small businesses). They have to present the application form at the Umudugudu for a signature at the cell then at the sector. Once the projects are approved, the beneficiaries get the loan through the SACCO.95 FS beneficiaries can include individuals, groups, or cooperatives. The primary criteria considered for selection, beyond being in Ubudehe category 1 and 2, included having assets as security for the loan and a well-developed project. However, other factors may also be considered. According to officials in Kibumbwe, At the Umudugudu level, they look at the personality of the person who is asking for financial services. At the sector level, they look at the feasibility of the project, and the availability of funds.96 In this regard, personal history and community knowledge of the individual requesting the loan may be considered. Women in Kamabuye stated:
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mugano Sector, Nyamagake District, 25 July 2013; FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013. 95 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District,31 July 2013. 96 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
94
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They look for people who are honest and well known in their communities. Most of the men who have asked for FS did not use it for the projects, they spent it drinking and once it is finished they escaped and left their households. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector
The issue of misuse of funds in this way was raised by many of the FGDs. Respondents in FGDs also noted that while both men and women were equally considered for FS, there is some difference in access and the amount or types of loans sought. Officials in Kibumbwe stated, men are good at asking for loans, but women are good at repaying loans. 97 As a result of challenges in womens access to FS, officials in Kibumbwe and Gakenke, as well as male DS beneficiaries in Gikomero, referred to the measure to promote womens engagement in FS by offering a higher loan amount for groups with a majority of women. Measures to further address equal access to and use of FS are required, as is improved information about how decisions related to FS loans are made. 7.1.3 TARGETING CHALLENGES A key challenge related to Ubudehe categorization and VUP selection is participation in community meetings. Although community meetings are open to all, some focus group participants noted challenges faced by some community members unable to attend. For example, men in DS in Minazi stated that a disabled woman was left off the VUP list:
When there are community meetings, there is no one who comes to speak on her behalf, so she is always left. FGD with Male DS Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector
There was also recognition by officials of challenges that may result in barriers to participation. A central level key informant stated, if there are limitations linked to domestic and/or reproductive tasks for example if the children are sick and need to be taken care of - women stay at home.98 This may result in an invisible barrier to womens participation in VUP selection and in the selection of other households and vulnerable groups. In some cases, the household representative may not represent the needs of the household well, or the needs of all members of the household. Improved participation of household members other than the head of household in selection meetings would improve the representation of the needs of the household, beyond consideration of the household as a single uniform unit. Another challenge with selection concerns gender sensitive issues that are not brought up in public, for example issues related to sexual and reproductive health, which might impact ability to participate in heavy labour. A central level key informant stated:
Criteria should be more gender sensitive: for example women sometimes cannot talk about reproductive issues. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
Further, although the community may intend for a particular household to benefit from the programme, the internal dynamics of that household situation may prevent this from happening. In Minazi, a woman whose household was registered for PW did not receive any support as her husband was legally married to another woman. As his name was the one registered for her household for PW, the other family participated in the work and benefited from the
97 98
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
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programme.99 The registration of the household head, often the man, may cause particular challenges in the case of cohabitation. Consideration of specific household dynamics, particularly when carrying out VUP and Component targeting is necessary. Further, there may be need for a smaller community forum to enable these issues to be raised in a more confidential setting. 7.2 PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMME COMPONENTS (DS, PW, FS) Most participants in the assessment agreed that men and women are equally participating in VUP. Despite this, respondents also noted that VUP does not necessarily address gender issues:
VUP has ensured men and women are participating equally. However gender issues are not very much considered in VUP. District Key Informant Interview
Although VUP does not formally discriminate against men or women in terms of participation, there is limited consideration of some of the gender barriers to participation, including those related to the gender division of reproductive work. 7.2.1 GENDER BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION In Rwanda, as in many countries, women have extra responsibilities related to reproductive work. Key informants acknowledged that women have responsibilities at the household level related to their reproductive roles, which include child care and education of children, washing and cooking, and addressing health issues in the household. One RLDSF key informant noted that womens reproductive roles impact their income generating opportunities, stating Women are prevented from improving their financial and employment situation by their domestic and care-taking responsibilities.100
Traditionally men and women are not equal: women have extra-responsibilities such as childcare and reproductive work, and their coping mechanisms are limited by such responsibilities. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
Women are expected to manage income generating tasks that are carried out in proximity to the household, such as taking care of small livestock and cultivating agricultural plots. While these roles are not unique to VUP beneficiaries, the limited acknowledgement of VUP of these added responsibilities for women is likely to result in less effective participation of women. Gender barriers to participation were particularly noted for Public Works and Financial Services. PUBLIC WORKS In practice, women face barriers to participation in VUP, particularly related to these household and childcare related responsibilities. A woman in Kibumbwe stated:
I am in PW but I couldnt work as a single mother. I have a disabled child and was taking her to the hospital constantly, so during all PW period last year I did not get paid as I had not yet worked. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
The care taking responsibilities of women, particularly taking care of children, the elderly or disabled or sick household members, are significantly higher for women than men. The household survey indicated that 62 percent of female respondents were the primary caregivers in their households, compared to 11 percent of male respondents. 38 percent of male respondents
99 100
FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
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also indicated that their spouse (wife) was the primary caregiver, but no female respondent indicated that her male spouse has this role. These responsibilities may also impact the quality of the participation or its results. Men in PW in Minazi stated that women with small children work with their small children and as we start early, they dont have time to feed them well.101 Although men and women both participate in PW heavy labour activities, women in Mahembe also indicated that the result for men and women is different.
We work from 7:00-15:00 and also have household chores; we do heavy work and get home very tiredFor men it is less difficult as they dont do household chores like cooking. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector
The domestic requirements of women result in added time for work that is beyond what would be the case for other income generating activities such as farm work, given the distance of some of the PW work sites. The challenge of distance to the worksite has significant implications for those who have added burdens, such as carrying small children, or physical limitations, such as pregnant women or people with disabilities. Womens domestic responsibilities may also limit their ability to look for other, more lucrative forms of income generation. In Kibumbwe, officials stated that women, especially female headed households, are more likely to be impoverished:
When there is a man in the household, he will always go to look for a job, even in very distant places if he cannot get one in a nearby area, whereas a woman will stay home because they cannot leave the children to go far away to look for a job. FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector
This has resulted in households with more than one adult sending women to participate in Public Works while the spouse or other male adult searches elsewhere for work. The shifting of PW to women is demonstrated in the number of days of PW participated in by men and women. Of those in Public Works, 38 percent of women respondents reported more than 100 days of work in the last year, compared to 3 percent of men. Men were more represented in the categories of less than 70 days and less than 30 days, suggesting that women are more likely to be involved for longer periods. This is shown in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2: PW Participation Days for Male and Female Participants
0
<10 days <30 days
0% 0%
3%
8% 8%
<50 days
<70 days <100 days
3%
8%
3%
28%
Female Male
16%
13%
18% 28%
>100 days
0%
101
38%
20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
5%
10%
15%
FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013.
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In the case of more than one adult in the household, there may be some sharing of the PW work. For example, men in PW in Gikomero stated that men and women work equal days, but that men work more days as they have strength, while the women take care of the household activities. They rotate sometimes.102 Sharing the household responsibility for seeking income is not in itself problematic, but the decision to send women to PW as a result of their domestic responsibilities and more limited mobility or access to lucrative income generation opportunities may reinforce negative gender norms. However, in single adult households there is much less flexibility. Men in PW in Mahembe explained:
Sometimes if there is a widow who is sick, she might get fewer days to work, but she is not paid when she does not work. FGD with Male PW Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector
This demonstrates that in single adult households there are greater challenges to addressing some of the barriers to participation, and there may be less benefit from the programme. Further, given this situation, VUP should be more actively addressing some of the gender barriers to effective participation as a result of womens reproductive responsibilities. There have been some strategies to address these barriers to participation. Beyond the measures in the PW and FS Manuals, other measures include community sensitization to increase support for women who are pregnant and breastfeeding.103 In practice, mechanisms to address barriers to participation are implemented in an ad hoc manner. This includes the assigning of childcare to one of the PW participants, or allowing women to take breaks to breastfeed or to carry children with them while they work. Measures to address limited physical capacity to work also varied, with officials in Cyabingo stating, in Public Works, we mix those with strength together with those with less strength so that they can help each other.104 FINANCIAL SERVICES Women are less involved in FS, possibly in part due to their limited time as a result of other productive and reproductive responsibilities. Women are less likely to engage in financial schemes since they are risk averse due to their larger burden of family and household financial responsibilities, meaning that they are less likely to engage in higher risk income generating opportunities which also have higher returns. Officials in Kibumbwe stated that few women ask for loans.105 The sentiment that there is limited understanding by some about FS and the process was also presented by women in Minazi, who stated, it is a favour to be given FS.106 This suggests that the process is not always well understood or followed. When women do participate in FS projects, there was some indication of a gender division of labour. Men in Minazi in FS indicated that for their project Men do construction of the livestock shed; women bring grass and water for the animals.107 Women in FS in Kamabuye stated:
For construction activities, we hired constructors who have experience in that kind of activity, we could not do that on our ownWe looked for people who could do the activities in a reasonable way and time. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector
FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview 104 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Cyabingo Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. 105 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 106 FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 107 FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013.
