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Addressing Gender Based
Discriminatory Social
Practices and Beliefs
Workbook
It is has become widely understood around the world that reducing gender inequality “in all its facets and manifestations and transforming gender stereotypes and gender relations” is possibly the most effective strategy to advance human rights, further sexual and reproductive health, reduce poverty, and promote development. Thus empowering women requires efforts that promote gender equity in all facets of life and in all stages of development programming. However, despite the attention and efforts paid to empowering women in recent decades, data and research show that women still lag behind in all spheres compared to their male counterparts. This has made it clear that setting institutional structures and service programs that aim to address empowerment but do not unpack the social and cultural beliefs and practices that discriminate against women will not bear fruit. Thus programs with the ultimate goal of empowering women need to address the underlying and root causes of gender discrimination to result in concrete benefits for women. Addressing discriminatory social beliefs and practices is a complex and intricate process that requires long term commitment and resources. It also requires methods and approaches that are evidence-based and effective.
To unpack the discriminatory social beliefs and practices that impact on the disempowerment of women in the Arab region, CAWTAR in collaboration with the Ford Foundation launched a project to assess the situation and progress made in the region and identify good practices from existing programs. This Workbook is one of three key outputs of this project.
Purpose of the Workbook
This Workbook serves as a guide to users implementing projects that address negative social practices hindering gender equity in the Arabic speaking MENA region. The Workbook provides the lessons learned from existing projects on how to develop, implement, evaluate, and document projects that successfully addresses discriminatory social practices against women in different spheres. It is based on the lessons learned from the projects featured in the studies commissioned by CAWTAR.
Methodology for compiling the Workbook
The Workbook is based on a systematic and extensive review of CAWTAR commissioned studies from various countries in the region and covering a wide array of projects (economic, health, education, etc.) that address discriminatory social beliefs and practices in the Arab region. Input and comments were solicited from CAWTAR staff, CAWTAR partners and study authors of the commissioned studies.
The Workbook is intended to be concise and user-friendly, and designed to be used as a how-to guide as well as a reference for users as they are implementing their programs.
How the Workbook is organized
The Workbook is organized into modules. Each module describes a stage or practice in the different phases of a project cycle. Based on international and regional standards and the good practices and lessons learned from the CAWTAR studies, each module will outline what NGOs need to consider to ensure their programs are effective. Each module will present concrete examples from the studies commissioned by CAWTAR.
The Workbook can be used by individuals in NGO to assist them while they are in the process of developing and implementing a project, or the modules can be used as the basis for training material to build capacity of NGO staff.