REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLAN: ENHANCING SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH GENDER-EQUALITY AWARENESS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS; FEBRUARY

2010 TO JUNE 2010:

TO: AFRICA YOUTH TRUST (AYT). BY: PATRICK SIISA, POLICY AND ADVOCACY OFFICER, TDF-UG, P.O.BOX 1070, KYENJOJO,UGANDA. +256772533075(Mob) ss_ii_sa@yahoo.com.

ABOUT TDF-UG: TDF-UG is a not for profit Community Based- Non Governmental Organization (NGO), (Reg. No. S. 5914/6652). It was founded in 2004 by young -fresh graduates having observed the inequalities, hardships, all forms of abuses, poverty levels, limitations and lesser opportunities for development etc. in the rural communities. Transparency Development Foundation- Uganda (TDF-UG) was formally and legally registered in 2006 with authorities at the District level (Reg. No. KCD 0062) and later at the National Level with the National NGO Board (Reg. No. S. 5914/6652). TDF-UG currently has its Head Offices and operations in Kyenjojo District Rwenzori Region Western Uganda. VISION: TDF-UGANDA envisages A society free of ignorance, illiteracy, impoverishment, conflicts and diseases where people have equal access to opportunities for self development. MISSION: "Empowering the people for self development". BACKGROUND: On the 4th day of December, following two weeks of training on the equal status and human rights of women in East Africa that was held in Mombasa, Kenya drawing participants from across the region, a memorandum of understanding was reached between each individual participant and the implementing agencies/organisers of the training program to widen the scope of understanding the practical application, promotion and protection of gender equality and
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human rights of women in East Africa through their member organizations.To this effect action plans were prepared by participants which would lead to the attainment of the training programmes objectives.
INTRODUCTION: This report highlights the major activities carried out during the implementation of the action plan on enhancing socio-economic development through gender equality awareness in primary schools in Kyenjojo district. The project was intended to enhance the equal status and human rights of women in society with a target of primary schools in Kyenjojo district, Uganda. ACTION PLAN GENERAL OBJECTIVE:

The overall objective of the action plan was to widen the scope of understanding of concepts in gender equality and gender mainstreaming so it becomes a social culture especially among the less educated members of society. ACTION PLAN SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES;

To train ten volunteer pupils in each target school, five teaching staff members and five members of the School Management Committees (SMC); who would in turn train the entire school population leading to the attainment of gender friendly policies.

To conduct music dance and drama activities and form MDD clubs in each school for easy mobilisation and sensitisation of target groups.

SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY: The action plan was implemented in four schools of Kyenjojo Primary School and Bucuni Primary School in Kyenjojo Town council; and Barahiija Primary School and Kanyabacope Primary School in Kyarusozi Sub County. In each of these schools, five members of the School Management Committees, five teachers (including senior women and deputy head teachers) and ten students were equipped with skills through trainings by TDF-UG staff and community volunteers followed by the formation of gender clubs in each school.
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Meanwhile, in Katoosa and Kijwiga Primary Schools, the action plan was implemented through Girls Education Rights Movement (GERM) Clubs under GERM project which has been running for the last 23months. The two methodologies planned and used for the action plan were; trainings/meetings for the different stakeholders in the selected schools and use of music dance and drama as a demonstration tool. Music Dance and Drama by Kirongo TDF Drama Group was used in the four schools followed by the formation of MDD clubs in each school. School parades were also used to pass on information to the pupils. ACHIEVEMENT OF OBJECTIVES:
a) Trainings/meetings were held in Barahiija and Kanyabacope Primary Schools in March 2010.

In all these schools, a total of ten pupils, five teachers and five School Management Committee members were trained in skills for advancing the cause of gender equality in Primary Schools. During trainings for the pupils, participants were asked to lead discussions on the significance of girl child education. These trainings/meetings were conducted by TDFUG staff, Ms. Marunga Stellah and Siisa Patrick. The pupils constituted themselves in a gender club that would sensitize the entire school on the human rights of women and particular significance of girl child education.
b) Similar meetings/trainings as above were conducted in Bucuni and Kyenjojo primary schools

by TDF-UG staff Ms. Kemigisa Victoria and Kamakune Prossy culminating into the formation of gender clubs in each of the schools.
c) Music Dance and Drama (MDD) shows with a gender and human rights message were staged

in Bucuni, Kyenjojo, Barahiija and Kanyabacope primary schools by Kirongo TDF Drama group under the leadership of Mr. Makondere K. Agapito, the club chairperson. Similar shows were staged in Katoosa and Kjwiga under the Girls Education Rights Movement (GERM) project overseen by Ms. Kamakune Prossy and Ms. Kemigisa Victoria . In all the schools above, existing drama groups were equipped with skills to make gender and human rights an integral part of their compositions and presentations.

d) In all the selected schools, teachers were trained to make equal status and human rights an

integral component of their lesson plans, schemes of work and class activities by for instance always giving gender-friendly examples during the course of teaching and giving equal opportunities to pupils of both sexes to respond to tasks and contribute to the learning process. Teachers were also encouraged to use teaching aids that portray gender friendly patterns e.g. using examples of successful women especially old girls of those schools in positions of responsibility, employment, business and entrepreneurship.
e) School management committees in the four schools were encouraged to always be gender

sensitive in the selection of both Parents-Teachers Associations (PTA) and School Management Committees (SMC) f) TDF-UG staff was briefed on application of human rights based approaches to programming. g) TDF-UG has now embraced gender mainstreaming in her programs. For example, the GERM Project office has been in this cause. LESSONS LEARNT: i)
ii)

Gender based violence (GBV) in households affects the learning of children in schools in almost the same measure as its victim(s) back in homesteads. Better learning is enhanced when barriers of gender differences are broken; children are free to interact and are accorded equal learning opportunities. The cause for the equal status and human rights needs a concerted effort by all stakeholders both stake and non-state actors. Unfriendly school environments characterised by sexual harassment from opposite sexes of both pupils, teachers and the community; and poor sanitation facilities impact negatively on girl child education and human rights of women.

iii) iv)

CHALLENGES:
a) Budgetary constraints; the action plan was meant to cover a total of ten schools but could

only be rolled out to four schools due to resource constraints. The planned budget of 15,000,000ug shillings was slashed to 1,500,000 to fit in the organizations (TDF-UG) annual budget. This also constrained the acquisition of MDD materials for school MDD clubs and production of most learning materials/aids as had been planned.
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b) Social and cultural attitudes in communities where male chauvinism has been deeply

entrenched so much so that majority teaches were apprehensive to get involved at the start. c) Many of the children who hailed from GBV affected families wanted TDF-UG staff to extend the training to their families so that peace could prevail.
d) Limited access computers and internet facilities to retrieve communication timely and

respond in time as well as taking part in constructive online discussions and exchange of ideas. RECOMMENDATIONS:
i)

AYT solicits for funding so that future action plans are funded or co-funded with participants organisations especially upcoming and rural based ones like TDF-UG. Continued capacity enhancement through training in skills development and resource mobilisation for new upcoming but competent organisations. Strengthening TDF-UG AYT Partnership for continued networking, capacity development, information sharing and sustainable development. CONCLUSION:

ii)
iii)

TDF-UG appreciates the capacity enhancement of her human resource through the EAHUWO training by Mr. Patrick Siisa. The staff and community volunteers have since benefited from the wealth of experience and gender issues are now well mainstreamed in TDF-UG programs and human rights based approaches to programming have now been fully embraced by the organisation.