Training Manual for Women‘s Empowerment (Basic Level)

1 Training Manual for Women s Empowerment (Basic Level) medica mondiale / medica mondiale LiberiaFebruary 2013 ManualAll rights mondiale permits non-profit organizations to reproduce and translate this Manual for use in workshops, or as a general Training tool. However, we would ask anyone who does so to give medica mondiale due recognition and, where written material is produced using our drawings, texts or ideas, to ask for permission at and send a copy of the material to medica mondiale. However, no part of this book may be reproduced or utilized for commercial purposes in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the Manual for Women s EmpowermentAuthor: Simone LindorferMaster Trainer / Co-Author:Judith BaesslerCo-Trainers:Florida Clarke, Evelyn Cassell,Elizabeth Russell Artist:Grace Bithum medica mondiale mondiale Liberiamedica mondiale Liberia collabora-tes with the Welthungerhilfe and Ibis within the framework of the Re-integration and Recovery Program.

2 A development program of the Republic of Liberia, co-financed by the Federal Government of Germany through the :Karin GrieseProof-reading:Tony Arthur, Judith BaesslerLayout: Manual was supported bygrants from:Dedicated to the loving memory of Winifred Valentine, our psychosocial advisor, who died in August 2012 Table of Contents (basic level) 1: Self-reflection and for 1: Learning more about who I am as a 1: Getting to know each other ..29 Exercise 2: Remembering 3: Setting up group rules and fixing 4: Presenting the objectives and the overall Training arrangement, and introducing Module 1 on 5: Tree of 6: Feeling 2: Learning more about my qualities as a trained 1: Reflection on our experiences as women and on our own potential to be 2: Helpful 3: 4: Slipping into various roles: Becoming aware of my ability to feel with 5: Self-care - an obligation for trained 3: Learning more about my qualities as a community volunteer working for 1: What did I learn from Musu s story that can help me?

3 44 Exercise 2: Thinking about our conflict behavior and behavior in 3: How to put Empowerment into practice amongst 4: Giving positive feedback to each 2: Gender Awareness and Gender-Based for 1: Gender 1: Gender 2: Deepening our understanding of the difference between sex and gender : The gender 3: Understanding gender-based 2: Domestic 1: Introduction to domestic violence: Our experience ..65 Exercise 2: Consequences of domestic violence on women, men and 3: Learning to take care of myself while working on emotionally demanding 4: The cycle of violence in intimate 3: Rape / sexual 1: Myths about 2: Definition of rape and the Rape Bill of 3: Is this rape? ..80 Exercise 4: Giving support to each other through the massage 5: Physical consequences of rape, and what needs to be done from a medical 6: Preparing the homework: Listening survey about gender.

4 86 Module 3: Basic Helping Skills: Offering initial support to a survivor of gender-based for 1: Introduction to basic 1: Reviewing the homework from module 2: Gender listening survey ..94 Exercise 2: Traditional and present day helping / 3: Understanding the role of medica mondiale Liberia s different helping profiles and the meaning of case 2: Understanding basic helping 1: Introducing feedback 2: Keeping secrets and other principles that should be followed in order not to do harm when 3: Developing the quality of empathy: I fear ..107 Exercise 4: Introduction to the steps of basic helping ..108 Section 3: Practicing basic helping 1: Active Listening (first step)..115 Exercise 2: Assessing danger and needs (second step): Local strategies to create 3: Giving information (third step)..117 Exercise 4: Making an action plan together (fourth step) and organizing a follow-up (fifth step).

5 118 Section 4: Basics about crisis and 1: Practicing basic helping 2: Understanding the special needs in crisis and emergency 3: Breathing exercise to help somebody calm 4: Introduction to trauma and post-traumatic growth: The palm tree 4: Advanced Helping Skills (only part of the advanced Level) Module 5: Facilitating change in Introduction for 1: Why and how do people change their behaviors and attitudes? ..135 Exercise 1: Analyzing opportunities for and resistance to change in 2: How do people change their behavior, and what are the barriers to change?..137 Section 2: Organizing for change in 1: How to organize an activity for behavior change in communities?..144 Exercise 2: Preparing for resistance and working for behavior changeat grassroots 3: Collaboration and 1: Thinking about our ability to 2: Working together in 3: Reinforcing our team spirit in our behavior change 6: Ethical principles and for 1: Introduction to the ethical principles and guidelines of trained helpers and other staff 1: What do you understand by ethics of trained helpers and other staff members of medica mondiale Liberia?

