RENEW is a fully gender equality integrated four-year project in Makwanpur and Nuwakot districts of Nepal. It aims to enhance social and economic empowerment of women and girls, especially from Dalit and most vulnerable groups by implementing proven poverty reduction measures. We will achieve this ultimate outcome by bringing a human rights-based approach (HRBA) to economic and social growth – focusing on climate change adaptation (CCA), enhanced performance of micro/small-scale enterprises, increased access to the products and services required by these enterprises, as well as on the social empowerment of women and girls enabling them to effectively engage in their communities. The HRBA will strengthen women’s and girls’ aspirations, confidence, decision-making autonomy and leadership while also promoting a strong sense of community inclusion and sisterhood (the term used by women in their communities to describe the solidarity they experience with other women). This will result in positive choices for women and girls, allowing them to increase their enjoyment of their human rights (HR). Furthermore, capacity-building by our local partners will enable them to increase women’s and girls’ participation and leadership in community decision-making while better promoting and advancing human rights (HR) and gender equality.
Our project fully integrates gender equality by adopting a gender analysis at every level and by enabling the transformation of roles for women, girls, boys and men while addressing the specific needs of women and girls. This initiative is demand-driven, reflecting the interests of women and girls as expressed in consultations with local partners in Makwanpur and Nuwakot. Its design is based on the understanding that economic and social empowerment go hand in hand and hence both must be addressed to achieve sustainable transformational change. Furthermore, it is assumed that men and boys will support the empowered women and girls of their communities once they integrate HR as well as GBV and the households’ income increases. Indeed, in our partners’ experience, gender relations have been enhanced when women and girls as well as men and boys actively participate in all decision-making process. The second assumption is that the key stakeholders from local to national levels will support this project. RENEW partners have always worked with the government, local institutions and all concerned stakeholders thus guaranteeing the sustainability of their programs.
In order to achieve this ultimate outcome, we have designed three complimentary yet distinct intermediate outcomes. Together, these behavioral changes will create significant and sustainable social and economic empowerment for women and girls by the end of the project.
The first intermediate outcome will empower women economically through enhancing agricultural livelihoods and investing in micro/small-enterprises headed by women. By supporting women in accessing economic opportunities and resources, RENEW will help them to achieve the economic independence needed to take control of their lives.
The second intermediate outcome will see women participate more actively and vocally in community decision-making, contributing to the incorporation of a gender-equality lens in planning and policy-making. This is crucial to ensure that women and girls have equal access to services and opportunities needed to advance their economic and social empowerment .
Finally, the third intermediate outcome will see women and girls, men and boys as well as NGOs deepen their understanding of HR issues affecting women and girls and increase action in advocating for HR of women and girls.