102 103
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Although FS may result in individual improvement, the kinds of activities women are engaging in through FS do not necessarily challenge what is considered acceptable roles for women and men, and may result in higher input costs for projects by women. Officials noted that women are more likely to pay back their loans, and explained that there has to be approval of the loan application by the spouse in a household, referring in particular to a wife being aware of her husbands application.108 The concern about men misusing funds was also raised by beneficiaries, with women in Kibumbwe stating, A wife should not sign on the project for approval if she thinks that the husband will waste the money drinking.109 Further, men in Kamabuye recognized that male applicants for FS are not approved if the wife has not agreed.110 Although these are potentially positive mechanisms, they do not address intrahousehold dynamics that may cause further problems for participants, for example if one spouse refuses to approve the loan application of the other. There are some challenges in the process for receiving a loan and in terms of repayment that need to be further reviewed.
CASE STUDY: Financial Services and HIV Rodi is a 30-year old man living in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District., where he shares a 3 room brick house with his father, his younger brother and 12 year old niece. Rodi discovered his HIV+ status in 2006. Following counselling at the Health Centre, Rodi has accepted his HIV status and is open about it with his family members and the community. Rodis household is in Ubudehe Category 3 and has been in Financial Service (FS) for the past year. Rodi became aware of FS through an information session that the VUP Sector Officer carried out in his village. He formed a group with ten other community members living with HIV, five men and five women. They developed a business plan to cultivate beans and maize. Their loan request was assessed by the Umudugudu Chief and Cell leader, and then by the Sector Office staff. The group received a loan of 450,000 Rwf that they used to buy land and seeds. Before FS, the financial situation of group members was critical: they had very little land, the harvest was scarce and they were not able to buy products they needed or ensure a balanced diet. They felt ashamed of their HIV+ status and of being poor, and did not feel confident participating in community activities or sharing opinions in village meetings. They did not feel accepted by other community members because of the stigma and misinformation about people living with HIV. Rodi reports that his life and the lives of group members have improved financially and socially after being included in FS. Rodi and the group members have become more confident thanks to sensitization initiatives. Community members have gradually started to accept people living with HIV. As a result, Rodis participation at the community level has greatly improved. He reports that community members got used to people living with HIV, they know we can contribute to the community development. Rodi reports that all members of the loan group participate equally, sharing ideas and taking part in decisionmaking. The group received sensitization about gender and how to equally treat and include men and women. He is proud that he and his group members were the first people who got financial services in the community: it was a good example because others also got encouragement from us and decided to ask for a loan. We have influenced the community, because they see what we have achieved.
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Nyarugenge Sector, Bugesera District, 2 August 2013. FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 110 FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013.
108 109
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7.2.2 CONSIDERATION OF VULNERABLE GROUPS Despite the widespread agreement among officials and beneficiaries that there are no significant issues related to participation of vulnerable groups, when this was discussed in more detail, participants did identify some challenges. This suggests that more efforts are required to address these challenges.
Specific needs and vulnerabilities are addressed through VUP only by chance. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS (PLHA) There was limited consideration of the special needs of PLHA. Officials in Kibumbwe stated that HIV status was not considered in selection as, we dont know who lives with HIV/AIDS and who does not.111 There is limited knowledge within the community about HIV status, related to the stigma associated with living with HIV/AIDS. Women in Kamabuye noted that PLHA have other organizations or cooperatives that provide support for them, so they are not given special attention by VUP.112 This has resulted in a lack of consideration of the special needs that might be associated with PLHA in terms of their inclusion in VUP. There were only ad hoc mechanisms to ensure the participation of PLHA. Officials in Kibumbwe stated:
In Public Works, PLHA stop working if they go for medical appointments. Also they work hard without being really strong, and it is also a challenge for the people working with them, because they have to work hard if they are working with people who are not energetic. FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector
This limited consideration of the special needs of PLHA may result in participation challenges. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Many poor people with disabilities are placed in DS if they are considered physically unable to work, particularly because Public Works usually consists of heavy labour. Men in PW in Kibumbwe explained:
People with disabilities are not usually allowed to work in PW. We walk long distances and do heavy jobs, and they would not be able to participate. If one has been selected for PW, they get someone else to work for them. FGD with Male PW Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
This suggests the existence of another adult in the household able to work, which may not be the case.113 One male beneficiary in Minazi stated, I have asthma and we have to walk long distances to work and sometimes I am not able to work well.114 In this case, someone with a chronic disease that may not be easily visible in a community meeting was selected for PW, which could be adverse for his health. The lack of special consideration of chronic illness or less visible forms of disability creates challenges for participation, particularly in PW. PW participants have developed some ad hoc mechanisms to address challenges faced by participants with less strength to carry out the heavy labour usually required. Women in Gikomero in PW stated, There are some disabled people we work together with but their
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013. 113 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 114 Ibid.
111 112
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disabilities are minor and we assist them at work by giving them duties that they can do.115 Men in PW in Gikomero told of a disabled man who was selected for PW who has difficulty walking. They said We try not to overload him with work. Usually he clears roads and grasses with the other women in our group. The main challenge is walking to the work site as sometimes it is far and we have to rise early, but we dont leave him; we walk together.116 This implies that work tasks are divided according to ability within the PW worksites, with different jobs done by men and women, acknowledging as well a gender division of labour in practice, even if not planned.
CASE STUDY: Direct Support and Disability Therese is an 80-year old woman living in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, where she shares a 3-room brick house with her three granddaughters, aged 12, 13 and 14 years. Thereses mobility is limited because of her age, and since 2011 she has been affected by an illness that resulted in paralysis of her left arm. Her household is in Ubudehe Category 2 and has been included in DS since 2011, because of their very limited financial resources and the lack of labour force available. Thereses physical disability and old age prevent her from being able to work or cultivate her land and her three grandchildren are not yet legally able to work. Before being in DS Thereses household was in a very critical financial situation. She owned a small plot of land, but there was no labour force available at the household level to cultivate the land and generate income to sustain the family members. Her grandchildren were suffering from malnutrition, and she could not afford school supplies. They did not have health insurance and were unable to pay for treatment when needed. Through inclusion in DS, Therese has improved the financial situation of the household. She is now able to pay for school materials for all her grandchildren, and to provide better nutrition. Therese has also used DS funds to buy a cow and construction materials to repair the roof of the house. Thereses family is now covered by Mutuelle de Sant, and is better able to access health facilities and the market as these were constructed through Public Works in her community. Previously, because of her limited mobility, Therese was not able to actively take part in community activities. By being a VUP beneficiary she has been receiving more information about activities such as training and sensitization initiatives. Nevertheless, Therese has not participated in community events because of her limited mobility and because she considers that the issues discussed such as reproductive health, family planning and business development are not relevant for her personal and family situation. Therese is extremely grateful for the support provided through VUP to her family members. She wishes to continue to be part of VUP as she currently has no other means to provide for her family and the financial support received through DS constitutes a fundamental part of the households income.
ELDERLY WOMEN AND MEN There are some similar challenges faced by elderly men and women. Most DS participants highlighted that those in DS are older people, and many are widows, given their physical inability to work and limited support by other family or household members.117 Women in PW in Kibumbwe stated, The problem older women face is that sometimes they are listed to participate in PW when they dont have strength and dont have anyone to help them out.118 Clearly, in some cases targeting is not effective, and the types of projects available through PW are not always conducive to elderly or infirm beneficiaries, who are in large numbers among the poorest in the communities visited.
FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 117 FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 118 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
115 116
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Another key challenge faced by elderly participants relates to their mobility. If they are unable to go to collect their VUP funds, they often send a representative, and in some cases, the funds allocated to the beneficiary or the household are not fully distributed.119 The limited mechanisms to ensure effective distribution and use of funds at the household level results in particular challenges for those facing barriers to collecting the funds on their VUP accounts. Similarly, participation in community meetings or sensitization activities may be affected by limited mobility. PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING WOMEN There are some particular challenges pregnant or breastfeeding women face in participating in VUP. Women in DS in Minazi stated:
Pregnant women are considered able to work because they are with their husbands, they dont put them in (DS) because they say that whoever is able to have babies is also able to raise them. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector
Officials in Jali also stated, There are no special measures given to pregnant/breastfeeding women. When it reaches time when they cannot work, a household member comes to assist until the woman has regained strength.120 Here, the household is considered to be a standard household, that of a man and a woman with children. In the case of a dual headed household, the sharing of PW days may be possible, but there was little acknowledgement of the existence of de jure or de facto female headed households headed by pregnant or breastfeeding women. In only one sector, in Rangiro, officials stated that they first considered whether there was someone else in the household to do the work for pregnant women to be included in Public Works.121 There are some limited strategies to address barriers to participation for pregnant women. In Mugano, officials stated that, PW runs from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sometimes if there is a pregnant woman, we allocate 1 hour for rest.122 In the case of breastfeeding women, some communities allowed PW participants to bring the children or to bring someone to the worksite to look after the children.123 In some sectors, women who are pregnant or have small children are employed as part of PW to look after the children. Beyond PW, the only special measures identified for pregnant women in DS were by officials in Kibumbwe, who stated, that they are given priority when it comes to lining up to get Direct Support at the end of the month at SACCO.124.
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013. 121 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Rangiro Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 122 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mugano Sector, Nyamagake District, 25 July 2013. 123 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013. 124 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
119 120
