MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM , FEBRUARY 2018 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Mission Statements and Background Acknowledgements Cash-based interventions (CBIs) are a Based on a literature review and key The Women’s Refugee Commission rapidly growing form of humanitarian informant interviews with over 40 (WRC) works to improve the lives and assistance and it is imperative that as cash experts from more than 20 humanitarian protect the rights of women, children, assistance is scaled, the interventions agencies, WRC developed guidance and youth displaced by conflict and crisis. are designed to minimize protection and tools to help cash actors ensure the WRC researches their needs, identifies risks and maximize protection benefits protection of beneficiaries from GBV solutions, and advocates for programs for affected individuals, households, and risks throughout the program cycle. and policies to strengthen their resilience communities. While cash itself is not WRC partnered with SCI to pilot these and drive change in humanitarian inherently risky, simply designing a CBI field resources within SCI’s ongoing practice. without assessing gender dynamics, the CBI in Zinder, Niger. The pilot activities potential gender-based violence (GBV) profiled in this case study were led by Save the Children International (SCI) risks and protection benefits associated SCI with technical assistance from WRC works towards a world in which every with the introduction of cash, as well as and focused on mainstreaming GBV child attains the right to survival, ensuring mitigation mechanisms, can considerations in CBIs. Guidance and protection, development, and lead to unintended consequences. In tools were revised based on lessons participation. Its mission is to inspire order to “get cash right,” it is critical that learned during field-testing in Niger with breakthroughs in the way the world treats cash actors conduct comprehensive and SCI, as well as lessons learned from pilots children and to achieve immediate and participatory assessments of protection in Somalia with African Development lasting change in their lives. risks disaggregated by sub-population, Solutions (Adeso) and in Jordan with implement protective program design Mercy Corps. Special thanks to SCI staff, including the tailored for different sub-populations, Zinder field office team, the humanitarian conduct robust protection monitoring, This case study provides an overview of team, and in particular gender focal and continually adapt CBIs to ensure the assessment and monitoring activities points Habsatou Sayanou and Ado that risks are not being transferred to conducted and key findings, as well Tome. Special thanks to WRC staff Tenzin recipients who are not prepared to as learning and recommendations to Manell, Nadine El-Nabli, and Anna Myers. manage them and that the protection strengthen SCI’s approach to service Save the Children and WRC are grateful benefits of cash are delivered. delivery in Zinder with implications for its to the crisis-affected communities who interventions across Niger. participated in this study. From 2016 to 2018, WRC undertook a project funded by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to build the capacity of humanitarian actors to effectively mainstream GBV in CBIs, and to utilize CBIs within GBV programming to meet the needs of displaced and marginalized groups, including women, adolescent girls, and persons with disabilities.

Cover Photo: Nigerien women taking part in assessments. © Save the Children

2 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Operational Context are affected by crises throughout the The objective of SCI’s CBI in Zinder, year, largely due to drought, price conducted from June to September 2017, Niger is located at the crossroads of shocks, severe demographic pressures, was to improve household food security ongoing conflict in Libya, Mali, and and climate change. These crises leave by supporting households in diversifying . Niger has been significantly families on the edge of survival without and balancing their diets to prevent acute impacted by the Boko Haram insurgency access to social safety nets. Food is out malnutrition during the lean months. SCI in Northeastern Nigeria. The Office of the of reach due to a lack of access to land, targeted 1,630 households (comprising United Nations High Commissioner for agricultural inputs, and water, as well as 11,410 individuals), with each household Refugees (UNHCR) reports approximately lost sources of income and lost assets. receiving 32,500 franc CFA (approximately 300,000 people of concern in Niger, This has led to a high rise in malnutrition. USD$58) transferred via Niyya, a local including internally displaced persons Attacks in other contexts have resulted in microfinance institution. This amount 3 (IDPs), Nigerien returnees who fled an influx of IDPs to Zinder. will cover 80 percent of household food Nigeria, and Nigerian refugees.1 340,000 needs. SCI will be implementing a CBI in people require humanitarian assistance Save the Children’s Diffa to improve household food security, transition communities away from risky in at least one sector: of these, 340,000 Cash-based Interventions people are in need of food assistance; coping mechanisms, and contribute to 70,000 people in need of nutritional the dignity of affected communities. assistance; 330,000 people are in SCI is implementing cash-based SCI will transfer 32,500 franc CFA to need of water, hygiene, and sanitation interventions across Niger, including in 1,707 households as monthly financial assistance; 236,000 people are in need the regions of Zinder and Diffa, to support assistance for a period of eight months. of protection; 281,000 are in need vulnerable displaced and host households This amount will cover approximately of emergency shelters; and 137,000 improve their food security during 82 percent of calories of their monthly children are in need of emergency the lean season. SCI is funded by the food needs. Transfers will be delivered education. The , located in Humanitarian Aid Office of the European with mobile money transfers (MMT) or the southeast of the country, has been Commission (ECHO). “Orange Money” via Segovia. severely impacted. Both the host and IDP communities suffer from food and livelihood scarcity, meaning the influx of IDPs increases tensions. The majority of IDPs do not have documentation, making registration difficult.2 Many young men in Diffa have not only been displaced but were previously recruited into and have fled armed groups. Many women and adolescent girls are survivors of gender-based violence and have fled to Niger from situations of rape (in many cases resulting in unwanted pregnancies) and forced marriage to Boko Haram fighters. Approximately 60% of persons of concern in Diffa are children.

