Women and Men in Rural Finance in the Syrian Arab Republic: State-Owned Banking vs. Self-Managed Microfinance

Policymakers in Syria are seriously concerned (a) about social equality and equal opportunities for women and men; and (b) about the effectiveness of financial institutions in providing adequate services to men, women and youth to fight poverty and reduce unemployment. Considerable social progress has been achieved in terms of social indicators; but wide gaps persist in terms of economic opportunities for women and men. A private banking law, presently before parliament, is expected to lead to thourough reforms of state-controlled banks --

Women and Men in Rural Microfinance: The Case of Jordan

Rajwa is a 50 years old widow in the area of Karak, with five children. Her husband died 10 years ago. In January 2000, she received a collateral-free loan of JD 2,100 (US$ 3,000) from the ACC/IFAD Income Diversification Project, repayable over 8 years. She bought 20 sheep, which have increased to 24, and went into dairy production. By September 2001, she had sold only 2 kg of goat butter and 6 kg of jameed. Everybody produces jameed and butter, there is no market, she says. She has made two payments of JD 30 each, which covers less than the interest due. ACC keeps writing letters and visiting her, but to no avail. With a loan of JD 200 for 8 months, less than one-tenth of the actual loan amount and period, Rajwa could have purchased the equipment and bought milk for dairy production instead of raising sheep. This would have given her the opportunity of testing the market and her entrepreneurial skills at a manageable risk. Now she is stuck with a bad loan and ineligible for another to go into a more profitable line of business. It was the loan terms imposed on her that made her start big - and fail big. She would like to apply for a loan to buy a sewing machine at a cost JD 120; but she is a defaulter, and the amount is too small to be financed from an ACC loan. --

Investing in women as drivers of agriculture

Agriculture for Development, the 2008 World Development Report, showed that agriculture is a critical source of livelihoods for women in many developing countries, and a key pathway out of poverty.1 It also portrayed women in many rural societies as especially constrained by a lack of access to inputs, productive resources, and services. They also often lack incentives to invest given the greater vulnerability and proportionately greater exposure to risk that result from having fewer assets, and the very real likelihood that once their niche in the value chain becomes commercially profitable it will be expropriated by men. The Gender and Agriculture Sourcebook uses empirical evidence to inform policy formulation and program design.2 It provides decision makers and practitioners with practical guidance, not only on how to avoid the pitfalls of gender neutral planning, but on how to capitalize on the extraordinary productive and poverty reducing potential of the woman farmer

Women and men in rural finance in the Syrian Arab Republic State-owned banking vs. self-manged microfinance

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die geschlechtsspezifische Dimension laendlicher Mikrofinanzierung in Syrien unter besonderer Beruecksichtigung des staatlichen Bankenwesens und des selbstverwalteten Mikrofinanzierungssektors. Die Autoren untersuchen zunaechst den Zugang von Maennern und Frauen zum laendlichen Finanzierungssektor unter den Bedingungen von sozialer Gleichheit und oekonomischen Disparitaeten. Im zweiten Teil wird die 'Agricultural Cooperative Bank' vorgestellt. Schwerpunkte liegen dabei auf den institutionellen und klientenbezogenen Perspektiven. Der dritte Teil analysiert mit 'Sanduq' eine Innovation im syrischen Mikrofinanzierungssektor. Bei 'Sanduq' handelt es sich um eine Mikrofinanzorganisation, die den Mitgliedern gehoert. Auch hier werden die institutionellen und klientenbezogenen Perspektiven beleuchtet. Darueber hinaus wird detailliert auf die Situation von Maennern und Frauen als 'Sanduq'-EignerInnen und 'Sanduq'-NutzerInnen eingegangen. (ICD)German title: Frauen und Maenner in der laendlichen Finanzierung in Syrien: staatseigene Banken versus selbstverwaltete MikrofinanzierungAvailable from http://www.uni-koeln.de/ew-fak/aef/PDFnew/Syria%20Microfinance.pdf / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Women and men in rural microfinance The case of Jordan

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die geschlechtsspezifische Dimension laendlicher Mikrofinanzierung in Jordanien. Im ersten Kapitel beschreiben die Autoren den oekonomischen und sozialen Kontext. In diesem Zusammenhang gehen sie auf die Widersprueche im Zusammenhang mit der Genderperspektive ein, die sich in sozialer Gleichheit und oekonomischen Disparitaeten manifestieren. Im Anschluss daran werden das laendliche, landwirtschaftliche Mikrofinanzierungssystem und der laendliche Finanzmarkt untersucht. Im zweiten Kapitel stellen die Autoren die 'Agricultural Credit Corporation' Jordaniens vor. Schwerpunkte liegen dabei auf den institutionellen und klientenbezogenen Perspektiven. Das dritte Kapitel ist den Nichtregierungsorganisationen im Mikrofinanzbereich gewidmet. Auch hier werden die institutionellen und klientenbezogenen Perspektiven beleuchtet. Darueber hinaus stellen die Autoren drei Fallstudien im Bereich der Mikrofinanzierung in Jordanien vor. Zentrale Fragestellung ist dabei, wie ein Mikrofinanzierungssektor auszusehen hat, der vor allem Arme und Frauen erreichen soll. Abschliessend geben die Autoren einige Empfehlungen dazu ab. (ICD)German title: Frauen und Maenner in der laendlichen Mikrofinanzierung: der Fall JordanienAvailable from <a href=http://www.uni-koeln.de/ew-fak/aef/PDFnew/Jordan%20Microfinance.pdf target=NewWindow>http://www.uni-koeln.de/ew-fak/aef/PDFnew/Jordan%20Microfinance.pdf</a> / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Women and men in rural microfinance The case of Jordan

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die geschlechtsspezifische Dimension laendlicher Mikrofinanzierung in Jordanien. Im ersten Kapitel beschreiben die Autoren den oekonomischen und sozialen Kontext. In diesem Zusammenhang gehen sie auf die Widersprueche im Zusammenhang mit der Genderperspektive ein, die sich in sozialer Gleichheit und oekonomischen Disparitaeten manifestieren. Im Anschluss daran werden das laendliche, landwirtschaftliche Mikrofinanzierungssystem und der laendliche Finanzmarkt untersucht. Im zweiten Kapitel stellen die Autoren die 'Agricultural Credit Corporation' Jordaniens vor. Schwerpunkte liegen dabei auf den institutionellen und klientenbezogenen Perspektiven. Das dritte Kapitel ist den Nichtregierungsorganisationen im Mikrofinanzbereich gewidmet. Auch hier werden die institutionellen und klientenbezogenen Perspektiven beleuchtet. Darueber hinaus stellen die Autoren drei Fallstudien im Bereich der Mikrofinanzierung in Jordanien vor. Zentrale Fragestellung ist dabei, wie ein Mikrofinanzierungssektor auszusehen hat, der vor allem Arme und Frauen erreichen soll. Abschliessend geben die Autoren einige Empfehlungen dazu ab. (ICD)German title: Frauen und Maenner in der laendlichen Mikrofinanzierung: der Fall JordanienAvailable from http://www.uni-koeln.de/ew-fak/aef/PDFnew/Jordan%20Microfinance.pdf / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Training of Health Professionals to Promote Active Fatherhood during the Pre and Post-Natal Care to Prevent Violence against Women

Violence against women is a violation of human rights and a form of discrimination against women. Healthcare services play a key role in the care of women exposed to violence, and father involvement in delivery and childcare can reduce intimate partner violence and has positive effects during pre and post-natal care. Our study aims to assess attitudes, practices, and perceived competencies of social-healthcare professionals on fathers’ active engagement in care and on prevention and management of violence against women after specific training. A pre–post study was carried out at two points in time: T0 (pre-training) and T1 within 15 days from the end of the course, using a semi-structured questionnaire. Changes were analyzed using paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Statistical analysis was carried out using Stata version 16. At T0, there were 129 participants. The most represented professions were midwives (66%). The average score of opinions at T0 and T1 improved, and this difference was significant (T0: 4.44; SD ± 0.6; T1: 4.42 SD ± 0.3; p = 0.0126). The same applies to perceived competencies (T0: 2.79; SD ± 0.6; T1: 2.99; SD ± 0.5; p = 0.0198). Professionals’ training on active fatherhood and on prevention and management of violence against women for health professionals is an effective public health strategy for health promotion

Engaged fatherhood and new models of “nurturing care”: Lessons learnt from Austria, Italy, Lithuania and Portugal

Research on gender-based violence highlights the need to engage men in prevention work through social change programs that present care as a powerful antidote to violence. Implementation of such programs worldwide provides many examples of how education and support for fathers and fathers-to-be can promote healthy masculinities and relationships with an intimate partner and their children. This article aims to explore the findings and lessons learned from the pilot of the European Union-funded Promotion, Awareness Raising and Engagement of men in Nurture Transformations (PARENT) project (PARENT) which sought to develop and pilot curricula adapted from the internationally tested Program P methodology. The PARENT pilot worked in four European countries to provide training activities for social, educational, and health professionals, as well as education groups for fathers and parents, with the overarching goal of preventing domestic violence through the promotion of engaged fatherhood. By reporting the results from mixed-methods impact evaluations of pilot programs conducted with professionals and parents, this article discusses how gender-synchronous father-focused training can contribute to a shift toward increased positive engagement of fathers during the first 1000 days of a child's life. The article conveys the pilot's promising impact on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of professionals and parents, and it examines some of the key contextual factors, limitations, and implementation approaches that plausibly contributed to the PARENT pilot outcomes, with the aim to formulate useful considerations for future scale-up efforts or the future implementation of similar programs to engage fathers in nurturing care and violence prevention