6 159 Exercise 2: Working on my own prejudices establishing and nurturing a non-judgmental 2: Working in the best interest of the 1: The client s freedom and 2: Restricting ourselves to the tasks and competences that we have been trained 3: In the best interest of the client?..172 Section 3: Confidentiality and consent (with some special implications for minors)..174 Exercise 1: What information do clients need from us so that they feel comfortable?..174 Exercise 2: Informed 3: What is special when dealing with children?.. Ideas for Ideas for daily Ideas for s Empowerment as a Catalyst for Transformation Working with women in Liberia which began in 2008 as gender advisor to the Truth and Reconcil-iation Commission of Liberia and later as the Head of Mission of medica mondiale Liberia (mmL) were deeply profound experiences which I will carry with me wherever I go in the world.

7 It shifted and shaped the way that I understand and engage with gender power relations. I was confronted, not only with the aftermath of a protracted conflict and the atrocities perpetrated on women, but also with the incredible resilience and innate power I encountered in the women, over and over. Many women survived the most terrible acts of physical, psychological and emotional violence I had ever encountered before. And yet they continued to strive to restore their families, their communities and ultimately, their personal sense of well-being and safety. While I was shaken and stirred by the stories of suffering and spirit from many women, one women s story moved me intensely to reflect on the pervasive impact of gender inequality and what it was calling me out to do. Winifred Valentine, to whom this Manual is dedicated, lived through the Libe-rian wars, which spanned 20 years and more if you count the constant strife, which came with the first settlers in 1822.

8 She recounted only a few of her stories as we sat outside my little apartment drinking coffee in the early mornings, sometimes going for walks through the surrounding settle-ment or when we travelled together to Germany to brainstorm the creation of this Manual with our medica mondiale colleagues. Day after day, I marvelled at her still gentle nature, her faith in people and their ability to rise above what they had experienced and her commitment and dedication to the reconstruction of her life after losing absolutely everything. Most of all, I marvelled at how she was able to stand so tall and be her positive, elegant self and not sink into despair after all that she had lost, before, during and after the wars just because she was a woman. We sat together and asked ourselves every day: Is a shift from a system based on inequalities, es-pecially inequality between the sexes, which leads to chronic wars, social injustice and ecological im-balance possible?

9 And is it possible to imagine that shift being towards a system based on equality, respect and openness leading to peace, social justice and ecological balance? Is it realistic? More important, what changes in social structure could make such a transformation possible? These questions challenged us and the others working with us as we struggled with the impact on women of all the social ills that inequality continues to breed in and out of war domestic violence, child abuse, sexual violence, deprivation, exclusion, unspeakable atrocities the list goes on and is far too long. As we (feminist activists, change agents, analysts and others) worked together to find solutions, some things became clearer to me - tinkering and tailoring is not enough, nor for that matter is change. What is needed is transformation a complete turnaround that will bring about a world where women are safe to walk the streets at night, alone.

10 How do we make that happen? We decided that one of the keys that unlock the situation is the Empowerment of women. When women realize their potential and are able to access their inner strength, knowledge and power, miracles are known to happen. This is what inspired the writing of this Manual to empower women to access what they already have but which has been suppressed, repressed and oppressed through various forms of violence. This initiative is a vehicle to empower women in disadvantaged circumstances to overcome the systemic obstacles created by inequality. It is designed to open up a way for women to realize grea-ter self-sufficiency and wholeness through acknowledgment and utilization of dormant, yet, innate, strengths. It was written on the premise that when we empower women we strengthen communi-ties and improve opportunities for a more evolved next generation.