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RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHLP #0282/01 0421814
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111813Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0663
INFO RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
UNCLAS LA PAZ 000282
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR S/GWI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO PHUM BL KWMN
SUBJECT: S/GWI Project Proposal - Bolivia
Embassy La Paz welcomes the Secretary's Office of Global Women's
Issues' first small grants initiative and is pleased to submit two
strong proposals in response.
Our higher-priority proposal - Legal Reform: Strengthening Women's
Rights in the Bolivian National Police Force - will address
discrimination against female police officers in the Bolivian
National Police (BNP). In a recent study a staggering 76% of
female Bolivian officers indicated that they have been victims of
sexual abuse by fellow officers in the work place. The Government
of Bolivia has asked for our support to address this problem within
the national police force, and Bolivian society as a whole. This
project will allow us to initiate a national training program for
all BNP officers regarding equal employment issues within the
police force and begin an initiative to write new legislation
insuring equal employment rights for all women in the Bolivian work
force. The project will be managed by the Narcotics Affairs
Section.
Our second proposal - Reducing Gender-Based Violence in Indigenous
Areas - will bring together community members, municipal
authorities and other key actors to examine how gender-based
violence (GBV) impacts indigenous communities socially, spiritually
and economically and to then implement action plans to reduce such
violence. Working with an established Non-Governmental
Organization, the program will advocate with authorities in the
education, justice, health, and police sectors, since they are
responsible for the implementation of relevant norms and laws
related to preventing GBV, but often don't act due to lack of
awareness of how the problem affects their communities. The
project will be managed by USAID.
We would welcome any questions you may have regarding the
proposals, and look forward to S/GWI's decisions regarding funding.
PROPOSAL 1 - LEGAL REFORM: STRENGTHENING WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN THE
BOLIVIAN NATIONAL POLICE FORCE
The Issue
The situation regarding women working in the Bolivian National
Police force (BNP) requires special attention. Although women
police officers have existed in the BNP since 1976, their presence
and numbers have increased significantly only during the last
decade. Currently, they represent approximately ten percent of the
total institution. The results of a survey for "Human Development"
conducted by the UNDP in 2005 reveal that 55% of the current female
police officers in the BNP entered after 2000. Only 13% or 1300 of
the 10,000 police women currently in the BNP have been in the
institution for more than 25 years, most of them assigned to
specialized units and functions, and in minor technical and
administrative positions. During the last 5 years there has been
progress in the assignment of police woman to many different
operational units within the institution; nevertheless they are not
treated equally and do not receive the same rights, opportunities
and promotions as their male counterparts.
The topic of gender discrimination and equal rights in the Bolivian
Police Force is important because it reflects the difficulties that
women face daily in Bolivian society attempting to eliminate
discrimination and enjoy rights and access to leadership positions.
In addition, an extensive national study completed in 2009 by the
Government of Bolivia's Human Rights Commission (Phase I of this
project) has revealed that there currently exists, "significant
discrimination and violence targeting females officers within the
Bolivian Police Force." This includes, but is not limited to, equal
employment opportunity discrimination, sexual harassment and, in
some cases, physical abuse on the job. For example, a staggering
76% of female officers interviewed indicated they have been victims
of sexual abuse by fellow officers in the work place. In addition,
there currently exists very limited promotion potential for BNP
female officers, and quite often they are paid less than their male
counterparts performing similar functions at work.
Proposal Summary
In late 2008 the Government of Bolivia's Congressional Human Rights
Commission approved a multi-phase project to ensure all Bolivian
women police officers have the same employment opportunities as
their male counterparts. A significant part of this initiative
aimed to provide appropriate awareness and sensitivity training and
seminars to male BNP officers. The second major goal was to work
with the GOB in the areas of legal reform creating new and/or
revised internal regulations and guidelines which would ensure a
workplace free of discrimination and violence, and establish gender
equality for all employees of the Bolivian National Police force.
