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Women in Development/Gender and Development/ (WID/GAD) Department
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Gender and Development (GAD) work The Ethiopian Catholic Church has been working in Women in Development (WID) programs through a number of women promotion centers distributed all over the country. For several decades, the WID function of the ECC was realized through the existing Women Promotion Centers (WPC). Of the existing ones' several WPCs had to phase out due to stereotype functions that could not challenge the over - riding problems of poverty and social marginalization of girls and women. The coordination and facilitation support from the national and diocesan levels was not adequate. The Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC), in 1999, decided to raise the level of the WID/GAD to a Department in the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat. The Gender and Development (GAD) dimension needed to be reviewed and planned to narrow the increasing gender gap and disparities in the society. Thus in 2001, the first five - year (2001 - 2005) operational plan for WID/GAD was issued by the ECS, and Episcopal directive that WID/GAD activities feature prominently in all the Diocesan institutional structures, and that special projects and budget allocations be designed to alleviate the situation. Since then, the DCS and ECS have taken tactical steps in this direction.
Application of Gender and Development concept in ECC The following steps are taken towards strengthening ECC WID/GAD program · Gender strategic options were identified in collaboration with the DCS and incorporated into the Strategic Plan. · Through advocacy with partners, 6 of the 10 Dioceses WID/GAD desks were manned. · A guideline for mainstreaming gender into the multi - sectoral programs at the ECS and DCS was developed, and orientation on gender concepts and analytical framework provided to staff. · Training on key gender themes such as Violence, Harmful Traditional practices, Women's Access to Resources at Household Level and Women and Justice was provided to DCS staff working with and for the community. · Networking with local and international institutions and participation in working groups has been intensified. · A study was undertaken in over 45% of the existing WPCs to assess the status of their WID strategies to address economic empowerment of destitute girls and women. An implementation strategy was developed to rectify the stereotype approach and to bring gradual transformation. · Partnership consultations were intensified to bring about a uniform understanding and approach to the gender program of the Catholic Church. The way forward · Broaden the gender awareness base, by incorporation of gender issues into the extensive structures of the ECC: covering over 72,000 children, directors and teachers in the 224 Catholic schools, 67 hospitals and clinics, 92 women promotion centers, the major seminaries, the Conference of Major Religious Superiors, the 53 congregations, etc. · Produce and make available ECC - specific Gender Resource Book, so that all will have access to an "internalized" comprehensive resource material on gender. · Prepare an ECC - specific strategy and area - based plans of Action for action by the ECS and DCS to abandon Harmful Traditional Practices, particularly Female Genital Mutilation. · Continue the process of transforming the WPCs from stereotype to market - oriented skills empowerment for girls and women. Introduce new skills training the direction of reducing women's drudgery, and promotion of income - generation at household level. · Seek traditional and new partners' support for poverty alleviation in destitute girls and women. · Finalize the gender policy, thus making available a formal directive from the hierarchy, for achieving gender equity.
Address:
Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat
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©2005 Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat |