Comments
Sat, 01/23/2021 - 21:35
Thanks for sharing this Toolkit. It contains proper technical terms and other information that I always struggle to get.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS AND AIM OF THE WGSS TOOLKIT?
The overarching aim in developing this toolkit was to fill a critical gap in existing global guidance for WGSS in humanitarian settings, harmonizing the approach while accounting for contextual differences. The toolkit aims to authentically support women’s and girls’ sense of self and empowerment by providing a global blueprint for WGSS programming. It offers field staff 38 tools and 9 databases with step-by-step instructions and guidance on how to apply feminist principles, approaches and strategies in practice, within an accountable, women and girl-led process. Staff who supported the development of the toolkit reported that the toolkit supported them to conceptualize the meaning of and find great pride in their work. We hope others will feel the same.
WHO IS THE TOOLKIT FOR? IN WHICH SETTINGS CAN IT BE USED? W
e welcome the broad range of international, national, local and community-based organizations as well as national institutions implementing WGSS in humanitarian settings to use the toolkit. The content is applicable to both static and mobile models of WGSS and valid for WGSS implemented through either standalone or integrated approaches, as well as through direct implementation or in partnership approaches. This toolkit can be implemented for WGSS in humanitarian settings brought on by natural disasters or conflict at the onset of an emergency, throughout the relief and recovery phases of humanitarian responses, as well as in development settings with large populations of internally displaced or refugee women and girls. The content is applicable to WGSS implemented in camps, informal tented settlements, rural and urban environments, or border areas. The toolkit also supports the work of staff with different WGSS frontline, support or supervision roles. The guidance provided seeks to ensure that all those implementing WGSS in humanitarian settings, regardless of experience, staff strength and size or available technical support, equally have access to the knowledge, competencies and skills necessary to implement the tools.
WHICH WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE INTENDED TO BENEFIT FROM USE OF THIS TOOLKIT?
We use the term women and girls throughout the toolkit, as shorthand to mean all women and older adolescent girls age 15 -19 in humanitarian settings, who may be internally displaced persons, refugees or part of the community hosting refugees or IDPs. Importantly, when we use the term women and girls it includes older women, women and girls with disabilities, women and girls with diverse ethnic and religious affiliations and women and girls with diverse sexual orientation and gender identities. However, this list is not meant to be exhaustive and can also include, for example, women and girls living with HIV/ AIDS, women and girls engaged in sex work and any other group of women and girls relevant to your context at heightened risk of unequally participating in humanitarian services and who face greater barriers to accessing services including WGSS because of exclusion and discrimination. Inclusion does not require WGSS to provide specialist services or for staff to have specialist skills. It requires WGSS to address barriers which prevent women and girls from diverse backgrounds from equal access to the WGSS, while providing a space that ensures their physical and emotional safety, and supports them through a process of empowerment equally.