Three phases of this initiative have already occurred: 1. An
extensive national study of the issue 2. The first International
Women's' Rights Conference and 3. National training programs for
all BNP officers regarding Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
issues within the Bolivian Police Force.
This project, "Legal Reform: Strengthening Women's Rights in the
Bolivian National Police Force," will be a two part continuation of
this Human Rights Initiative within the Bolivian police force. The
overall objective of the project will be to create appropriate
institutional conditions for equal employment opportunities, and
the reduction of discrimination and gender violence within the
Bolivian Police Force. Project partners will include the Ministry
of Government, the GOB Congress (and specifically the Human Rights
Commission), and of course the Bolivian Police Force itself.
Although headquartered in La Paz, the project aims to target all of
Bolivia's nine geographic departments.
Project Description
Part I of this project will educate and refocus the current
mentality of existing male officers regarding their female
counterparts. Part I will involve conducting 50 workshops of
awareness-raising and sensitizing for male officers only that will
promote gender equality and a discrimination free workplace within
the institution while at the same time allowing male police
officers to assume a new masculinity role.
Workshop agendas will include:
* The role and functions of the Bolivian Police Force in the
current society
* The role of male officers in the institution
* The new male role in society
* The specific male role in a law enforcement institution
Working groups within the workshops will include:
* A presentation of results of the national study regarding
identified discrimination within the Bolivian Police Force and how
the survey results might be applied
* Suggestions and possible actions to improve the gender
equality and workplace conditions in the Bolivian Police Force
* Addressing the questions, "What do I do and how does that
affect my actions?" versus, "What should I do and what effects can
I achieve in my institution?"
Part I will last 6 months, and will require one project director,
two Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with a specialty in Masculinity,
four consultant facilitators and one statistics specialist.
Part II of this project will involve the compilation, from a
variety of different sources, and systematization of Best-Practices
for addressing the problems of gender inequality. Part II will
involve conducting 50 mixed (i.e. involving both male and female
officers) workshops to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the
problems. The workshops will also provide training for personnel
from each of the units of the Bolivian Police Force related to
working together on ways of addressing the topic of gender equality
and the reduction of violence and discrimination inside the
institution.
Workshop agendas will include:
* Presentation of the principal results of the comparative
analysis of the diagnoses obtained in the project's earlier work
* In depth discussion regarding the existence of
discrimination, violence and gender inequality problems and issues
within the institution
* Presentation of documented advances in other countries'
police forces, based on information compiled and experiences
presented by the international participants at the "International
Seminar of Women Police Officers" conducted in Bolivia during 2009
* Reflection on the values of equity, gender equality and
respect, and on the problems of discrimination and violence in the
Bolivian Police Force
* Role Play activities
* Development of a joint proposal on anti-discrimination
efforts and treatment of violence problems
Part II will last 6 months, and will require one project director,
five consultant facilitators, and one psychologist.
