Donor : GIZ Empowering women for inclusive and sustainable social cohesion process in Batticaloa District

“EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR INCLUSIVE SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL COHESION PROCESS IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT”

 

This Project was designed on the tittle “EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR INCLUSIVE

 SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL COHESION PROCESS IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT” to be implemented in Batticalola Koralaipattu DS Division focusing on empowering women inclusive sustainable social cohesion process in this District. 

Organizational background

ESCO is a participatory development organization that plays a key role in creating a self-sufficient community through ensuring the rights of every individual to take part in their community development process and decision-making. Its aim is to facilitate the democratisation of development processes and results that will pave the way for an equitable and cohesive society.

Koralaipattu divisional secretariat is one of the divisions in the Batticaloa district that has been badly affected by twin disasters (natural and manmade). The community that lived in the Koralaipattu division was displaced during the civil war and the tsunami disaster and were relocated to other divisions. Post-eastern liberation operation, in late 2007, the displaced community was resettled in their place of origin. Since then, the Valaichcheni division community has been facing multiple problems in sustaining social cohesion within their community and facing grave difficulties in sustaining economic activities. In this context, especially women in rural development societies within the division have been vulnerable to issues like GBV cases, psychosocial issues, domestic violence, child marriages, school dropouts, and unemployment among youth, loan defaulters etc.

Therefore, as a Pilot project, ESCO was approved with the above project to develop and empower the Village Level approved CSO which has to take the leadership and responsible for the development of the village the WRDS.   However, the existing WRDS which was formed a long time ago nearly ten to fifteen years are not functioning and almost defunct currently.    As such there was a need to reform this WRDS   in order to empower women for inclusive sustainable social cohesion process in order to awake up the women involvement and to raise up the women community, as we know the women are more powerful and responsible in developing their families and children and likewise all families and children in the community could be empowered socially and severally.

In Koralipattu division, Women Rural Development Societies have been engaging in various types of activities within their local Grama Niladhari divisions upon return to their own villages. Nonetheless, WRDS members face multiple issues such as psychosocial distress, misunderstanding across societies, mistrust, lack of acceptance, living patterns, difficulties in managing anger, and aggression. In addition, WRDS members have limited interaction with government linkages, limitations in obtaining state services, very limited access to local and regional networks, local market linkages, and lack of skills in value chain proposition. The recent COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis further impacted the WRDS functions. At this juncture, WRDS has an important role in finding ways to reduce the impact on societies by addressing the root causes of the pertaining issues.

ESCO has been working with selected Grama Niladhari divisions since its inception. Initially, ESCO’s work focused on mother and child-related issues. After a number of years, ESCO branched out its work into migration and related issues, economic well-being issues, mental health and psycho-social issues, improving the skills of the youth and promoting good governance, and other local social issues. Recently, the ESCO team did a field visit to the proposed GN divisions and found out the most significant issues relating to promoting social cohesion. The findings are intra-conflict within the WRDSs, lack of problem-solving skills, the voice of the WRDSs not being heard at the divisional level coordination meetings, power sharing issues, etc. The root causes of the identified issues are disconnection of trust between the societies, misperception among the societies, and difficulty in enhancing economic activities. Therefore, it is important to create a social cohesion mechanism at least to minimize the pertaining issues and strengthen inter society trust building.

The project has three main objectives

  1. Promote social cohesion mechanisms and progressions across WRDS
  2. Local women leaders influencing decision-making at divisional level.
  3. Strengthen economic leadership skill of the WRDS members to lead the local common resources management
  4. Overall Objectives: Foster social cohesion and build unity within Women Rural Development Societies (WRDSs)

The Koralaipatu DS division is facing the issues listed below due to various social, political, cultural and economic reasons, ,

  • Lack of capacities and attitudes to build cohesive communities.
  • Mistrust and conflicts within and between communities 
  • No proper networking and advocacy measures among women groups

No proper measure in place to add value to the livelihood initiatives and sustainable income generation

In order to overcome the above issues, we worked towards achieving the following outcomes:

Outcome 1:

Promotes social co-existence mechanism and progressions across Women Rural Development Societies

    • Improved skills and knowledge on social cohesion mechanism among WRDS members.
    • Improved skills on Advocacy and Network
    • Women WRDS

Focusing on improving skills and knowledge on social cohesion mechanism, a SWOT analysis was done among the selected 30 members 5 members from 6 WRDSs and their Strength, Weakness, available opportunities and Threats were identified.   Relevant Govt. Officers – WDO, RDO, were monitoring this SWOT training and requested us to include some more participants from other untargeted divisions to be capacitated. Basing on this we incorporated 2 members from each of the untargeted division in our following trainings. The WRDS members were capacitated in many sectors as per the outcome of the SWOT training. such as:

  • Conflict Management, Social Coexistence, Communication and Information Sharing, Networking and Advocacy, Value Chain, Market linkages and so on.
  • Book Keeping and business development.

Through capacitating the WRDSs members in the above sectors by external consultants, the participants were well understood the need to identify the suitable service providers. Ex. Bank, GBV Desks, Relevant Govt. Officers,

Following the conflict management and social coexistence training, the WRDS members approach was very feasible and the earlier defaulted loanees start settling their outstanding dues.

