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Program Summary Women play integral roles in rural development, but women’s development capacity is limited due to traditional ideas of female inferiority and limited educational, professional, and social development opportunities for women. Plan aims to support rural women to perform their role as effectively as they can. Plan is conducting a pilot program to build on the skills of rural women and to provide them with information and the opportunities to develop their role in supporting their communities - thus empowering rural women and creating sustainable, long-lasting improvements. Why we are doing it? At present in China, most men in the under-developed countryside have moved into the cities in search of waged labour, leaving women as the main labour force in the fields. It also leaves women as the main group left in the rural communities, which gives them huge responsibility for the rural community’s development. There are three main problems: Women lack the skills to contribute to community development. Women lack the information (i.e. suitable reading materials) to improve their lives or their community. They are also not accustomed to accessing and using information (i.e. only 5% of people in rural China who read regularly). Women lack opportunities to organise themselves into associations, which could work to improve their situation and share collective knowledge and best practice.
Our Approach Since 2006, Plan has worked with the Shaanxi Women’s Federation, and co-operating with “Rural Women”, a magazine, to carry out reading and cultural activities. Plan will set up in 40 local communities to participate in activities. Relevant reading material will be provided to the rural women providing them with much needed information on all matters of life, such as education, raising a family, farming, being involved in the village committees and so on. Program Goals Program Activities Women’s mobilisation and organisation: with support from the Women’s Federation, “Rural Women” magazine, and peer trainers from other communities, the women in the local communities setup and participate in small activity groups, which carry out cultural, sports and entertainment activities, . Plan China works with the Women’s Federation, educational institution and women’s groups to create Community Learning Centres that are available for the entire community. After women’s groups are set up and community learning centres are established, we help to incubate rural women’s micro-enterprises. The enterprises build on existing knowledge of animal husbandry, crop production and handicrafts. Incubate an action platform for community affairs so that women are prepared to handle issues such as domestic violence, trafficking or stigma associated with gender or HIV/AIDS. The action platforms may also work on improving infrastructure, such as local roads, schools and public spaces. Community Context-based Program(Start from 3rd year)
Program Partners Future of the Program The reading groups will develop into other associations based on specialized needs of the rural women which will help women participate in the local community, reduce their workload by improving their knowledge and skills to be more efficient and effective in their work Impact Enhance women’s skills and abilities through the process of setting up and running learning groups. Provide opportunities for women to collaborate on social and economic improvement opportunities. Improve the culture in the village, giving women greater participation in the running of the community, and empowering villagers. Increase the quality and quantity of information available to rural women and support them to read and use this information. Improve the women’s marketing and business skills.
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