Outcomes and Performance Measures
Part I of the project aims to:
1. Disseminate the values of gender equality and respect and
refocus the culture of machismo among male officers in the Bolivian
police force
2. Complete a diagnosis and provide a baseline on the topic
of violence and discrimination against policewomen from a male
perspective
3. Educate and provide awareness training to Bolivian
National Police male officers
4. Work with the Bolivian National Police command staff to
ensure appropriate regulations are in place to provide a
discrimination free workplace
Part II of the project aims to:
1. Integrate the values of equity, gender equality and
respect into the police force and to alter the institution's
accepted values to strengthen the specific rights of women police
officers
2. Define a space for both men and women within the
institution, and support the promotion of the values of fairness,
equality and respect within the Bolivian National Police
3. Create institutional responsibility for guaranteeing the
enforcement of equal rights regulation and for tracking complaints
due to discrimination and violence against women up to the
resolution of the cases
In addition to the specific objectives of Parts I and II, the
project also aims to create a mixed and inter-generational team of
officers (selected based on availability and commitment) who are
interested in promoting the values of equity, gender equality and
respect in the Bolivian Police Force. This team will:
1. Establish an appropriate timetable for the implementation
of changes within the institution
2. Ensure appropriate actions are in place to guarantee a
discrimination free work place
3. Achieve internal support within the Bolivian police force
to promote workplace equality
Budget
Item
$US
Administrative Costs (office expenses, materials, reproduction of
material, communication expenses)
23,000
Tickets and Per Diem (100 Workshops - 9 Provinces - Country of
Bolivia)
21,800
Human Resources (Subject matter experts and
Facilitators/Instructors)*
55,200
Total
100,000
* Human Resources - Part i:
- One Project Director
- Two Specialists (Subject Matter Experts) in Masculinity
- Four Consultants Facilitators
- One Statistics Specialist
* HUMAN RESOURCES - PART II:
- One Project Director
- Five Consultants Facilitators
- One Psychologist
Recipient Organization - technical and management capacity
The recipient organization for this project is "Wara Wara," a
foundation with a vision emphasizing the anthropological knowledge,
cultural, ethnic and linguistic development within Bolivian
society. Wara Wara uses technical sciences to promote and exploit
both material and economic assistance, as well as implementing
advances in knowledge of human nature and the solutions that ensure
better and optimal results in promoting equity, equality and
respect.
Wara Wara's capabilities include:
* Business planning, implementation, administration,
counseling, monitoring and evaluation of programs, projects and
actions in support of human rights specific to women, children and
youth
* The development of the population and communities to have
awareness of the value and use of human and natural resources in
the country. This is accomplished through the application of
social, humanitarian, and cultural integral developmental programs
and initiatives to promote the development of nations, peoples and
communities
Wara Wara is staffed with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), who are
professionals specialized in areas such as political sciences,
communication sciences, statistics, marketing, gender and human
rights, and psychology. This team has partnered with the
Government of Bolivia (GOB), and other public and private
organizations to implement various Human Rights programs in
Bolivia. Wara Wara, its facilitators and its SMEs have also worked
closely with a number of international donors, including previous
work with the U.S. Embassy and its Narcotics Affairs Section in the
area of human rights.
PROPOSAL 2 - REDUCING GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN INDIGENOUS AREAS
The Issue
The roots of gender-based violence (GBV) are founded in uneven
power relationships and discrimination, and gender-based violence
is reinforced through the promotion of traditional gender roles in
personal and public relationships.
Bolivia's 2008 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) indicates that
in rural areas of Bolivia, 35% of women have suffered from some
form of psychological violence and 23.8% have experienced physical
and/or sexual violence. Since nearly 8% of women surveyed
responded that being a victim of violence is normal, it is not
surprising that only 20% of victims seek help.
Poor, indigenous women in Bolivia suffer from violence at a higher
rate than other groups of women. The lack of institutional
capacity among local governmental and social organizations, and the
fact that existing systems are unable to respond to GBV in a
consistent manner, has created barriers to the introduction and
implementation of effective GBV prevention policies and care
programs.
Given the prevalence of discrimination and the tendency to
disregard and marginalize women in rural areas, emphasis should be
placed on approaching community decision makers and making
communities aware of the problem, thus opening the way for an
effective response to this public health issue. This will also
make it possible to apply social norms found in more progressive
societies, as well as to execute regulations regarding sexual and
reproductive rights.
The ultimate goal is that women should have the right to live
without the fear of being victims of gender-based violence. This
project therefore seeks to educate women about their rights and to
help foster an environment in which Bolivians understand both their
rights and their personal responsibility to contribute to helping
create such an environment.
Proposal Summary
This project aims to bring together community members, municipal
authorities and other key actors to examine how gender-based
violence impacts indigenous communities socially, spiritually and
economically and to then implement action plans to reduce such
violence. Operating in the rural municipalities of Monteagudo,
Villa Vaca Guzman, Sopachuy, Azurduy and Tarvita in Chuquisaca, the
project will advocate with authorities in the education, justice,
health, and police sectors, since they are responsible for the
implementation of relevant norms and laws related to preventing
GBV, but often do not act due to lack of awareness of how the
problem affects their communities.