The Community members in Kalmadu village, there are three villages falls in this GN Division. They, very frequently have conflicts and to be commented the resettled village Jeevanahar community was marginalized and prohibited from other two villagers.  But following the conflict management and social coexistence programme they all understood the reality of life and the understanding the worthiness of the unity among all.

During the process of reformation, the members from the marginalized village hold positions in the management committees. 

All the WRDS members along with other women focused CSOs, jointly highlighted and festivate the Women’s day Yr.2024 with very meaningful.

In our target Division nearly 85% of women are day wage earners involve in self venture-preparing daily meal and selling to school going children and sometimes to officers who go for work on time, grinding chillies powder, small level home gardening, tailoring.

There are four categories of women involving in sectors such as:  buying and selling, self-production, Agriculture related, Fisheries.  But these women are unaware of expanding their business properly towards high production and earning more income.   On scrutinizing their unfortunate situation, they were provided with the training on Preparing Business plan, financial forecasting and proper entries, value addition, market analysis and expansion of existing business enterprises. Some participants they themselves joined in groups who involved in similar businesses eg. In Sunkankerny village, Grinding chillies powder and packing.  These participants got registered their business with the respective Pradesha saba and got their label for the production and marketing.  They all registered with the Pradesha Saba and involve in their business.

But some of the young women involved in preparing Palmyra handicraft produces earlier.  Anyway within two three months they stopped this venture as there is no any means for expanding their business with new modification suitable to the present context ie.  After the cessation of the ethnic conflict in the East- our area tourism has improved.  Therefore, these members were trained on Palmyra handicraft processes with value addition with more attraction and durability there could be see the increase in their production and marketing.

Due to more understanding and trust, the women go out of their village and market their produces.  The fishing families eg. In Kalmadu and Valavady, the women go to the sea shore pluck small fishes on return of deep fishing, they process the small fishes, collecting  and selling in the near villages among the Muslim Community.  Likewise, the labelled chillies powder sellers also market their produces to Muslim Community. 

 Through the continuous monitoring of the improvement of these WRDSs functioning and self/group enterprises, the Koralaipattu Div. Secretary has allocated a convenient space in her office compound for marketing space once in two months.  This is ongoing continuously.

The WRDSs members understand the services of the GBVDesk, and refer possible cases for further actions.

Through the Information Sharing programme by Bank of Ceylon Credit Officers, the members understand the facilities that could be obtain through Bank for their business development. But the Bank rules that need of a Govt.Officer surety to obtain loan, the loan seekers are finding difficulties.

Fishermen from Kalmadu and Valavadi jointly go for fishing together.  Currently up to now 21 members obtained business registration for their small enterprises in all target areas and continuing their business profitably.

The participants are experiencing their knowledge in advocating their roles and need to reach through proper transmission of information with relevancy to reach their views and ideas fruitfully. The wide knowledge on the need for advocating their ideas to impose the regulations of the specific WRDS properly and also networking with all relevant CSOs, and other stake holders is the pivot for forming the WOMEN VOICE FORUM with the inclusion of such CSOs and relevant bodies.

OUTCOME: 11

 Local women leaders influencing decision making at divisional level.

  • Enhanced participation in decision making at local level

As we stated above, following the capacitation of the WRDSs, they all feel that there is no any collective voice to express their wanting and needs to be heard, and to act.  Though 12 mother societies and 21 WRDSs existing in the DS Division, also both comes under two different ministries, further 50% of the total membership incorporated into each, there are some conflicts and misunderstanding between them.   Therefore, the WRDSs had many discussions and dialogues within them and come to a conclusion to form a common forum to address the pressing issues in the DS Division.

Therefore, there was a need to enhance their knowledge in forming such common forum, its vision, mission and goal in order to govern its functioning as a structured body.  Therefore, this forum was organized in December 2024 with 33 membership constituting 21 members from WRDSs and 12 from Mother societies.   During this period while they were planning their duties and responsibilities, they prepared a document on the services they could provide and assist the vulnerable women for their empowerment.  Accordingly, as urgent need is to advocate to the respective authorities to utilize the abandoned common buildings in the area to make use of them.

Therefore, the women start collecting the information of such buildings and documented.  This document was launched and handed over to the Govt. Agent on the Women’s Day Yr.2025 on March 8th.   The government Agent highly appreciated the initial step of this forum as she is mostly concern on the abandoned buildings for long time.  She also addressed that this Women Voice Forum should be a prototype to all other divisions in Batticaloa District.

In order to take forward this forum, they have prepared action plan, monthly meetings in GN division. The Divisional Secretariat will support for their better functioning and sustainability.

 OUTCOME: 111

Women and young girls, who are members of the WRDS, with enhanced leadership skills and capacity to manage common resources.

  • Increased knowledge on leadership skills on managing common resources

In our present concept and believes our society dominate and feels that women mainly young women should not involve in any community work and especially out of their homes and villages.  But, women also have their rights as men.  Therefore, in order to educate and enhance the skills of the women and young girls, we have capacitated them in developing their leadership, management skills to all the members of WRDSs.  Accordingly basing on the varieties of trainings provided, the women and young girls identified and prioritized them. 

