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Researching womens

collective action
Findings and recommendations February 2013

Contents
Highlights of findings on womens
collective action
Recommendations from the research
Innovative development actor strategies
Regional and national seminars in
Ethiopia, Mali and Tanzania

Welcome
The Researching Womens
Collective Action (WCA) project
was launched in December 2009 by
Oxfam, with funding from the Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Highlights of findings on
research was conducted in three
phases, and gathered much- womens collective action
needed evidence on how collective
action can improve women
Economic benefits and barriers when they are also members of informal
WCA members receive more income groups. Otherwise, changes in
smallholders incomes, strengthen
than women trading alone. empowerment vary considerably as
their assets and increase their
The research found significant economic gender norms differ. In Tanzania and Mali,
empowerment. The project also
convened key stakeholders in benefits for women who join collective women members benefit from increased
dialogues to improve strategies and action groups. Group members are more freedom of movement; in Ethiopia, from
policies to support effective WCA in productive and their products are higher enhanced control of household
agricultural markets. quality, so they receive more income from expenditure. In Mali, WCA members have
what they sell. In Tanzania, women gained greater autonomy over the use of
In this final briefing, we highlight agricultural incomes, and are now
members earn almost 70 per cent more
key findings and recommendations consulted more on community and
than comparable women not in groups; in
from Phase III of the research, and organizational decision-making.
share information on stakeholder Mali and Ethiopia, group members earn
80 per cent more. Income gains from markets dont
events in the three focus countries.
Key barriers still limit WCA members translate into broad-based
Quantitative and qualitative
analysis was undertaken in one engagement in markets. empowerment.
sub-sector per country: honey in Collective action improves women WCA members earn more than non-
Ethiopia, vegetables in Tanzania smallholders access to credit and market members. However, in only between one and
and shea butter in Mali. The information, while training and improved three of the eight dimensions used to assess
findings provide answers to some technology raise quality and productivity. changes to control over decisions (see
important questions: How do However, time poverty, limited mobility Methodology on p.2) are women members
women smallholders benefit from outside their village and restrictive social significantly more empowered than
collective action? How do groups norms still significantly limit womens non-members.
help women overcome market access to agricultural markets. Groups Group membership has little impact on
barriers? Which women participate seldom address these issues, and rights over assets.
in collective action and who is support women more in production and Being a group member doesnt
excluded? Which strategies are finance than market engagement. systematically strengthen womens
most helpful to ensure benefits to decision-making power over asset
women farmers? The findings will Empowerment ownership. However, some women gain
help development practitioners to WCA members have increased control access to individual or community assets:
improve strategies of support to over decisions in some domains. in Tanzania, men registered land in
smallholder farmers and to Across all three countries, women in womens names for vegetable production
influence others. groups have more decision-making power and in Mali, women acquired land to plant
on use of credit; this impact is significant shea trees. continued
Photo: Honey producers from Meserethiwot cooperative
in Amhara region, Ethiopia. Credit: Berhanu Denu
Findings and Recommendations Researching womens collective action

...continued

Effective group models gender-responsive leadership are critical Methodology


Informal and formal groups are both for equitable distribution of the benefits Both qualitative and quantitative analysis
important. of collective action in both group types. was undertaken during Phase III of the
Links between formal and informal groups research.
Group membership
play a significant role in womens The qualitative research used a case study
engagement in WCA. Informal groups Wealthier women are more likely to approach to identify positive exceptions,
help women develop leadership skills and join groups. and analyzed fourteen cases of WCA
build savings, while formal group WCA members tend to be older, in-depth across the three countries.
members have greater access to inputs married, and from wealthier households, The quantitative analysis was based on
and services, and engage more as they have fewer household surveys of at least 300 WCA members and
effectively in markets. Informal groups responsibilities, more time, and better 600 non-members per country comparing
sometimes evolve into successful formal access to assets and resources. An economic and empowerment benefits
exception is in Ethiopia, where between those participating in groups and
groups, and simultaneous membership of
unmarried women are more likely to join individual women trading in the same
informal groups can enhance the benefits
groups. sectors. The research looked at womens
of formal collective action. No one group control over decisions in eight dimensions.
1