The project proposes applying a well-established
community-mobilization and advocacy methodology called 'Avances de
Paz' or 'Advancing Peace.' The methodology has already been
successfully applied in similar areas, although efforts to expand
the program were hampered due to lack of financing. The 'Avances
de Paz' methodology involves three core phases, as well as a
closure period. Importantly, each phase of the methodology employs
two types of activity - communitarian and parallel - aimed at
addressing different target groups. Communitarian activities aim
to directly target members of the community, with activities
structured around a series of workshops. Meanwhile parallel
activities target key community actors and authorities, to prepare
the local political scene for changes proposed by the communitarian
groups.
Phase I involves self-diagnosis and allows participants to examine
their own behavior, values and relations regarding gender-based
violence, identifying the problem from their own point of view.
Phase II involves analyzing the information gathered, and the
initial development of community action plans. Through a process
of analysis, participants question their preconceived ideas and
positions, determine whether they wish to change, and if so, how.
Joint deliberation at the municipal level, along with local
analysis of real experiences of the problem, leads to the
development of proposed solutions.
Phase III involves further development of community action plans,
as well as the evolution of these plans into a political action
strategy. The methodology creates a mechanism for change, designed
to meet the needs of both the community and the authorities, and
after a process of political discussion new policies may be adopted
and executed by the local authorities.
Project Description
The project will be developed and executed with the support of
consultants who will provide technical assistance and training in
the 'Avances de Paz' methodology to both community groups and
specifically-targeted community actors and authorities.
Phase 1: Community self-diagnosis regarding gender-based violence
Community process: a methodological guide is applied during 12
workshop sessions, each of approximately 3 hours duration
Parallel process: a series of focus groups is convened, and
in-depth interviews are conducted with key actors and authorities
Phase 1 therefore includes:
1. Preparation for the process development / meetings with
CIES technical teams
2. Training of CIES technical teams according to the concept
frame, and development of the 'Avances de Paz' methodology (one
week)
WORKSHOP 1
3. Introduction to Phase 1 methodology by CIES technical
teams for municipal community groups (maximum 5 groups per
municipality) and parallel process participants
4. Follow-up and monitoring by consultants of Phase 1
development (review of workshop facilitators' reports, feedback,
and three visits by the municipality)
5. Phase 1 systematization by CIES technical team and
production of report, with consultants' support
6. Development of "First Workshop - Avances de Paz" progress
report by consultants for submission to CIES staff
Timeframe: 6 months (including preparation/planning)
Phase 2: Analysis of information gathered on gender-based violence
in the specific community, and initial development of community
action plans to respond to each specific problem
Community and parallel process: a methodological guide is applied
during 10 sessions, each session lasts approximately 3 hours
Phase 2 therefore includes:
1. Training to CIES technical teams in 'Avances de Paz'
methodology, Phase 2, and in depth development of concept frame
(one week)
WORKSHOP 2
2. Introduction to Phase 2 methodology by CIES technical
teams for municipal community groups (maximum 5 groups per
municipality) and parallel process participants
3. Follow-up and monitoring by consultants of Phase 2
development (review of workshop facilitators' reports, feedback,
and three visits by the municipality)
4. Phase 2 systematization by CIES technical team and
production of report, with consultants' support
5. Development of "Second Workshop - Avances de Paz" progress
report by consultants for submission to CIES staff
Timeframe: 3 months
Phase 3: Further development of action plans and incorporation of
these plans into a political strategy
Community Process: workshops on incorporating community action
plans into the political environment are organized for those
participants that are interested and involved in the development of
action plans. Other activities aim to stir up the interest of
authorities and key authors in these issues. Several planning and
evaluation meetings take place, as required by the plan. The
number of meetings and activities with the groups depend on the
size of the action plan.