Five Common resources prioritized and beneficiaries’ information is below:

Karuvakerny Common Building 

Karuvakerny Common Resource Vocational Training Centre -  This building was renovated and handed over to the WRDS.  This centre was handed over to VTC and functioning. Handing over of VTC            

Kalmadu Common Building

Kalmadu Common Building.  WRDS is occupying for the women small enterprises and developing their businesses, more than 30 children conducting children extra classes, 50 youth to be trained on skill development. 

Nasinantheevu Community Centre

Nasivantheevu Community Centre -  WRDS is occupying for the women small enterprises and developing their businesses 15 beneficiaries, conducting children extra classes more than 20 children, 50 youth to be trained on skill development

 Koralaipattu North DS Division

 Kallarrippu Concrete Road  :Kallarrippu Concrete Road-  232M’ concrete road was constructed.  This portion of the road is fully damaged, very muddy   Direct beneficiaries 141 Other villagers passing through:    Farmers and Cultivators: 233                               

Koralaipattu North DS Division

  1.  Kokkuvil, Mankerny South Tube well 

 After finalizing and prioritizing the common resources, the community was fully aware of the activity, explained to them, and steering Committee was formed in each village to monitor the construction work and also for the maintenance of the standard and realising he ownership.

Financial Procedure was very deeply concerned on each step – calling quotation and selection, monitoring of the construction in which the steering committee was fully involved.

Tube well at Kokkuvil- Mankerny South:  No drinking water facility.  86 families   children under 5yrs:19, 5-18 yrs 29 live in this village.  Nearly 80 to 90 children are studying in the nearby primary school in this village

Training to WRDSs members on Active Citizen: As a result of this training on roles and responsibilities as well as an understanding of the Right to information Act, 03

 issues were referred to   respective Pradesha Saba on garbage by Pethalai WRDS, collection, fixing street light- Kinnayady and reopening of the abandoned market at Kalmadu.  These WRDSs are in process of moving an appeal to the relevant authorized persons.

Community Voluntarism works.

With the initiative from the WRDSs in Koralaipattu DS Division, the shramadana activity was carried out- cleared the garbage, beach cleaning, common places such as drainage cleaning, school building in coordination concerning on the health issues with Divisional Secretariat.

Capacitate Youth to use Social Media as a Platform to do Advocacy initiative.

This session was planned for youth on identifying the common needs in the village and bringing out them through social media.  Five Videos were uploaded – 1. Abandoned common buildings, 2. Using polythene materials, 3. Fixing Street Lights and 5.  Need to repair and renovate the bridge in Nasivantheevu village.

Gender Sensitivity-

Participants for this programme were WRDSs, Youth -both male and female total No.47. In our present pattern of living and our tradition still in practicing and experiencing that women are under the guidance of male and they should not act on their own will, domination by the family male members. – especially in urban and rural villages.

But during the training programme on Gender Sensitivity, the female participants shared that female households involve in livelihood activities, community activities, looking after the house maintenance and so on. 

The short videos that were made by the youth participants to change social attitudes and challenges women faced in stepping into public space and taking on leadership roles. This included patriarchal control at home, social stigma, and sharing of care work in the home by men and women. The participants also agreed that they could use to build community support for the WRDS - including shramadana activities and social media tools.

Outcomes - 

Women who were beginning to become active in their WRDS felt more confident to take on responsibilities in their communities

Friendships and networks were built across villages.

The participants practiced collective planning, decision making and problem solving.

Trust has been built to some extent among different generations within the same village.

Youth became aware of the challenges faced in their homes and communities by women and committed to support WRDS.

Commendation from the Divisional Secretary.

The Divisional Secretary commented that our team had overcome the challenge and re -activate the defunct WRDSs for many years with internal conflicts and mistrust among them within this short period of time.  I am very glad that WRDSs in my Division is now awakened and taking their roles and responsibilities towards the empowerment of the community.

Deputy Director, Vocational Training Authority.

He commented that they are unable to find a suitable place to continue the vocational training courses which should serve for all three ethnic communities in this Division.  Our sincere thanks to ESCO and the respective WRDSs for selecting the most appropriate spot in the boarder villages. 

Acknowledgements:

We are happy to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to our respected Government Agent, Batticaloa, the Asst. District Secretary and the respective Planning unit, Kachcheri and the Divisional Secretary, Koralaipattu, Valaichchenai and her Deputy Director-Planning and all staff who supported to ESCO to expedite this project successfully through many ways.

Also we are duty bounded to express our gratitude to our Donor GIZ-SCOPE, Sri Lanka who very frequently monitor our involvement at Field Level and adaptation of planned activities especially Common Resource Management focusing on the future development and empowerment of the communities.

At last not the least we are happy to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to all the Stake Holders, the communities and all supported to expedite the “EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR INCLUSIVE SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL COHESION PROCESS IN BATTICALOA DISTRICT” Successfully.