type benefits women most; women For more information on Phase III
For more information on the research
experience empowerment in different findings, download the Oxfam
methodology for Phase III visit:
areas, from different kinds of groups, and International Research Report at:
http://womenscollectiveaction.com/
empowerment impacts are often greater http://womenscollectiveaction.com/ Phase+III
from the combined effect of membership Phase+III
of more than one group.
Women-only groups enable effective
participation in mixed groups.
While economic benefits are often higher
in mixed groups due to greater resources,
networks and access to transport,
women-only groups allow women to
develop skills and confidence, and
participate effectively in mixed groups.
Women-only or women-led groups can
avoid appropriation of benefits by men
(not uncommon in mixed groups where
men dominate leadership roles).
Transparent group governance and
(Left to right): Treasurer, Secretary and Chairperson of Matumaini A vegetable group in Lushoto district, Tanzania.
Credit: Martin Walsh

Benefits of membership for women smallholders who join collective action groups

Women smallholders in But joining groups doesnt


collective action groups do... necessarily help women to

Have higher-quality products Experience broad-based


or are more productive empowerment

Receive more income from Have strengthened rights


sales of their products over assets

Have more decision-making Secure higher prices


power on use of credit for their products

Have increased visibility as Gain significant market


economic actors and, power (due to a focus
sometimes, increased on production)
influence in communities
Reduce time poverty and
Gain increased (though still mobility constraints to
limited) access to markets market engagement

1
The methodology adopted was informed by the Womens Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) developed by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Oxford
Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI). See http://www.ophi.org.uk/policy/national-policy/the-women%E2%80%99s-empowerment-in-agriculture-index/ for further details.
February 2013

Recommendations from the research


Recommendations marketing groups. Development actors prohibitive joining fees) or specific
for practitioners can work with clusters of informal groups categories, such as those who are young
Focus on high-value products, and to develop economic activities or facilitate or unmarried.
women-friendly sub-sectors and support for bringing products to market, Ensure buy-in from men. Mens support
technologies. Supporting womens such as providing transport. to womens participation and leadership
engagement in high-value sub-sectors, Be clear on the value-added of the in market-oriented groups is crucial, for
which do not require land resources (e.g. WCA group or activity. Collective action example by taking on household tasks or
tree products, dairy, etc.), is a promising groups are effective delivery mechanisms providing access to resources at
entry point for effective collective action for inputs, training and new technologies, household and community level.
for women farmers. Providing access to but less tangible functions, such as Awareness-raising with men is critical to
new, women-friendly technologies, pooling labour, sharing knowledge and convince them of the benefits of WCA,
combined with relevant training, can information, reducing waste and costs, and to create the conditions for womens
facilitate women joining groups and add and managing risks, are also critical. effective participation in groups.
value through improved product quality. When designing interventions, Support gender-equitable and
Support for improving production and practitioners should establish what the accountable group leadership.
value addition must be coupled with specific value-added is of any new External actors should focus on
support for groups to gain access to activity, what benefits this will deliver to developing womens leadership skills
markets for these products. members of the group, and how the costs and promoting their leadership within
Analyze the market, farming and in time and money weigh against these. mixed as well as women-only groups.
household systems. Practitioners Consider the gender implications of Strong leadership should be
should analyze gender roles in the group characteristics. In women- counterbalanced with accountability
marketing of specific products, market dominated sectors, or where women have mechanisms: development actors should
channels and functions, along with the little experience of organizations, closely monitor social dynamics in
location of existing collective action especially mixed groups, women-only groups to minimize the risk of benefits
groups in the value chain. Gendered groups may be preferable. Age, marital being appropriated by men, or higher-
farming systems and intra-household status, existing livelihood activities, status women.
relations also need to be analyzed, as this household responsibilities, and available Ensure the sustainability of WCA.
affects which strategies and types of time and mobility of participants are External actors need to work with
group will be most appropriate. Ideally, important factors to consider. Smaller, women group members to secure
support to WCA should be part of a wider less dispersed groups facilitate womens long-term, independent access to the
strategy for changing gender relations in effective participation. Flexible natural and financial resources required
a sub-sector. membership criteria are helpful to avoid to sustain their engagement in diverse
Support womens engagement in directly or indirectly excluding women markets, to ensure that gains cannot be
diverse markets. To reduce risk and (e.g. via literacy or land requirements, or easily reversed.
allow for greater flexibility, it is important
that groups have links to different markets
rather than relying on a single buyer.
Local markets are often as important for
poor women farmers as national or
international ones. Producer unions or
umbrella groups play a key role in
aggregating products and negotiating
with buyers. Practitioners should also
seek opportunities to promote an active
role for women group leaders and
members in developing marketing
strategies and in negotiating with buyers.
Build on existing informal collective
action groups. Traditional, as well as
more recent savings and loans, groups
are widespread among poor rural
communities; informal labour groups are
also common. Such groups can be
effectively linked to existing mixed
Left: Bosena Atnafu, a member of Serto Madeg group and Meserethiwot honey cooperative in Amhara region, Ethiopia.
Credit: Tarekegn Garomsa. Right: Ramatou Couloubaly, Executive Secretary of Jigism shea butter cooperative in
Koutiala cercle, Mali. Credit: Edmond Dembele
Researching womens collective action February 2013