Parallel process: the political strategy is developed with the
corresponding key authorities and actors
Phase 3 therefore includes:
1. Training to CIES technical teams in 'Avances de Paz'
methodology, Phase 3, and in depth development of concept frame
(one week)
WORKSHOP 3
2. Introduction to Phase 3 methodology by CIES technical
teams for municipal community groups (maximum 5 groups per
municipality) and parallel process participants
3. Follow-up and monitoring by consultants of Phase 3
development (review of workshop facilitators' reports, feedback,
and three visits by the municipality)
4. Phase 3 systematization by CIES technical team and
production of report, with consultants' support
5. Development of "Third Workshop - Avances de Paz" progress
report by consultants for submission to CIES staff
Timeframe: 2 months
Closure: Participatory Process evaluation. An evaluation process
is conducted with participants who were involved in the community
and parallel processes. Evaluation guidelines are developed for
each of the actors.
The closure process therefore involves:
1. Assessment by CIES technical team, with involved community
group participation, key community persons and authorities
2. Follow-up and monitoring of consultants in assessment
development (one visit per municipality, to organize)
3. Final process report writing
4. Consultants' support to write the progress process report
of the Final 'Avances de Paz' Workshop for CIES staff (including
results and process assessment)
Timeframe: 1 month.
Outcomes and Performance Measures
This project targets (i) key personnel within local and regional
authorities, (ii) rural community groups, (iii) public networks, as
well as, (iv) CIES staff, and aims to:
1. Increase indigenous-community awareness of the issue of
gender-based violence, as well as foster development of a culture
that questions such violence, recognizes that it can change it, and
articulates a desire for equity in relations between men and women
2. Develop and empower decision-making actors within the
community, and encourage such actors to accept the adoption of
public policies and actions that contribute to addressing and
preventing gender-based violence
3. Create five strengthened / fully developed municipal
networks dedicated to working against gender-based violence (one in
each municipality)
4. Develop five completed gender-based violence prevention
plans, one in each municipality, to be submitted for inclusion in
each municipality's Plan of Action
5. Strengthen the capabilities of CIES technical teams in
gender-based violence prevention methodologies in five rural
municipalities of Chuquisaca
Budget
Item
$US
Consulting Fees (Technical Assistance)
16,000
Staff Wages and Benefits (7 educators x 12 months)
35,101.39
Material and community services (Communication - $100 /
municipality / year x 5 municipalities)
500
Food, accommodation, travel expenses to the community (Snack: 42
sessions x 650 participants (EU process) x $0.50 / participant.
13,650
Materials and community service ($5 x 650 participants)
3,250
Food, accommodation to the community, travel to the community
(educators, consultants)
28,498.61
Tickets facilitator-participants
1,000
Other expenses
2,000
Total
100,000
Recipient Organization - technical and management capacity
The recipient organization for this project is CIES (Research
Center for Education and Services), a non-profit group dedicated to
social development. CIES provides services to men, women and young
adults, as well as to vulnerable groups, within the frame of
integral health, through the promotion of the full exercise of
sexual and reproductive rights. It offers a medical-educational
program and prides itself on its 'quality and warmth'. CIES
operates four clinics, five health posts in department capitals,
three in intermediate cities and mining towns, and three Itinerant
Health Units in the rural area of the Department of Chuquisaca.
CIES developed the "Avances de Paz" participative methodology
during 2007 and 2008 to address gender-based violence in the rural
populations of the Bolivian Chaco area, as well as the cities of
Oruro and El Alto. In Machareti (the Chuquisaca Chaco area) this
project is being implemented under the support of the Municipality,
with UNICEF financing and the active participation of local persons
and organizations. In Villa Vaca Guzman, in light of the results
achieved in past years, the Mayor requested CIES support to
implement this project under the local municipality. Although the
municipality itself has allotted funds to implement the process,
CIES was not able to meet the request for additional funds and
hence the effort was not able to proceed.
Creamer