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Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment CASE STUDY: Public Works and Pregnancy Marie-Louise is a 36-year old woman living in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District with her 56 year old mother, her 12-year old daughter and 6-year old son. They share a small mud brick house situated on their small property. The community members decided that Marie-Louises household should be in Ubudehe Category 2 and because Marie-Louise can work, the household was put in PW. Marie-Louise is now 7 months pregnant but she is still actively taking part in PW whenever her household is called. She has done road construction, maintenance or reconstruction, and clearing the road with shovels. She says her pregnancy does not constitute an obstacle to perform these tasks and that she will work till she no longer has the strength. Marie-Louises mother is the head of the household and the VUP account signatory, and Marie-Louise is the co-signatory. She earns 1200 Rwf per working day and both Marie-Louise and her mother regularly access the VUP bank account. They sit together and jointly decide about how to use the funds. As a result of PW Marie-Louise noticed positive social and financial improvements. She has used VUP funds to buy soap, school uniforms, goats and other useful items for the house. Household relationships have improved now that Marie-Louise is able to actively participate in income generation for the family. She reports that there are talks after work in PW on how to respect each other, which has led to better relationship in the house. Her involvement at the community level has also improved as she now participates in community activities and regularly attends meetings. During her engagement in Public Works, Marie-Louise has never being prevented from participating, as her mother takes care of her children when she is at the worksite. Marie-Louise recognizes that VUP has helped us a lot to improve our household situation. Even though I am about to give birth I wish there will be more work, so that my mother will also be able to participate and work in PW.
MEN AND WOMEN WITH SMALL CHILDREN Women and men with small children face similar challenges to those faced by pregnant and breastfeeding women. Families with small children also face barriers to inclusion in DS because of concerns by the community that inclusion will encourage them to continue to have children. FGD respondents also identified similar measures to address the challenges faced by men and women with small children, in which the household sends a representative not involved in childcare, or brings small children to the worksite. In some communities, childcare was provided at the worksite. In others, as in Kibumbwe, respondents indicated that children are brought near the worksite, with or without supervision.125 One respondent in Kibumbwe stated:
I am 20 years old. I wasnt selected for PW but I work for a widow who is my neighbour, as she cant work due to her three small children. I work in her name and when I get paid we share the money. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
The ad hoc nature of providing child care is not sufficient for removing the barriers to access and participation that result from reproductive responsibilities. The shifting of PW labour or of child care responsibilities, onto a neighbour or an older child, may impact access to employment or education for these other actors. The extra burden placed on women in particular, given their reproductive responsibilities, is not well recognized as a barrier to participation, which means that it is not well addressed.
125
FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
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7.3 ACCOUNT HOLDER Each beneficiary household has an identified representative to collect VUP funds from the account. Officials in Cyabingo clarified that beneficiaries are required to open an account for their VUP funds and spouses or next of kin also have access to the funds. 126 Women in DS in Gikomero stated that When the household is in DS and they have written the husband as the head of the household, his wife can come in his place when he cant come to get the money. 127 PW beneficiaries in FGDs indicated that the account signatory is the head of the household, particularly as they represent the household for the programme. Women in Minazi stated, They select the household head who most of the time is the husband, unless it is a single female household.128 Women in PW in Kibumbwe further explained that as the household is selected for PW:
The name for the household head is put on the list. Even when we [women] work, they call his name and we answer in his name. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
One woman in Gikomero indicated that although she works in PW, her husband is the one on the list and is the signatory to the bank account, and she is a second account signatory as the wife of the head of household.129 In terms of who selected the account signatory, women in Mahembe indicated that the authorities choose the household head and then require a second signatory for the household.130 Officials in Jali expressed that they ensure that the woman in the household has the right to access the account.131 However, only 78 percent of female respondents in the household survey reported being a VUP account signatory. Through the household survey, women respondents indicated that VUP staff were most often the ones to select the account holder, whereas men responded that the household and the respondent (the male beneficiary himself) were the ones to select the account holder. This may suggest that when women are on the account it is due to being added by VUP staff or the community, rather than by the household. Given the small sample size, further investigation is necessary.
Figure 3: Household Survey Response to "Who Selected the Account Holder of VUP?" 51% Women Men 44% 51%
14% 1.3%
19% 3% 1.3%
13% 2.7%
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Cyabingo Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 128 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 129 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 130 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013. 131 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013.
126 127
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Despite acknowledgement that both men and women have access to the account, one key informant suggested that this may not result in sharing of the funds, stating usually who participates in VUP uses the funds.132 This suggests that VUP by itself may not effectively address imbalances in use of funds and income allocation and that more sensitization and support for beneficiaries to achieve this may be required. 7.4 TRAINING AND SENSITIZATION Training and sensitization are a key component of VUP, and are intended to go alongside the programme components. Key informants identified a range of topics that are part of sensitization programming, including information about government programmes, how VUP works, financial literacy, hygiene and sanitation, family planning and some information related to GBV and household relationships.133 Beneficiaries identified receiving sensitization on health, including hygiene, nutrition, family planning, government programmes, and savings.
Figure 4: Sensitisation Topics Reported by Household Survey Respondents 67% 64% Women Men
20%
18% 7% 6%
Other
18%
Education
Education
Health
Health
Law and Rights
Other
There are diverse modalities used for training and sensitization. For Direct Support beneficiaries, sensitization is delivered before entering the programme, as well as in periodic meetings. Officials in Gikomero explained, we provide sensitization every 1st of the month on money management, savings, forming cooperatives, family planning, and GBV. We call for people who are well trained in those areas, like someone from the Health Center for Family Planning, the Etat Civil for GBV.134 In Gikomero, men in DS stated:
There are different committees on umudugudu level, composed of men and women, who go in households to talk about gender related issues. They mainly go to households that have problems. FGD with Male DS Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector
Men in Mahembe also stated that equality between men and women is raised in community meetings.135 There is some sensitization on household relationships and other gender related issues, which is positive, but this was not consistent across sectors, and the inclusion of gender equality issues was very mixed.
Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview District Key Informant Interviews. 134 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013. 135 FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013.
132 133
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For PW beneficiaries, sensitization is provided at the end of the PW working day. According to officials in Gikomero, For Public Works, every day after work, there is a time dedicated to sensitization, where we talk about hygiene, family planning, gender equality, and life between spouses.136 Women in Gikomero reported receiving sensitization on violence issues, especially for women, HIV prevention and birth control. Men in Kibumbwe stated that they received sensitization on nutrition and on birth control.137 However, women in PW in Minazi stated:
We only get general discussion as a whole community on all programs of the government. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector
This suggests that there is inconsistency in the method of sensitization and the topics disseminated across sectors. Sensitization for FS beneficiaries is delivered at the beginning of their participation in the component, and focuses primarily on financial literacy. Some support is also given to those preparing FS loan applications, who may receive advice and guidance from the sector agronomist and others. Sensitization for FS beneficiaries was more limited, which may be due to the expectation that these beneficiaries will receive sensitization through their participation in other programme components. Officials and key informants indicated that there is some inclusion of gender-related topics, including sensitization on having a shared bank account, and shared income management.138 Officials in Cyabingo stated We also sensitize on equal balance when it comes to the economy of the household.139 Officials in Gakenke argued that gender issues are included in sensitization topics because gender is cross-cutting.140 However, most beneficiaries in FGDs did not identify receiving gender specific programming, although some gender related topics were discussed. This suggests the lack of formal targeted sensitization on gender issues. While gender equality is briefly mentioned in the VUP manuals, sensitization on gender equality is limited in practice. Instead, it is primarily addressed through sensitization on other government programmes, which are not always well connected to VUP.141 Key informants confirmed that while VUP gives equal access to men and women, the participation of beneficiaries may be different. A central level key informant stated:
Depending on the topic on the agenda, men and women participate differently: women go mostly for family planning, nutrition, hygiene and child-care; men go mostly for agriculture, forestry, financial literacy and business development. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
Some respondents also noted barriers to participation in sensitization meetings or trainings, including distance to the sites and lack of means for transport.142 Women in DS in Minazi explained that they dont often participate in sensitization meetings because of the challenges they face in getting to the meeting locations. They stated:
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013. FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 138 RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview 139 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Cyabingo Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. 140 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 141 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 28 July 2013. 142 FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013, FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mugano Sector, Nyamagake District, 25 July 2013.
136 137
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Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment We dont participate in VUP meetings because the leaders accepted it and we dont come. We cannot walk up to there. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector
Another key challenge related to sensitization is the inconsistent and unstructured nature of these sessions. Many communities rely on local resources available, including community health workers, which is positive, but there is limited information on the kind or quality of information being disseminated, particularly given the reliance on other government programmes to impart important information. RLDSF is in the process of finalizing a new Community Mobilization Manual, with the support of development partners, which includes important sessions on gender related issues and specifically on gender equality. This clearly constitutes an important step towards more effective promotion of gender equality through VUP. It is fundamental for the new training modules to be rolled out in a structured manner, and harmonized with the other sensitization and public information initiatives carried out at the community level. Lastly, participants in the assessment did not provide examples of skills-based or technical training that they had received as VUP beneficiaries. With the exception of some financial literacy training given to FS participants, there was limited experience of skills development that would enable beneficiaries to improve income generation capacity. Further, the limitation of PW projects to those requiring heavy unskilled labour does not facilitate the skills development that would enable beneficiaries to find employment to move out of poverty.
7.5 GRADUATION AND EXIT