While the Zinder region is more secure than Diffa, the socioeconomic context is quite similar. In Zinder entire communities Woman receiving cash in Zinder.© Save the Children

1 See UNHCR Global Focus: Niger. http://reporting.unhcr.org/node/4637. 2 See ACAPS Briefing Note: Displacement in Niger. http://bit.ly/2D2guEc. 3 See UNHCR Global Focus: Niger Internally Displaced: http://reporting.unhcr.org/node/11205.

3 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Save the Children-WRC Partnership Methodology expecting), school attendance, and WRC and SCI partnered to pilot participation in income generation. assessment and monitoring tools In preparation for the assessment, in Zinder to assess and monitor WRC led a two-day training for SCI staff Data analysis was led by SCI with GBV risks and protection benefits (from both Zinder and Diffa) on gender, technical assistance from WRC using associated with the introduction of cash protection, GBV, focus group discussion an inductive approach for coding and assistance for targeted households and (FGD) and interview facilitation, and analysis. communities to inform safer, gender- using the assessment tool. WRC and SCI sensitive interventions. As SCI had staff worked together to adapt the tool Findings already designed but not yet begun for use in Zinder, including the phrasing implementation of its CBI, this pilot of the questions and prompts, as well FGD and interview participants reported provided an opportunity for course as language used to describe GBV. A a range of sub-population-specific correction to ensure a gender-sensitive learning workshop was conducted protection risks and benefits associated and inclusive approach to forthcoming after data collection to capture with the introduction of cash assistance. service provision. The opportunities recommendations for adapting the tool Respondents also identified community identified to strengthen SCI’s approach for use in Diffa. mitigation strategies as well as mitigation in Zinder can be extended broadly to mechanisms SCI can employ to SCI’s future programming in Diffa. While SCI selected two villages in Zinder—Jan enhance the safety and inclusion of cash piloting the tools with SCI, WRC assessed Kalgo and Angoal Manda—as assessment recipients. the tools for usability and utility with the sites.4 The SCI team conducted eight SCI team. Lessons learned have informed FGDs and 16 interviews over the course revision of the toolkit. Outlined in this of two days; eight data collectors worked case study is learning from Zinder, which in teams of two (a facilitator and a will inform SCI’s CBI in Diffa. note taker) with female staff consulting women and girls and male staff Assessing GBV Risks consulting men and boys. Verbal consent was secured from all participants (for The tool for Assessing and Mitigating minors, consent was first obtained from Risks of Gender-based Violence in Cash- their parents). based Interventions through Story: A Focus Group Discussion and Interview Seventy-four adults and adolescents Guide uses depersonalized stories were consulted through both FGDs and and qualitative questions to consult interviews according to the following communities on GBV considerations sub-populations: women including the in CBIs, without putting respondents at elderly (defined as 55+ years); women risk of disclosing personal experiences with disabilities; men including the of violence. Each story in the menu elderly; men with disabilities; adolescent of stories is unique and intended for girls; adolescent girls with disabilities; use with a specific sub-population adolescent boys; and adolescent (e.g., women, women with disabilities, boys with disabilities.5 Interviews with adolescent girls who are married, etc.). adolescents sampled participants based on marital status, whether they had children (including if they were