...continued

Recommendations for
policy makers
Ensure local coordination of action
and knowledge sharing. Sharing of
Regional and national
Improve national policies in support of information about existing seminars in Ethiopia,
organizations and the support they
WCA. Explicit legal principles of equality
receive from different actors is
Mali and Tanzania
of participation and benefits from
cooperatives and other forms of important to create synergies and In September and October 2012, Oxfam
association are needed to support avoid duplication. District authorities, and its partners convened national
effective WCA. Where these exist already, local cooperative agencies and gender seminars in each of the three focus
they need to be popularized nationally equality offices can play important countries. Researchers presented the
and locally among development actors. roles in promoting good practices for preliminary Phase III findings to a range of
Where gender gaps persist in strengthening WCA. development actors, including
participation in formal marketing Review wider policies affecting government ministers, researchers,
organizations, government agencies need womens participation in collective donors, NGO workers and Oxfam
to agree targets to redress these. Space action and rural womens programme staff, while women
must also be protected for informal empowerment. Policy interventions smallholders were present to share their
organizations where women dominate, also need to address deeply experiences of involvement in collective
and mechanisms developed to strengthen embedded attitudes and beliefs, as action groups. The project team collected
informal-formal linkages. Policy makers well as gender asset gaps, for example feedback on the findings, as well as ideas
also need to consider support to more through strengthening womens land and suggestions for further analysis, and
flexible group structures, reductions to rights and joint/sole land registration, participants discussed how the findings
group registration costs and simplification and reviewing family law and should influence development actor
of group procedures. property rights. strategies and policy work going forward.
Regional seminars also took place in
Tanzania and Ethiopia, which shared the
Innovative strategies to maximize projects key messaging and collected
feedback from important stakeholders in
benefits for women farmers the areas where the research had been
carried out. Over 200 participants from
Development actors employ a number of butter in Mali have been able to secure
approximately 90 organizations took part
effective strategies to engage women in access to key assets and resources to
in the seminars.
collective action and increase the benefits sustain their engagement in the sub-
which they can derive from WCA groups. For more information on the national
sector. Women have been allocated two to
seminars visit:
Below, we highlight selected examples of three hectare plots of land by community
http://womenscollectiveaction.com/
promising interventions from Ethiopia, leaders for shea plantations and men are
National+Seminars
Mali and Tanzania that led to positive also planting trees in their fields.
outcomes for women through collective Linking to high-value domestic markets
action in markets.
Affiliation to the umbrella Usambara Lishe
Changing by-laws to increase Trust in Tanzania has enabled WCA
membership groups to access more distant, higher-
Cooperative by-laws in some districts of value markets through growing a different
Amhara region in Ethiopia now allow dual mix of vegetables, responding to
membership of husbands and wives changing demand. Securing contracts
rather than one member per household. with urban supermarkets, and ensuring
This change, combined with other women members receive payments
interventions, has dramatically increased directly and are trained in marketing, have
womens membership of formal groups all been positive factors contributing.
and shifted attitudes towards womens
More details on these and other strategies
role in the honey sector.
can be found in the country case studies,
Securing community assets available to download at:
Through influencing local community http://womenscollectiveaction.com/
leaders, womens groups marketing shea Case+Studies
National seminar in Bamako, Mali

For more information about the project visit:


www.womenscollectiveaction.com
Downloadable resources include: the Oxfam International Research Report on findings
and recommendations; country case studies; a presentation on key messages from the
research; webinar recordings; project updates from Phases I and II.
Contact: Thalia Kidder, E: tkidder@oxfam.org.uk T: +44 (0) 1865 473 727

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