Overall respondents reported a lack of clear guidelines for determining graduation and limited understanding of graduation and exit mechanisms.143 7.5.1 GRADUATION144 Key informants and officials indicated that the graduation criteria are applied by the community during public meetings.145 Although the graduation process involves the community analyzing household poverty and ability to be self-sustaining, most FGD respondents indicated that criteria for graduation do not consider gender issues or other vulnerabilities.146 Key informants echoed this, stating that "The criteria are the same for men and women, and Graduation criteria refer only to poor households, no reference is made to men or women.147 Key informants also agreed that criteria for graduation should be made gender sensitive and clarified.148 Participants were not uniformly aware of what graduation means, how the process works or the criteria required. Some identified that graduation takes place when household living conditions have improved, or when a family member, such as a student or a spouse previously away, for example in jail, returned and was able to be moved from DS to PW.149 A woman in Mahembe stated, I was alone with the children while my husband was in prison but now I have farm
District Key Informant Interview; FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 144 Graduation describes a situation where a livelihood has been strengthened so that the household or recipient is able to maintain themselves out of extreme poverty for the medium to long term without VUP support. Guidelines on VUP Targeting, Exit and Graduation, p. 15. 145 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 146 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013. 147 RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview 148 RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview 149 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
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animals. My husband came back when we were okay and in category 2.150 Some respondents also indicated that when households improved through gaining livestock or land, they might graduate to a higher Ubudehe category.151 Overall, few FGD respondents were aware of someone graduating.
CASE STUDY: Ubudehe and Children under 5 years of age Germaine is a 28-year old single mother of four living in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District. She has a 7year old son and three daughters that are 4 years, 2 years and 5 months old. Germaines household has been in Ubudehe Category 1 since a community meeting in 2012. She recalls that the community put the people in categories, according to how poor they are, if they have many children, whether they have farm land or not. Germaine believes that the decision to put her in category 1 is fair since she is poor and has many children. It was because her household was in Ubudehe Category 1, and because she has children under 5-years old to take care of that her household was placed in Direct Support (DS). Germaine explains that if she improves her financial situation, and particularly if she has an animal at home and her kids have grown up, and there is land to farm, she can be put in Category 2. Thus far, she has not yet been able to improve the income generation capacity of her household. Although she is satisfied by the Ubudehe categorization of her own household and the inclusion in DS, Germaine does not believe the categorization mechanism is always applied fairly. Rather, she says, there are people who are put in category 2 but who should be in category 1. Germaine is aware of the Appeals and Complaints mechanism but she believes it doesnt work properly. She explains, when you are put in a category you dont want, you cant do anything about that, you cannot claim to the leaders. If you are in a category, you stay in that one and wait for next year to be put in the right category. It is all done at Umudugudu level, the Umudugudu leader decides about it. She strongly recommends to apply the mechanisms appropriately and follow all the criteria and process both for Ubudehe categorization and graduation, as well as for the consequent inclusion of low-income households in VUP components.
7.5.2 EXIT Although respondents indicated that the community is involved in defining and applying exit criteria, there was limited clarity about these processes. Some respondents indicated that exit from the program might take place if family members are able to find other sources of income. For example, women in DS in Kibumbwe stated:
If a household is in DS and there is a student in that household, once the student finishes studying, the household exits; the student is supposed to do PW if he or she doesnt find another job to help the familyThey take into account different needs of individuals, for example, they wait until the student finishes, or if the husband is in jail, once released, they exit. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
This suggests some confusion between exiting the programme and graduating from DS to PW. The limited understanding of how the exit takes place was expressed by men in Kibumbwe, who stated, The exit usually depends on how the list of beneficiaries has come out, if you dont find yourself on the list then you have been exited.152
FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013. FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 152 FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
150 151
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Officials in Nyarugenge stated that no one has been exited if their livelihood situation has not yet improved.153 Women in PW in Gikomero expressed that participants not showing signs of improvement are still supported: If one has been in the program for long and they havent shown signs of improvement, they are not exited but still supported and sensitized on ways to improve.154 Participants also noted that rather than using the exit mechanism in the case of misuse of funds, there are instead diverse strategies used, the most common being a warning or sensitization.155 Another mechanism to address misuse of funds is the reallocation of the beneficiary account to the spouse. Women and men in PW in Mahembe stated that in the case of misuse of funds, the VUP funds may be allocated to the spouse.156 Officials in Mahembe indicated that if there is dispute about the funds within a household, the signatory on the account is changed.157 The transfer of the account to the spouse may not address household level conflict over the use of the funds and more follow-up on the situation may be required. Officials in FGDs indicated that the differential needs of men and women are not fully considered in the exit process. Officials in Gakenke indicated that the exit process considers only the timeline of receiving funds rather than specific vulnerabilities.158 In Nyarugenge, officials stated that to determine exit, only the household poverty level was considered:
The most vulnerable are women but we dont favour them; however, we use the decrease in poverty level of the household. FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Nyarugenge Sector
This is despite the potential barriers to accessing other income generating opportunities to continue to maintain a newly achieved standard of living. 7.6 APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS MECHANISM Officials identified a number of steps in the appeals and complaints mechanism that include committees at Umudugudu, Cell and Sector levels, as well as support from local VUP staff. 159 Despite these various levels and mechanisms, beneficiaries were not fully aware of the process. Women in DS in Kamabuye stated:
When you are not on the list, nothing happens to get this solved. You can go to Umudugudu level, they send you to SACCO and when you go there, they send you back to Umudugudu. We really dont know where to look for help. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector
Beyond limited understanding of the process, other barriers to the appeals and complaints mechanism included challenges with accessing the higher decision-making levels, particularly those at sector or district level. Although in theory beneficiaries have the opportunity to raise their concerns with higher decision-making bodies, in practice they face barriers due to limited
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Nyarugenge Sector, Bugesera District, 2 August 2013. FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 155 District Key Informant Interview; FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013. 156 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District,23 July 2013; FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013. 157 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 158 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 159 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Rangiro Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013; Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013; Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013.
153 154
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mobility, lack of means to pay for transport, or a lack of confidence to raise their concerns in a public forum. The majority of the complaints acknowledged by FGD respondents related to perceived transparency of selection and categorization, either in terms of Ubudehe category or VUP component. Other complaints related to delays in payment of VUP funds or deduction of money from VUP beneficiary accounts to pay for other community related programmes or initiatives. Officials in Gakenke, Kibumbwe and Mahembe identified a difference in the kinds of complaints brought forward by men and women, indicating that women raised the issue of misuse of funds by their husbands.160 In Kibumbwe, officials noted that women forward the complaint of men receiving the VUP payment and not using the funds for the household.161 Respondents also recognized the shifting of the account holder as a response to the issue of misuse of funds. Women in PW in Gikomero stated:
In case of misuse of funds by the household or husband, we can report it at the sector level and they can give someone else the right to be collecting the funds instead of him. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector
Men in Kibumbwe in PW similarly stated that if they misuse the funds, someone else in the household is given the authority to collect the money from the SACCO as it is meant for the household.162 Again, while this approach may solve the immediate problem, it does not address the household dynamics, and may increase problems within the household if not accompanied by sensitization and household support.
8. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP IMPACT

