Social Accountability on Gender Project
To tackle GBV issues in the community is essential to work together, not only with the community but also with the service providers.
We decided to incorporate a social accountability approach in the gender project activities.
Social accountability or citizen-led accountability refers to how key duty bearers (service providers and policy-makers) can be held accountable for the delivery of quality services to citizens/service users through the engagement of the latter with the service delivery system.
In the gender project, we selected the Community Scorecard Approach (CSC), this approach aims to build the capacities of service users and providers to analyze and monitor service delivery, and to create spaces for constructive engagement to improve basic service provision.
We adapted the approach to the project capacity, so we are applying it on a small scale. In the Wefoco gender project CSC the community is represented by the GBVA. So the GBVA were supported to identify the main issues regarding the local response service systems to GBV and score the local services.
For the input tracking matrix the Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines (2019) on GBV for each service were shared and displayed and the roles of each stakeholder according to the National Policy on Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence (2014).
For the community scorecard, the GBVA were divided into men and women; each sub-group engaged in a conversation about the issues they face accessing GBV services, and what constitutes a quality service.
The sub-group discussions reveal themes that are then translated into a series of qualitative indicators (e.g. attitudes of service providers, free service delivery, knowledge of service providers, confidentiality, etc.) against which each sub-group will score based on their experiences and perceptions of the service. Community members use the following five-level qualitative scale to score each indicator: Very bad, Bad, OK (average), Good, Very good. Adding remarks to justify their choice.
Once each sub-group has scored their indicators, they come together as one large group. The average score across subgroups is reported in the overall community scorecard.
The same process was done with the representatives from the response services to GBV, Wefoco invited the Police, Health, Gender, Social Services, Child Protection and Education Offices. From these services, all were present except the child protection and gender office. Together they discussed the main issues the services face and scored the service's response using the same method.
Later the community representatives (GBVA) presented and the services presented each of their scorecards in a joint meeting. The main issues presented in the booth scorecards were gathered, and a joint action plan was elaborated to address these issues in the next 3 months.
Some examples of actions included in the action plan were: advocacy on CBOs forum meetings, training of police staff, chiefs/assistant chiefs, community, social service volunteers, persons with disabilities and school counsellors.
We are already in the field working to implement the plan. We will keep you posted! :)
Want to know how you can support the activities of the Gender-Based Violence Ambassadors in Kenya visit: Mondo Womens-Fund .
. Andreia Silva, Senior Gender and Education EU AID Volunteer with Mondo in Kenya
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