4 SCI had not yet completed geographic and household targeting for the forthcoming CBI in Zinder at the time of the assessment. In order to manage expectations, SCI chose to select villages that had received cash assistance in previous years and were likely to be targeted again. 5 Best practice is to mainstream persons with disabilities within FGDs of their cohort (e.g., women or adolescent girls). However, as questions asked address sub- population-specific protection risks and benefits associated with the introduction of cash assistance, it was deemed appropriate to sample persons with disabilities separately.

4 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Perceived Positive “A WOMAN CANNOT SPEND MONEY These findings illustrate that ad-hoc Outcomes and Protection WITHOUT HER HUSBAND’S CONSENT targeting of women as cash recipients … SHE MUST MAKE A DECISION WITH will not guarantee that women have Benefits HIM SO THAT HE CAN TELL HER HOW control over or benefit from cash TO MANAGE THE MONEY BECAUSE HE transfers; consultation is needed at the Cash transfers were perceived by women IS HER SUPERIOR AND HER GUIDE.” household level on who should be the and girls as an opportunity to: recipient. In addition, it is important to —ADOLESCENT GIRL, FOCUS GROUP pair cash with activities that promote • Reduce the time they spent engaging DISCUSSION joint decision-making and equitable in income-generating activities, use of resources for the well-being of activities which they reported were the household as a whole to reach the often unsafe and failed to generate project’s aims. sufficient income;6 Decision-making

• Increase the amount of time spent Respondents shared that decisions Perceived Negative caring for children and younger on how to spend the cash lie with the Outcomes and Protection siblings; breadwinner, who is typically the male Risks head-of-household, however, decision- • Contribute financially to community making varies between households. Respondents were concerned that the activities, which would in turn increase In some households, decision-making introduction of cash may: their social status; was the domain of men only, in some households decisions are made by • Prioritize girls’ needs within the • Increase risks of domestic violence women, and in some households household (e.g., school tuition and related to decision-making and decision-making is shared by men and access to health care); and expenditure, including between women. husbands and wives or among co- • Reduce girls’ exposure to GBV wives; associated with their (albeit already When asked if targeting the woman limited) mobility (e.g., when engaging within the household as the cash • Increase incidence of divorce related in begging to meet their households’ recipient would change decision-making to decision-making and expenditure, basic needs). practices, responses varied. Some which could leave a woman destitute; households felt that even if the woman and was targeted, men in the household would still make all decisions. In other • Increase risks of GBV and theft for families, women felt they would have women when collecting cash transfers. more agency, in particular to meet basic needs and health needs. In many cases, Members of the community who were respondents reported that even if women considered to be most at risk of GBV were targeted they would be the last to associated with the introduction of cash benefit within the household. were (unranked): women survivors of GBV; adolescent girls; female members of polygamous households; persons with disabilities; older persons; and persons engaged in sex work.

6 See WRC’s Cohort Livelihoods and Risk Analysis (CLARA) Guidance and Tool to design and implement safe, gender-sensitive livelihoods interventions.

5 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Reporting GBV The following GBV risk-mitigation • Monitoring women’s and girls’ safety mechanisms were shared as throughout the project; Women and girls shared that their recommendations for SCI to implement that could reduce associated risks for • Diversifying delivery mechanisms for likelihood of reporting incidents of cash recipients: recipients’ safety and adapting delivery GBV would depend on the form and mechanisms over time if needed; frequency of GBV; reporting physical • Consulting women on family dynamics violence was deemed more likely than • Strengthening complaint committees and targeting the woman in the reporting other kinds of violence. Some and building their capacities in GBV household or the man, depending on women felt comfortable reporting prevention and response; and her request; physical violence to a parent or • Pairing cash assistance with follow- neighbor. Adolescent girls expressed • Providing training on GBV (including on livelihoods support to ensure that, that women and girls face a burden resourcing peer-to-peer education); when cash assistance is over, women of proof (e.g., having a witness) if they will not have to return to income report an incident. In addition, fear of • Providing a strong and safe referral generation and livelihoods activities the authorities and concerns regarding system to access GBV prevention where they face associated risks of reprisal (against the survivor as well and response services and educating GBV. as against the perpetrator) influence communities; survivors. Respondents were primarily • Advocating to and recruiting religious These findings illustrate the importance unaware of where they could report GBV, and community leaders to denounce of strengthening community-based reflecting an absence of existing/known GBV; protection strategies and ensuring GBV referral pathways in the targeted agency-led risk mitigation mechanisms communities. • Communicating clearly about the for safe program design and program objectives, eligibility criteria, implementation. Community Protection and the role of inclusion in achieving equitable outcomes; Strategies and Recommendations