The VUP Gender Equity Assessment considered the gender experiences of income, social and household poverty, as well as the potential impact of VUP on intra-household dynamics such as decision-making and relationships. Given the small sample size, the findings from the household survey have been used to provide some indications of potential impacts, and are used alongside the feedback from key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Overall, respondents indicated that VUP has had a positive impact on household and income poverty. From the household survey, comparison between VUP sector cohorts 1 and 4 found that Cohort 1 respondents were more likely to report positive impacts. Table 12: VUP Impact by Cohort 1 and 4 Sectors
VUP Impact Positive Impact on Access to Education Positive Impact on Access to Health Positive Impact on Economic Stability Positive Impact on Household Safety VUP Cohort 1 Sectors 72% 99% 95% 97% VUP Cohort 4 Sectors 59% 89% 83% 81%
Interestingly, cohort 4 respondents were more likely to report a neutral impact of VUP on these areas. The higher positive response rate from cohort 1 respondents is to be expected given that
FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gakenke District,30 July 2013; Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013; Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 161 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 162 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
160
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they have been in the programme longer and there has been an increase in provision of public services over time. In terms of male and female headed households, the reported VUP impacts vary by area of impact, as shown in Table 13 below. Table 13: VUP Impact for Male and Female Headed Households
VUP Impact Positive Impact on Access to Education163 Positive Impact on Confidence Positive Impact on Community Participation Positive Impact on Economic Stability Positive Impact on Access to Health Positive Impact on Household Safety Positive Impact on Community Safety FHH 62% 90% 73% 85% 93% 95% 95% MHH 68% 90% 88% 90% 94% 87% 90%
Given the small sample size of the survey, this information provides some guidance rather than being representative and should be considered limited in this regard. 8.1 INCOME AND HOUSEHOLD POVERTY Respondents acknowledged that VUP has improved income generation at the household level. A District level key informant indicated:
VUP has impacted the community in a great way and has improved the lives of the people. Most households have been able to buy farm animals and improved the farming produce. District Key Informant Interview
DS participants in the FGDs recognized a substantial change in their experience of poverty, highlighting a change in hygiene and the ability to fulfil basic needs, such as food and clothing, and improve housing conditions. In terms of the household survey, male and female respondents had homes with an average of about 3 rooms. 61 percent of male headed and 47 percent of female headed households reported eating two meals per day, and 28 percent of male headed households compared to 45 percent of female headed reported eating 1 meal per day. Male headed households had more assets.
Figure 5: Asset Ownership by Sex of Household Head
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Bed Radio Cooking pots Mosquito Net Mattress 60% 33% 75% 75% 95% 97% 80% 69% 65% FHH MHH 95%
A higher percentage of female headed households, compared to male headed households, reported that this impact was more neutral.
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Most female and male respondents reported having mud walls, although men were more likely to report cement and brick walls.
Table 14: Wall Type Reported by Sex of Respondent Wall Type Female Brick 25% Mud 71% Cement 4% Grand Total 100% Male 28% 63% 8% 98%
In terms of differences in use of VUP income, male and female household survey respondents indicated a fairly similar use of VUP funds, as shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6: VUP Income Use by Sex of Respondent164
100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Food Health Care Home Improvement Savings School 95% 100% 93% 78% 85% 72% 84% 77% 83% 72%
Women
Men
All of the men surveyed reported using the VUP income for food, but were slightly less likely than the women surveyed to report using VUP for the other kinds of expenditures. In particular, women were more likely to report using the funds for health care, home improvement and school related costs. The assessment highlighted some differences in benefiting from VUP income related to the specific roles and responsibilities of women. 8.2 FOOD SECURITY AND ACCESS TO MARKET Officials at the sector level noted an improvement in food security due to VUP.165 Officials in Gikomero suggested that nutrition has improved and that people are more able to afford food and to have animals and farms.166 Women in Gikomero stated that Due to VUP, we were able to buy farm animals that provided manure, therefore increasing production.167 In Mahembe, sensitization on savings has resulted in VUP beneficiaries forming a food store cooperative through which members can purchase food items.168 VUP is also considered to have increased access to the market, and improved income generating activities, particularly for those participants receiving loans through FS. Officials in Rangiro stated:
Due to small business and increased purchasing power from VUP funds, there is more access to the market. FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Rangiro Sector
The survey question allowed respondents to select more than one type of expenditure, explaining why the totals are more than 100 percent across assets. 165 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 166 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013. 167 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 168 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013.
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For those beneficiaries participating in FS, there has been some positive impact from the income generating projects developed.169 8.3 LABOUR SUBSTITUTION VUP was reported to have an impact on labour substitution primarily through Public Works, but Direct Support beneficiaries were not considered to change their labour involvement.170 Officials in Minazi stated that when one member of the household is participating in PW, the other members attend to the household activities or other income generating activities.171 One group of PW FGD participants indicated that VUP has allowed community members to stay closer to the community. They stated, our villagers used to go to Bugesera to look for work and would contract malaria there. Now they work closer.172 The decrease in migration for work could result in improved sharing of household and community responsibilities, given improved proximity to work. There is potential for VUP to increase focus on the need for improved sharing of productive and reproductive responsibilities both at the household and community levels. This approach would allow VUP to enhance its impact on poverty reduction while achieving greater transformation of unequal gender roles and responsibilities. 8.4 HOUSEHOLD ACTIVITIES There were mixed responses about the impact of VUP on household activities or the time required to carry out such activities. While both men and women included farming and taking care of livestock as a household activity, men did not identify household activities that included domestic chores or taking care of children, whereas women did. Women in PW in Kibumbwe reported:
The time available for household activities has become less for those who are alone and dont have anybody to assist them when they go for PW. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
Women in Kamabuye indicated that they postpone doing their household activities until they have finished their daily PW work. They stated, if one has finished the allocated area they can go home and continue to do household chores.173 The added burden of household activities related to womens reproductive roles does not appear reduced as a result of VUP. Many participants noted that they have been able to improve their housing situation or expand their household farming activities.174 The improved production of household farms has in some cases also resulted in the shifting of labour onto others in the household or in the community. Men in Gikomero stated that Household activities have actually increased as we can afford to pay someone to do the farming for us while we work in PW, which has improved our f amilys production.175 This was also expressed by men in Mahembe who indicated that they can pay others to do the farming, and men in Minazi indicated that the funds received have improved the
FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013; FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013. 170 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Cyabingo Sector, Gakenke District, 31 July 2013. 171 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District,31 July 2013. 172 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 173 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013. 174 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013. 175 FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013.
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household activities.176 These positive impacts in terms of improved income generating activities within the household and better production are undoubtedly important. Nevertheless, the addition of VUP related activities mainly through PW and FS - on top of domestic work for women or the shifting of responsibilities onto others does not necessarily indicate positive change in terms of gender roles and norms. Increasing the transformational potential of VUP from a gender perspective would enhance VUPs impact on poverty reduction trends. 8.5 HOUSEHOLD DECISION-MAKING Most FGD respondents indicated an improvement in the sharing of household decision making because of the requirement in VUP that funds are for household use. Women in Mahembe stated, The husband used to decide what to do with the money. Now, VUP requires the money to go to the entire household, so decision making is better. 177 Others indicated that decisionmaking has improved in part because households now have income that requires decisions about allocation. Men in Kibumbwe stated that before Direct Support:
We had no money, so not many decisions were taken. With money, we have to sit and decide together as a whole household. FGD with Male DS Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector
Most of the men in PW and DS FGDs indicated that decisions about how to use VUP funds are made as a household. Women in PW and DS also reported positive changes in decision making. Women in PW in Kibumbwe stated that Through PW, we now make decisions together as a household to see how we improve our lives, also due to sharing the SACCO account, we all have received a right in decision making.178 Men and women in the household survey both indicated a positive ability to make decisions about VUP funds. However, all of the men respondents indicated a good ability to make decisions, compared with 77% of women. 18% of women indicated a poor ability to decide, which suggests that more efforts to address household decision making may be required.
Figure 7: Ability to Make Decisions About VUP Funds by Sex of Respondent
100% 77% Women Men
18% 5% Good Good Poor Fair
FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013; Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 177 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Mahembe Sector, Nyamasheke District, 23 July 2013. 178 FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Kibumbwe Sector, Nyamagabe District, 24 July 2013.
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Despite these positive indications, some respondents still expressed that household decision making has not greatly changed and that much still depends on intra-household dynamics.179 Women in PW in Minazi stated:
Decision making at the household level still depends on the relationship that was there; not much has changed and we cant really know what goes on at the household. FGD with Female PW Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector
Men in Kamabuye also indicated that the household decision making depends largely on the relationships in the household.180 Thus, while there are indications that equal participation in household decision making has improved, which is very positive, more measures to ensure equity at the household level are still required. 8.6 HOUSEHOLD RELATIONSHIPS Respondents identified some improvement in household relationships due to VUP. The key informant in Nyamasheke expressed that VUP in all components has led to decrease in problems in families. Before there used to be disputes and misunderstanding between spouses due to poverty and now they have reduced. Most FGD respondents indicated an improvement in household relationships since engaging in VUP. Women in Kamabuye in DS stated that before VUP the parents were living on their children and when they were not able to support them, the relationships were not goodNow you dont need to ask money from your children, because what you need you get from DS.181 In terms of relationships between spouses, men and women FGD participants indicated that these had improved. Women in DS in Gikomero stated that, before VUP:
We were poor and the husbands did not respect usNow they consider our opinions and we participate in household decision making, because we all want to improve our household status. FGD with Female DS Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector
Similarly, male and female household survey respondents indicated that household relationships improved significantly since their participation in VUP. 58 percent of women and 47 percent of men indicated that relationships before VUP were poor, changing to 86 percent of women and 91 percent of men indicating that relationships are good after VUP. However, women are still more likely to report that relationships are average or poor than men.
Figure 8: Household Relationship before VUP by Sex of Respondent
Women Men 31% 58% 47%
26% 18%
5% Average
179 180
10% 4% Average Fair Fair Good Good Poor Poor
FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. FGD with Male Public Works Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013. 181 FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013.
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Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment Figure 9: Household Relationships After VUP by Sex of Respondent
Women Men 86% 91%
9% Average
4% Average
3% Fair
4% Fair Good Good
3% Poor
1% Poor
While this is positive, there is still a need for more gender responsive measures to address power dynamics within the household and sharing of household roles and responsibilities. 8.7 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Most respondents indicated an improvement in community participation, for both men and women, in part due to an improvement in cleanliness and confidence.182 There was also an acknowledged positive improvement in womens community participation. One central level key informant indicated:
Things have changed from the traditional situation of women staying at home and men participating in meetings. Now women are responding in big numbers because they know it can be an opportunity to develop themselves and their family. Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview
Women in DS in Minazi stated We try our best to go where others are or we send someone to replace us. Participation has increased, especially for people who are able to walk and work. 183 This also indicates a challenge in accessing community meetings particularly due to mobility. There are also some on-going gender barriers to participation, particularly related to womens domestic and care-giving responsibilities. A central level key informant recognized that womens participation is limited by domestic responsibilities.184 8.8 ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES Assessment respondents identified a positive impact in terms of access to public services through having increased household funds to dedicate to education and health services. Many beneficiaries highlighted the importance of having mutuelle de sant covered to enable them to better access health services. Officials in Jali indicated that the high rate of children dropping out of school due to lack of money for materials and fees has reduced.185 In terms of increased income resulting in improved ability to pay for education, 60 percent of women survey respondents compared to 32 percent of men respondents indicated that they were able to afford school costs. Of those stating that they were unable to pay school fees or materials, 77 percent of women and 83 percent of men indicated that this was a result of not having enough money. Of those able to pay school fees and materials, women were more likely to indicate that they were
FGD with Male Direct Support Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. FGD with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 184 RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview 185 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Jali Sector, Gasabo District, 29 July 2013.
182 183
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able to afford these costs by using their PW or DS funds, while men were more likely than women to indicate simply that they had enough funds.
Figure 10: Ability to Pay School Fees or Materials by Sex of Respondent
77% Women Men 22% 5% No - I dont have enough money No - I dont Yes - I have Yes - I have Yes - I use my Yes - I use my have enough enough money enough money DS/PW money DS/PW money money to pay for to pay for to pay for to pay for school fees school fees school fees school fees 83% 75% 43%
Another important factor identified as positively impacting access to services included sensitization about the importance of health and education.186 The improvement in facilities in communities as a direct result of PW was also an important factor explaining the improved access to services.187 Beyond improved facilities and funds to access services, officials and respondents indicated that having improved clothing and cleanliness as a result of VUP has increased their ability to access community level services.188
9. BEST PRACTICES
A number of positive findings emerged from the VUP Gender Equity Assessment, including in the design, delivery and impact of VUP, as well as particular best practices being implemented in the selected sectors. The recently developed Social Protection Strategy is a significant step, as it aims to be being transformative, towards improving the social status of marginalized groups and promoting equity and non-discrimination. The HIMO/LIPW strategy also emphasizes the need to integrate women, improve access to off-farm jobs, and diversify PW projects to improve participation of vulnerable groups. Gender equality is also an element of sensitization for HIMO, and is a key component of the recently developed Community Sensitization Manual, which also includes gender analysis of VUP and relevant sensitization topics for beneficiaries. The gender responsive measures already included in the design of PW and FS are positive mechanisms to improve equity in the programme. There is some collection of sex disaggregated data and recognition of the need to engage national gender institutions and organizations to provide technical guidance at central and local levels. Positive practices have also been identified in the delivery of VUP. In Rangiro sector, officials indicated that they considered whether a second labour source existed in households with pregnant women, before placement in PW. In Cyabingo, PW groups are mixed to enable participants to support those with different skill and strength levels. Participants in Gikomero expressed that they support those with less strength or ability to ensure they are able to carry out the work in PW. Officials in Mugano indicated that they provide time to rest for pregnant
RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview FGD with Female Public Works Beneficiaries in Minazi Sector, Gakenke District, 30 July 2013. 188 FGD with Officials and VUP Staff in Rangiro Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013.
186 187
