Reducing Environmental Shocks, Improving Livelihoods and Inspiring Empowered Innovative and Thriving Women of Ethiopia project (RESILIENT-WE)

The project design and theory of change were informed by findings from rapid gender and human rights analyses, as well as consultations with women’s rights organizations and other stakeholders in the target areas of Hararghe.

Figure 1: RESILIENT-WE Project Implementation Kebeles in West Haraghe Map

Figure 2: RESILIENT-WE Project Implementation Kebeles in East Haraghe Map

The findings indicate that environmental degradation and climate change affect everyone. However, women and men are impacted differently because of their gender roles, prevailing social norms and different resilience mechanisms. For example, women and girls predominantly participate in unpaid household activities such as caregiving, fetching firewood and water—responsibilities that deepen gender inequality and women’s time poverty.

RESILIENT-WE aims to contribute to the ultimate outcome: “increased resilience of women and girls in Hararghe zones of Oromia Region to negative impacts of environmental degradation and climate-induced shocks for enhancement of rights.” This outcome is anchored upon three distinct but interrelated intermediate outcomes:

• Enhanced agency and decision-making power of women over social, economic and environmental aspects that affect their lives.

• Increased participation of women and girls in the management of climate risks and sustainable use of natural resources.

• Increased access to and control of diverse, safe livelihoods and benefits by women in Hararghe.

RESILIENT-WE is a gender-transformative project that uses a combination of gender-transformative approaches and models to challenge discriminatory social and gender norms, expand opportunities for women and girls, and contribute to their empowerment and resilience.

MenCare

The project engages men and boys using the MenCare fathers’ group approach to promote gender equality and sharing of unpaid care work at the household level. MenCare helps men critically reflect on the cultural and gender norms perpetuating women's and girls' devaluation. The approach promotes positive involvement of men in the lives of their partners and children, creating an opportunity for greater and more equitable partner relations, reduction in violence against women and children, and lifelong benefits for daughters and sons and the overall well-being of the family.

Channels of Hope for Gender 

RESILIENT-WE is using the inter-faith Channels of Hope for Gender (CoH-G) model. This model integrates faith commitments with other technical sectors and empowers communities to take actions that contribute to their development. By training faith leaders in the model, the project equips them with knowledge and tools to help mobilize their faith communities to form Congregational Hope Action Teams (CHAT) and other groups in order to sensitize their communities about gender inequities and injustice. Once established, the groups form networks that support and empower the most vulnerable women and girls.

Community Change

Complementing MenCare and CoH-G, the project is also using Community Change (CC), a model that involves facilitated dialogues among community members to explore the underlying beliefs, socio-cultural norms and traditional practices that contribute to gender inequalities and the continued undervaluation of women and girls. Through these dialogues, community members are empowered to develop their own solutions and plans for social change.

RESILIENT-WE is using the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) approach. This low-cost, sustainable land restoration technique combats land degradation and builds resilience to climate extremes through the systematic regeneration and management of trees and shrubs from tree stumps, roots and seeds. In addition, the project is promoting climate-smart agricultural practices among target communities.

Energy Efficient Cookstoves and Solar Products

The project promotes the use of Energy Efficient Cookstoves (EECS) and renewable energy solutions to address energy poverty and mitigate the use of biomass energy sources, which are a health hazard (respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation) and a significant contributor to women’s burdens and time poverty. The use of firewood and charcoal is a significant factor in land degradation, contributing to deforestation and clearing of vegetation cover.