The following self-protection strategies within the household were shared by women and girls as ways to mitigate risks of GBV associated with cash assistance:

• Getting permission from their husbands to spend the transfer and regarding how the cash should be spent; and

• Giving all or some of the transfer to their husband to reduce tension with him and/or co-wives.

Men reported they did not face risks within the household, as they are “the boss.”

Woman receiving cash in Zinder. © Save the Children

6 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Monitoring GBV Risks Findings from the 1st and 2nd QPDM The Post Distribution-Monitoring (PDM) Module: Adapting CBIs to Mitigate • All the groups surveyed reported that GBV Risks, comprising qualitative and Respondents reported that: children under 18 did not get married quantitative questions, was used to over the last three months following bridge gaps in SCI’s standard quarterly • Recipients were not asked to exchange the transfer of funds. However, one post-distribution monitoring (QPDM) tool sexual or other favors in order to be factor cited as to why there were no and improve data collection for ongoing targeted or registered to receive cash marriages is that weddings typically analysis of cash recipients’ safety. assistance; take place following the harvest. Questions address risks and protection • Recipients felt safe during the benefits associated with cash transfers, distribution; When asked during the PDM how the decision-making, coping strategies, and CBI could be improved for their safety, sustainability. Only findings from the • They felt safe with the delivery respondents shared the following module are included in this case study. mechanism, however, some recommendations for SCI: households preferred to receive cash Methodology in hand; • Incorporate household-level counseling on decision-making to • Some female recipients employed The PDM module was integrated within equitably meet the needs of the risk-mitigation mechanisms when SCI’s quarterly PDM tool and rolled out household; across four villages in Zinder where SCI is collecting or using their cash, such implementing its CBI: Angoal Manda; Jan as being accompanied by the village • Incorporate household-level Kalgo; Roubounji; and Rawayou Saboua. chief; counseling on decision making to At the village level, four focus groups reduce conflict; and • Decision-making regarding household were conducted with 48 beneficiaries, expenditure did not change as a • Ensure that the objective of the CBI (to consisting of 12 adolescent girls, 12 result of the cash transfer or targeting improve household food security) is adolescent boys, 12 women, and 12 women as cash recipients; decisions clear and reiterated during community men; all groups included persons with remained with the male head-of- mobilization to improve outcomes for disabilities. An interview guide was used household or the woman in female- children. as the data collection tool. The first PDM headed households; took place in August 2017, three months following the cash disbursements, and • Children under 18 no longer needed the second took place in October 2017. to perform unpaid work because the The data collected were analyzed household’s needs were being met using an inductive approach. These through the cash transfer. However, gender- and GBV-focused modules some girls continued to do paid work complemented traditionally used to supplement the household income; PDMs that look at expenditure, food consumption, and reduction of risky • Some girls under 18 were able to go coping mechanisms. to school because the conditions for them to return were met through the cash transfer;

7 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Limitations and Challenges

• SCI staff have limited knowledge of gender, protection, and GBV, and limited experience of gender, protection and GBV mainstreaming; SCI does not have in-house gender or GBV specialists in Niger;

• Gender analysis has yet to be institutionalized across SCI’s programming, thereby inhibiting gender-sensitive or transformative programming, as well as evaluation of the impact of cash programming for women and girls;

• It was challenging for data collectors with limited experience in FGD and Cash recipient in Zinder. © Save the Children interview facilitation to conduct consultations on sensitive topics (e.g., GBV), where data were unclear or unrecorded it was omitted during data Key Learning & Recommendations analysis; This pilot highlighted the critical need for SCI • Cultural and social stigma around GBV to mainstream gender as well as GBV within its are barriers to collecting data on GBV programming. Below are key lessons learned and and reporting GBV by survivors; recommendations for CBIs to ensure inclusion and protection across its CBIs in Niger. • A lack of partnerships with GBV service providers prevents SCI from facilitating access to GBV prevention and response services for survivors across targeted communities; and

• Monitoring tools for cash programming focus primarily on expenditure and nutritional intake, and not on protection monitoring.