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women in PW and beneficiaries in PW in Gikomero stated that pregnant and breastfeeding women are given less strenuous tasks. Some sectors also employed women in PW to look after other children at the PW worksite. In terms of sensitization, there some integration of gender equality related messages, including on improving household and community relationships. Gikomero sector had sensitization on violence issues and HIV prevention, and along with Cyabingo and Kibumbwe, reported sensitization on birth control. Officials in Gasabo indicated that there have been trainings on land laws and inheritance rights for women and in Gakenke, training for women on finance has been delivered. There has also been sensitization on sharing bank accounts and management of VUP income. Some communities also had committees that engaged directly with households to resolve problems. Some of the best practices identified included the development of mechanisms for selfsustainment by beneficiaries. Women in DS in Gikomero formed a cooperative to support themselves, stating we have formed a cooperative to support us in case VUP is finished. 189 There is also a cooperative for DS beneficiaries in Nyarugenge which includes a savings mechanism and a banana plantation.190 VUP beneficiaries in Minazi built a guest house to generate income, and beneficiaries in Mahembe formed a cooperative that has developed a small store to sell food items. These are positive approaches that should be considered in other communities to promote local mechanisms to improve saving and self-sustainment. There were also positive indications of VUP impacting womens empowerment through job creation, increased household income and improved participation in decision-making. Respondents in the study indicated the VUP has had a positive impact on the lives of beneficiaries in terms of income and human poverty, by improving household income generation, nutrition, hygiene, housing conditions, food security, and access to the market. There was reported improvement in household decision making and relationships. In Gikomero, men in PW identified that the community holds an evening session where couples discuss household decisions. Community participation, and particularly womens participation, also reportedly improved. Access to public services, including health and education has also increased, thanks in part to the building of community assets through PW. Household and community visits by officials and VUP staff have been identified as a key mechanism for assessing improvement and addressing challenges. Officials in Jali reported the development of a committee to assess improvement of DS beneficiaries through household visits and the conducting of household imihigo evaluations following PW projects. These encouraging indications and best practices constitute very positive achievements of the programme and provide the basis on which VUP can continue to improve in terms of promotion and transformation, and its contribution towards poverty reduction and gender equality in Rwanda.
10. RECOMMENDATIONS
The VUP Gender Equity Assessment identified positive practices to build upon and key areas for improvement. The following are the recommendations identified through this study to improve the gender equality impact of VUP, towards reducing poverty and inequality in Rwanda.
Focus Group Discussion with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Gikomero Sector, Gasabo District, 26 July 2013. 190 Focus Group Discussion with Officials and VUP Staff in Nyarugenge Sector, Bugesera District, 2 August 2013.
189
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KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Develop specific gender equality objectives, outcomes and outputs for VUP and integrate gender into other objectives, outcomes and outputs. Revise VUP manuals, programme documents and M&E frameworks to ensure strong gender integration, including gender sensitive indicators and targets. Create a VUP gender working group and identify VUP gender focal points. Revise job descriptions and performance contracts to include gender analysis and integration requirements. Integrate gender equality into the Staffing and Capacity Building Plan and strengthen VUP staff knowledge and skills on gender at central and local levels. Improve gender responsiveness of VUP and programme component criteria and disseminate to all VUP officials and sectors. Implement targeted measures to address gender barriers to participation in VUP targeting, component participation and sensitization, including: Specific measures for pregnant and lactating beneficiaries Provision of child-care for PW and FS beneficiaries Promotion of sharing of child care and domestic work Diversification of PW projects to better respond to physical limitations Rollout the Community Sensitization Manual to improve sensitization on gender equality and gender-related topics for all beneficiaries. Invest in skills development directly related to income generation and employment opportunities, towards increasing off-farm opportunities for women.
8. 9.
10. Disseminate information on the graduation and exit and appeals and complaints process, and ensure consideration of the needs of men, women and vulnerable groups. 11. Strengthen coordination between VUP and other government programmes or local organization initiatives and partnerships with National Gender Machinery institutions. 12. Improve collection and analysis of gender sensitive information and sex disaggregated data to determine the impact of VUP on gender equality and social, income and household poverty for men and women beneficiaries. 10.1 VUP DESIGN 10.1.1 PROGRAMME GENDER ANALYSIS AND INTEGRATION VUP programme documents, in particular those outlining the vision, mission and expected results, require explicit statements about gender equality and womens empowerment, in line with the increased focus on gender integration in the 2013 Social Protection Strategy.191 VUP manuals also require revision to be brought in line with the revised HIMO/LIPW strategy and the 2013 Social Protection Strategy.192 Engagement of beneficiaries in the development or revision of programme design documents is recommended as a measure to improve the gender responsiveness of VUP. Further, processes for selection of beneficiaries and PW projects should be reviewed to include gender sensitive criteria.
191 192
Republic of Rwanda, EDPRSII Social Protection Strategy, Kigali: July 2013. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
45
Gender responsive actions, such as the provision of child-care, diversification of PW projects and skills-building aimed at increasing off-farm job opportunities, should be included in programme design and consistently implemented across sectors. Strategies must also adopt a gender equity approach to increase the transformative potential of VUP initiatives. This could include ensuring that both men and women are involved in child-care schemes. More emphasis should be put on skills-building programmes and credit initiatives as a way to move women out of low-production farm occupations. Sensitization programming, including for the Community Sensitization Manual, should be rolled out consistently to ensure inclusion of gender-specific modules in all VUP communities. More information on laws and rights should be included, as well as sensitization on mens role in family planning, ensuring the health and well-being of the family, sharing household responsibilities and promoting gender equality. This could include modules on healthy relationships and positive masculinity. 10.1.2 M&E, DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING Gender sensitive and sex disaggregated data should be collected and analysed, considering the selection and participation of men and women in VUP mechanisms and processes. Sex disaggregated data on decision-making processes at the household and community levels, income generation and allocation, socio-economic dynamics, access to public services and programmes should be collected during impact assessments. All key informants agreed on the need for integrating a gender perspective into the VUP M&E by including gender sensitive targets and indicators and improving the gender sensitivity of M&E tools.193 Data collected should be used to assess implementation and impact and adjust accordingly.194 Annual Reports should report on specific efforts to address gender inequality, and highlight any gender-specific programme interventions. A section on the successes and challenges of VUP interventions to promote gender equality and womens empowerment should be standard practice and all relevant sex disaggregated data should be included. Reporting should also include achievements related to staff capacity building and performance and revision of programme tools. Reports should ensure the use of gender sensitive language and images. 10.1.3 HUMAN RESOURCES AND CAPACITY BUILDING VUP job descriptions should be revised to include gender analysis and programming requirements. Performance contracts should explicitly include gender-related results and performance assessment should analyse results achieved in gender-related areas. The Staffing and Capacity Building Plan should include gender analysis and integration as well as specific gender training modules for VUP central and local staff induction and periodic training and staff capacity should be monitored over time.195 Finally, the establishment of a VUP gender working group and high level gender focal point is recommended.196
RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview In Annex 2 the logical framework is reviewed, with the goal, objectives and indicators made gender sensitive, in order to increase VUP effectiveness in improving equitable poverty reduction in Rwanda. 195 This should include gender and social protection, gender mainstreaming, gender analysis, gender responsive planning, gender sensitive M&E including data collection and analysis, and gender responsive budgeting and how to apply it to VUP planning and reporting activities 196 The working group should include VUP staff both at the management and technical levels (DS, PW, FS) as well as development partner representatives. The gender focal point should be supported by management and should have sufficient gender analysis and integration capacity
193 194
46
10.1.4 PARTNERSHIPS Partnerships should be developed with the National Gender Machinery including collaboration with MIGEPROF at the central level to provide technical support to VUP management and technical staff. Partnership with GMO should be developed to ensure gender-sensitivity of VUP M&E Manual and processes as well as adequate capacity of VUP staff. Finally, partnership with NWC should be established at the local level, creating a positive collaboration with VUP staff. 10.1.5 GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING Gender responsive budgeting principles should be applied to address the gender-specific needs of beneficiaries, for example, affirmative action to promote womens participation in VUP components, foster womens empowerment and skill-building and promote womens access to credit schemes and off-farm opportunities. Specific funds could also be allocated to capacity building of VUP staff, community sensitization on gender equality, development of communitybased initiatives for re-distribution of productive and reproductive responsibilities, or targeted ad-hoc measures to respond to practical and strategic gender needs. 10.2 VUP DELIVERY 10.2.1 GENDER BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION There have been some positive practices in VUP implementation from a gender perspective, which provide important examples of measures that should be strengthened, particularly those addressing gender barriers to participation. Although there may be financial and management limitations linked to a more comprehensive gender responsive approach for VUP, some of these challenges could be addressed by linking VUP better with other government programmes and home-grown community-based initiatives.197 Other possible mechanisms could include using VUP funds to provide childcare during FS and PW work hours. Officials suggested that pregnant or breastfeeding women and small children could be provided food at work and more rest at the worksite or reduced hours if required.198 PW participants and officials also suggested that an increase in wages would facilitate participants ability to address some of these challen ges, particularly related to paying for childcare or resources. A proposal by key informants to consider putting women temporarily in DS during the final months of pregnancy and early phases of breastfeeding, particularly in the case of single headed households, should also be considered. This is identified in the DS Manual but has not been implemented. Guidelines on maternity leave from the Government of Rwanda and the International Labour Organization should be used to determine appropriate measures, which should be developed in consultation with MIGEPROF.199 Consideration of more diverse types of public works projects along with recognition of labour availability going beyond physical ability to work would also support more effective selection and integration of vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or people with disabilities.
Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview Focus Group Discussion with Officials and VUP Staff in Rangiro Sector, Nyamasheke District, 22 July 2013. 199 The Government of Rwanda has labour regulations related to maternity leave and breastfeeding, and further regulations are provided by the International Labour Organization, Maternity Protection Convention, No. 103, which provides for a period of maternity leave of at least 12 weeks, six of which must be taken following the confinement. This effectively prohibits any resumption of work before a period of six weeks has elapsed following the birth of the child.
197 198
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10.2.2 SENSITIZATION Key informants agreed that current sensitization activities should be improved through stronger integration of gender-related topics.200 Methods to address the gender gaps in sensitization could include a focus on sharing of household responsibilities and decision-making, childcare training for men and women, and sensitization on the domestic burden experienced by women in the community. Promotion of the redistribution of reproductive work to improve womens available time for income generating and skills-building activities as well as healthy relationships and positive masculinity should be incorporated. Improved coordination of VUP and other sensitization mechanisms would improve complementarity and efficiency.201 VUP should also take steps to ensure consistency of programming and messaging in all VUP sectors, including through the effective rollout of the Community Sensitization Manual. To enhance impact and achieve expected results, VUP should invest in or connect beneficiaries to skills development and training related to literacy, financial literacy, technical training and other skills directly related to income generation and employment opportunities. 10.2.3 GRADUATION AND EXIT To improve the exit and graduation process, consideration of the particular needs of men and women, and those of vulnerable groups, as well as their long-term ability to be self-sustaining so that they dont fall back into poverty is required. A review of the graduation and exit criteria and processes, including ensuring that it is gender responsive, is a recommended next step. 10.2.4 APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS More information about the appeals and complaints process and levels should be provided to beneficiaries so that they are aware of where to receive assistance.202 Beneficiaries suggested having a toll-free phone number to call through which to raise concerns. Women in DS in Kamabuye also recommended further engagement of VUP officials at the local level to provide support and assess programme effectiveness. 10.3 VUP IMPACT More gender sensitive information and data is required to improve understanding of the impacts of VUP on beneficiaries and communities. One central level key informant stated:
People at the implementation level say the achievements are positive, but baseline, targets and indicators are needed to effectively monitor results, and see how/where you need to improve the performance. RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview
While VUP is reportedly having a positive impact on human and income poverty, and on participation, decision-making and household relationships, further data collection is required. Stronger coordination between VUP and other public initiatives would enhance the consistency and comprehensiveness of programmes. Improved monitoring and evaluation would allow for a better understanding of the VUP specific contribution, and the impacts on gender equality and womens empowerment, and these should be considered in social protection sector evaluation plans. Overall, the willingness of RLDSF to improve the gender sensitivity of VUP and the decision to undertake this assessment is a strong indication of the commitment to improve the design and delivery of the programme from a gender perspective in order to achieve results.
RLDSF Central Level Key Informant Interview Government of Rwanda Central Level Key Informant Interview 202 Focus Group Discussion with Female Direct Support Beneficiaries in Kamabuye Sector, Bugesera District, 1 August 2013.
200 201
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REFERENCES
Asselin, Louis-Marie. VUP Targeting and Poverty Surveys 2009. November 2010. Department for International Development. Gender Manual: A Practical Guide for Development Policy Makers and Practitioners. London: April 2002. Devereaux, Stephen. 3rd Annual Review of DFID Support to the Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP), Rwanda. January 2012. Devereaux, Stephen and Sabates-Wheeler, Rachel. Transformative Social Protection. IDS Working Paper 232. Institute of Development Studies. Brighton: October 2004. Economic Commission for Africa. African Centre for Gender and Development. Monitoring and Evaluation Programme of the African Plan of Action to Accelerate the Implementation of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Action. A Guide to Data Collection for Impact Evaluation of Gender Mainstreaming on the Status of Women in Africa. Ganju Thakur, Sarojini, Arnold, Catherine and Johnson, Tina. Gender and Social Protection. Promoting Pro-Poor Growth: Social Protection. OECD. Paris: 2009. Holmes, Rebecca and Jones, Nicola. Rethinking social protection using a gender lens. Working Paper 320. Overseas Development Institute. London: October 2010. International Labour Organization. A Manual For Gender Audit Facilitators: The ILO Participatory Gender Audit Methodology. Geneva: 2007. Luttrell, Cecilia and Moser, Caroline. Gender and Social Protection. Overseas Development Institute. London: 2004. Republic of Rwanda. Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) 2008-2012. Kigali: 2007 Republic of Rwanda. Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy 2013-2018: Shaping Our Development. Kigali: 2013. Republic of Rwanda. EDPRS2 Social Protection Strategy. Kigali: July 2013. Republic of Rwanda. Final Draft VUP Staffing Strategy and Capacity Building Plan. Kigali: December 2012. Republic of Rwanda. Gender Monitoring Office Strategic Plan 2011-2016. Kigali: 2011. Republic of Rwanda. MINECOFIN. Vision 2020. Kigali: 2000. Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion. National Gender Policy. Kigali: 2010. Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Local Government. National Social Protection Policy in Rwanda. Kigali: 2005. Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Local Government. National Social Protection Strategy. Kigali: 2011. Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Local Government. National Labour Intensive Public Works (HIMO/LIPW) Strategy. Kigali: September 2012. Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Local Government. Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP). Direct Support Operational Framework and Procedure Manual. Kigali: 2009. Republic of Rwanda. Ministry of Local Government. Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP). Public Works Operational Framework and Procedure Manual. Kigali: 2009.
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Republic of Rwanda. National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. EICV3 Thematic Report: Gender. Kigali: 2012. Republic of Rwanda. National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. EICV3 Thematic Report: Social Protection. Kigali: 2012. Republic of Rwanda. National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. Millennium Development Goals: Towards sustainable social and economic growth, Country Report 2007. Kigali: 2007. Rwanda Local Development Support Fund. Guidelines on VUP Targeting, Exit and Graduation. Kigali: September 2012. Rwanda Local Development Support Fund. RLDSF 2010/2011 Annual Report. Kigali: July 2011. Rwanda Local Development Support Fund. RLDSF Annual Activity Report 2011/12. Kigali: 2012. Rwanda Local Development Support Fund. Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme. Annual Report 2009/10. Kigali: 2011. Rwanda Local Development Support Fund. VUP Intermediate Impact Assessment, 2008-2011. Kigali: 2012. Status of Women Canada. Gender-Based Analysis: A guide for policy-making. Ottawa: 1998.
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REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

Rwanda Local Development Support Fund (RLDSF)

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme (VUP) Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

DEFINITIONS AND KEY TERMS

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment -

International Labour Organization, p. 133. Ibid., p. 133. 13 Ibid., p. 62, 137.

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

TABLES AND FIGURES

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

2. LITERATURE REVIEW AND BACKGROUND

EICV1 EICV2 EICV3

HH living in poverty 60.4% 56.9% 44.9%

FHH living in poverty 66.3% 60.2% 47%

Further investigation, however, presents interesting gender dynamics.

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

6. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP DESIGN

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

7. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP DELIVERY

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Radical terraces Men

Road School construction construction

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Law and Rights

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

7.5 GRADUATION AND EXIT

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

8. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: VUP IMPACT

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

18% 5% Good Good Poor Fair

Vision 2020 Umurenge Programme Gender Equity Assessment

10% 4% Average Fair Fair Good Good Poor Poor