Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KINSHASA526
2008-06-13 10:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

WOMEN FOR WOMEN DRC: MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Tags:  PREF EAID UNHCR CG 
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VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKI #0526/01 1651052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131052Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8122
INFO RUEHLS/AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 1461
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0051
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 4813
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 4660
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0713
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2164
UNCLAS KINSHASA 000526 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/AFR, GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF EAID UNHCR CG
SUBJECT: WOMEN FOR WOMEN DRC: MONITORING AND EVALUATION
ASSESSMENT - COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT SPRMCO07CA150

UNCLAS KINSHASA 000526

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/AFR, GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF EAID UNHCR CG
SUBJECT: WOMEN FOR WOMEN DRC: MONITORING AND EVALUATION
ASSESSMENT - COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT SPRMCO07CA150


1. The following monitoring and evaluation report assesses
Cooperative Agreement SPRMCO07CA150 for $234,015 awarded to Women
for Women (WFW) to support its program "Stronger Women, Stronger
Nations: Ending Violence Against Women in Eastern Congo." RefCoord
met with WFW National Director Christine Karumba May 20 and
subsequently discussed its programs with Adele Safi, head of Synergy
Against Sexual Violence in South Kivu, and Deo Bahizire, Sexual and
Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) coordinator, UNFPA sub office, Bukavu.


Overview
--------------


2. WFW met or exceeded many of the goals set for the program during
the reporting period. Although difficulties associated with travel
in the DRC prevented WFW from closely following all activities of
the health centers supported by the program, it maintained
sufficient control over operations to ensure that grant requirements
were fulfilled or surpassed.


3. Goal A: Match with sponsors 1,200 of the most socially-excluded
women returned refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and
other vulnerable women in South Kivu's Fizi territory.

-- WFW was successful is finding sponsors for the majority of the
Fizi territory caseload. The program provided financial and other
support for displaced women and created psycho-social conditions
needed to encourage successful reintegration by the returnees and
their communities.


4. Goal B: Provide each of the 1,200 women with rights awareness
and leadership education.

-- WFW developed rights and justice materials and media for
distribution to returned refugee sponsors. Using outside resources,
WFW incorporated best practices into their campaign to distribute
and create informational material for illiterate beneficiaries.


5. Goal C: Provide 1,200 of the most socially-excluded women,
particularly returnees, refugees and IDPs from Fizi territory, with
training in vocational skills and business development.

-- Goal C continued: Provide support to PRM beneficiary
populations, particularly women and children, who have experienced
GBV during flight, in camps, or on arrival in their home countries
or countries of asylum, to ensure their access to basic protection
and assistance regarding the violence experienced and whether

comprehensive services, including referral, are available for GBV
survivors.

-- All WFW programming incorporated care for SGBV survivors. WFW
was careful to ensure that assistance did not identify survivors or
violate their right to privacy. Working with health care
professionals, WFW identified vulnerable women and reached out to
them.


6. Goal D: Train and educate 550 male community and traditional
leaders about the impact of GBV on the community.

-- WFW trained in excess of 550 male community leaders on the impact
of SGBV. Training was devised to foster men's leadership in
preventing sexual violence, and mitigating the social impact of rape
on families and communities. Male participation in these programs
was still difficult to achieve. WFW takes an approach that does not
accuse or alienate men. UNFPA found that WFW was successful in
including men, as trainees and trainers, at all levels in their
programming.


7. Goal E: Strengthen community structures to better respond to
violence against women by changing attitudes and perceptions of
sexual violence and women's rights.

-- Safi of Synergy Against Sexual Violence in South Kivu said that
WFW is the only international organization in the region that
assists victims of sexual violence directly. WFW also trained and
assisted local government officials on issues of integrating male
and female victims of sexual violence into their new homes. She
appreciated its work and said it had been very successful.

-- WFW heads Synergy's socio-economic reintegration activities in
South Kivu. Safi said that WFW has trained many victims and
vulnerable women in different vocational and development skills;
many are now running their own businesses. WFW helps women to be
self-sufficient and lessen their dependence on others. Safi said

that trainees continue activities after they graduate from WFW
programs.

Core questions
--------------


8. PRM Goals: WFW training programs build the capacity of local
government and social leaders, providing basic skills necessary to
support integration of vulnerable members of society. Through
livelihood training, vulnerable individuals, including survivors of
multiple sexual assaults, are better able to reintegrate into their
communities. Their economic activities, even if not immediately
profitable, help raise their status in the community from that of
victims to full members.


9. Complementarity: WFW works closely with UNHCR and all
implementing partners. Programming is flexible and can address the
immediate concerns of refugees and partners. WFW works as an active
partner with local mental health authorities and regional
governments to ensure staff is sensitive to the needs of SGBV
survivors.


10. Program objectives: WFW surpassed the desired objectives for
this program cycle. A significant measure of its success was WFW's
selection to lead Synergy's socio-economic reintegration programming
in South Kivu.


11. Operational efficiency, management, and communication: WFW
records are well-maintained and its director is clearly in control
of staffing and programming. WFW appears to be, dollar for dollar,
the best SGBV programming investment PRM has made in Eastern Congo.

Control and monitoring
--------------


12. The WFW office in Bukavu exercises close monitoring of the
operations. Staff communicates with Bukavu through the UN
communications network.


13. WFW Bukavu communicates regularly with PRM office in Kampala.
The program office is responsive and provides regular updates.

Security and protection
--------------


14. South Kivu is a high threat area. Access to parts of Eastern
Congo is difficult and dangerous. However, there were no specific
security concerns for WFW staff during the quarter. (Note: In the
past, some women activists have been threatened by community
leaders. End note.)

Future funding
--------------


15. RefCoord supports future funding for WFW livelihood and SGBV
programs in FY2009. UNHCR will consider expanding WFW-type
programming in 2009-10. RefCoord recommends considering WFW as a
trainer for other UNHCR partners in sponsorship and training
programs in South and North Kivu.

GARVELINK