8 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

Gaps in staff knowledge of gender, protection, and GBV and • Train all staff in gender, protection, GBV, and mainstreaming mainstreaming across the program cycle across the program cycle;

• Prioritize funding for gender and GBV specialists within business development efforts.

Lack of quality gender analyses and consideration of GBV within the • Strengthen capacity of staff in gender analysis and ensure that this design and implementation of cash programs jeopardizes quality analysis informs program design and implementation; programming, the safety of cash recipients, and intended outcomes • Operationalize the SCI Gender Toolkit and Gender Marker to ensure gender sensitivity is taken into account at each stage of the program cycle.

Lack of GBV referral pathways and awareness of GBV among • Establish a strong and accessible GBV referral pathway; map targeted communities and cash recipients engagement of actors in Zinder and Diffa; and build strategic partnerships;

• Ensure that community mobilization promotes referral pathways: introduce GBV awareness, prevention, and response during standard pre-distribution community mobilization sessions; and expand community mobilization strategies, approaches, and tools to ensure safe, equitable access to information (including diversifying communications regarding referral pathways for different sub-populations).

Lack of staff knowledge and experience with gender sensitive • Prioritize funding for gender and GBV specialists within business and gender-transformative activities (e.g., male and community development efforts; engagement activities or counseling households on joint-decision making) • Build the capacity of staff and ensure that these activities are incorporated into program design and implementation.

Assessments identified significant differences among sub- • Institutionalize inclusive community outreach and data collection populations’ risks and needs. approaches;

• Sensitize and train staff on consulting marginalized sub- populations

9 MAINSTREAMING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONSIDERATIONS IN CASH-BASED INTERVENTIONS: A CASE STUDY FROM ZINDER, NIGER

LEARNING RECOMMENDATIONS

Ensuring access to multiple delivery mechanisms is an essential • Build partnerships and establish standing vendor agreements so component of protective program design. that multiple delivery mechanisms can be used within CBIs for enhanced protection outcomes

SCI’s targeting strategy needs to be refined. • Consult households regarding whom should be targeted within the household (only target women when their risks of GBV would not be increased as a result of their recipient status).

Communities utilize protection strategies to mitigate risks and have • Consult communities on and strengthen community-based recommendations for agency-led risk mitigation mechanisms; these protection strategies within program design; can be strengthened and leveraged for safer programming and for a sustainable exit. • Put in place organization-led risk mitigation mechanisms and monitor their effectiveness throughout the project cycle

Comprehensive gender and protection monitoring has yet to be • Institutionalize protection monitoring by strengthening standard integrated into SCI’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) approach; operating procedures, approaches, and tools; stronger monitoring tools are needed. • Build M&E staff capacities in protection monitoring;

• Ensure disaggregation of recipient data by sex, age, and diversity;

• Ensure that CBIs are adapted throughout the program cycle to ensure protection from GBV.

Conclusion

The pilot provided insights into risks of GBV associated with the introduction of cash assistance, the potential protective benefits of cash assistance for protection outcomes, as well as opportunities to mitigate risks of GBV in Zinder. In addition, this pilot highlights the kinds of approaches and tools that SCI can use to capture GBV considerations and ensure that these are mainstreamed across the program cycle, not only in Zinder, but in Diffa as well.

CBIs that mainstream gender and protection, including from GBV, can build the resilience of communities and begin to break generational cycles of economic insecurity and violence. SCI is committed to strengthening its capacity across its Niger operations. Since the pilot, several staff have been trained in SCI’s Gender Policy and Toolkit. Planning is underway to roll this training out to all staff. In addition, SCI is conducting several gender analysis exercises to improve the understanding of its staff and partners, as well as the quality of its interventions.

10 Gift of the United States Government