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Support Groups for Widowed and Divorced Women Lead to Changed Status in their Communities by: Berissa Abdella Co-authors: Marcie Rubardt, Feven Tassew. Hypothesis.
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Support Groups for Widowed and Divorced Women \ Lead to Changed Status in their Communities by: Berissa Abdella Co-authors: Marcie Rubardt, Feven Tassew
Hypothesis • By bringing marginalized widowed and divorced women together into support groups while simultaneously addressing social norms around single women at the community level, we can increase acceptance of their sexuality and use of FP. • Part of broader 3 – country Social Change for Family Planning Results Initiative project addressing social barriers to FP use in general.
Baseline Qualitative Situational Assessment1 • Not acceptable for unmarried women to be sexually active • Assumed to be CSWs if sexually activePeople who are practicing sex before marriage and sex out of marriage- divorced women- are considered as HIV transmitters (boys) • No excuse to use FP There was one widow who was using it but the community asked why she was using birth control. They didn’t accept her. She stopped coming because of the pressure. Because of religion it is impossible to use birth control. • W/D are socially isolated - threatening to married women • Invisible to the community – not even considered to benefit from CARE food security projects, while being eligible. • W/D women were very shy during initial meeting – not used to talking together 1 - Summer, Anna: Situational Analysis, September, 2008
Intervention • Homogeneous group – • W/D women in support group have safe space to talk and share • Opportunity to bring up and challenge relevant social barriers • Community conversations on related social norms • Right to sexuality and FP • Guidelines use reflection and action approach • Challenge questions rather than BCC messages
Evaluation Methods • Midterm review2 • Adapted Most Significant Change methodology3 • In-depth qualitative review of widow / divorced groups • FGDs, IDIs and social mapping with W/D and other community groups4 2 – Panjsheri, Saiqa and Yetter, Mary; “Results Initiiative Midterm Evaluation Report Ethiopia”; Jan. 2011 3 – Davies, R. Dart, J. (2004). The Most Significant Change (MSC) Technique: A Guide to its Use. Available at www.mande.co.uk/docs/MSCGuide.pdf. 4 - Newton-Levinson, Anna: “Qualitative Review of Widow and Divorced Groups”; August, 2011
Results – Women’s Perspective • W/D women see themselves as linked among themselves and with others in the community • We are no longer excluded from community gatherings or decision-making. In fact, we are actively pursued by community leaders for our input. Our children can feel free as stigma has decreased. We have a voice. • We other women, who don’t have husbands, live together and organize because CARE made us aware. We are happy now to support each other. I participate in others’ activities and they also participate in my activities.” • W/D group evolved into VSLA and women appreciate support • After the RI training one of the young widows approached her brother with a business idea to plant onions and sell them at the markets. The brother (not married) was unsure (whether it was OK for his unmarried sister to have a business)but they took the matter to their father where she presented her idea. The father agreed that it would be good to give this a chance and see if it will be successful. It gave her a chance to be productive. • When I face a problem I don’t need to ask help from others. I go to my saving group and borrow money that I return later. I like this very much because I can discuss my problems with the group members and they help me find solutions.
Results – Community Norms • W/D women are now visible and have gained tolerance and acceptance in their communities • Frequently mentioned as a significant change during the midterm review • There was a great deal of discrimination of W/D going to health posts for health services – even if they weren’t there for FP services – especially if they came without a baby. Ironically, other women in the W/D were gossiping as well. After the RI trainings with the community, W/D were more free to go to the clinics. • Before RI/SAA discussions, married women were fearful that W/D were trying to seduce their husbands. One woman described her experience:Now, in the last three years, there is a great change because those who hated me began to approach me and congratulate on my children’s success. They also appreciated the sacrifices I made for my children, like collecting firewood, selling chat, and others in order to raise them. I feel good now and see a bright future for my family” • Improved targeting through integration of interventions.
Results – FP Awareness • Better understanding on protecting unwanted pregnancy • Many W/D women talked about having FP as a measure of protection, especially Emergency Contraception. W/D women often travel back and forth to market to sell chat and vegetables and can be subject to unwanted sexual advances or rape. Many women talked about being happy to know that they could protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy if anything happened (Midterm Review) • “ Even when CARE came here within the past year and a half we are aware of family planning and now we are aware of emergency contraceptives that work within 72 hours. This will help prevent pregnancy while we go back and forth to market. We have also been oriented on how to use condoms, these are all interesting for us.”
Implications - Informing Social Network Strategies • W/D support groups were significant in enhancing linkages among W/D women themselves and more broadly within their communities • Pathway to change may be applicable to future social network interventions including single women marginalized. • Decreased Invisibility • Increased solidarity and confidence • Linked with broader community and community decision-making • Role modeling and reaching out to include new single women
