Gender and social inclusion self-assessment tool (SAT) training in Kathmandu

Water for Women facilitators of the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT), Jose Mott, Di Kilsby and Emily Eller from the Fund Coordinator (FC) team, were pleased to welcome eight participants from the following Fund partner organisations: IRC Pakistan, World Vision Bangladesh, CFAR India, IWMI Nepal, SNV Bhutan and SNV Nepal, for the SAT facilitator training.

We were extremely fortunate to have Tshering Choden (GSI Advisor, SNV Bhutan) as part of the facilitation team, drawing on her experience from the SAT trial with SNV in Bhutan.

The training was delivered on the 6^th December following the successful completion of the South Asia learning event on Systems strengthening and Leaving no one behind

This was the first FC training conducted to support the development of the first cohort of SAT facilitators (from Fund partner organisations in the South Asia region). As we know already, the SAT has been developed by the FC, in consultation with a number of Fund partners. The trial use of the tool with SNV Bhutan in March this year helped to strengthen the tool. 

The purpose of the SAT is to support Fund partners in developing gender and social inclusion (GSI) reflective practice in their Water for Women project and organisation, i.e. collectively identifying GSI strengths, gaps, opportunities and priorities for focus.

It was an action-packed day that covered the objectives and methodology of the SAT tool and process, giving participants an opportunity to practice and reflect on the tool. Feedback on the tool was gratefully received by the facilitators. At the end of the training, most participants said they felt confident to facilitate the self-assessment process either in their own organisations or with another fund partner organisation, and seemed excited to be part of the first Fund cohort of SAT facilitators.

The participants (mostly GSI Advisors or those with GSI portfolios) agreed to discuss in their own organisations about how and when they would like the SAT to be facilitated (preferably with another Fund partner rather than one’s own, and in the first half of 2020). In the New Year, the FC will be in contact with the participants to confirm possible dates for the self-assessment.

Thank you to all who participated. This marks the start of an exciting chapter for the Fund, not only in the implementation of the SAT and strengthening GSI reflective practice in Fund projects and organisations, but also in linking and learning across the Fund, and developing a peer solidarity and capacity building network for GSI Advisors in the Fund, to link them to each other for support and learning.

Happy New Year to all, wishing you a happy, safe and productive 2020, filled with lots of successfully facilitated GSI self-assessments!

Jose Mott, GSI Advisor, Water for Women Fund Coordinator team.