Wednesday 28 May 2014

SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY AMONG PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV&AIDS SECURED


The convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW) recalls that the discrimination against women, including discrimination in access to food, violates the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity. In order to realize respect, promotion and protection of gender equality for sustainable household food security men and women need to be empowered through awareness raising and capacity building sessions to promote, respect and protect gender equalities among households of people living with HIV&AIDS (PLHAs). In line with the above, Community Enterprises Development Organization (CEDO) with financial and technical support from Independent Development Fund (IDF) conducted capacity building sessions with the community to empower and also encourage participation of all household members in agricultural activities in fulfillment of roles and responsibilities during promotion of human rights. This human rights based approach focused on improving household food production, incomes, food security and nutrition of farmers and vulnerable groups in Rakai, Lyantonde, Sembabule, Lwengo and Masaka districts. 
CEDO also established advocacy clubs comprised of PLHAs to continue sensitizing rights holders and lobbying duty bearers to promote food security among the households of PLHAs. In response to this action, the advocacy clubs in Kabira and Kasaali sub counties were included on the sub county food security program under National Agricultural and Advisory Services (NAADS). The same groups were given planting materials; beans, banana suckers, sweet potato vines and maize. Related to this, the Lwengo District LCV Chairperson, Hon. Geoffrey Mutabazi after a dialogue meeting with the advocacy clubs directed the NAADs officials to give each household of PLHAs 50 plants of cassava and all parishes to pass and also implement a by-law on household food security, and this was done. 
Additionally the project was able to win the support of Lwengo District leadership and Uganda Cares to increase on the number of ART/VCT out reaches conducted in the CEDO target communities, as a measure to save PLHAs from travelling long distances. Three Health Centre IIs (Nanywa, Katovu, Suubi) were upgraded from II to Health Centre IIIs. And today three outreaches instead of two are being conducted in the target areas. The logic behind this action is that the time and transport saved is reinvested in agriculture production activities- food crop growing.
From all these interventions, the attitude of men, women, the wider community and other relevant duty bearers has changed for sustainable household food security. Putting up bye - laws to encourage people to grow different types of food crops, and, the availability of food crops has reduced the number of domestic violence cases.  One can say a spirit of togetherness has been built among development actors in advocating for the fulfillment and protection of human rights with particular focus on food; this is evidenced in the formation of a food rights alliance committee set up for the realization of the right to food at household level.

MILESTONES FROM KSCON’S WOMEN AND CHILDREN ADVOCACY PROJECT


Kibaale District Civil Society Organization’s Network (KCSON) is an IDF grantee in Kibale district. KSCON with financial and technical support from IDF implemented a women and children advocacy project in Bwanswa, Mugarama, Mabaale and Bwikara sub counties, with particular focus on Health Services. The project aimed at empowering women and children in Kibale to seek, demand, internalize and practice human rights principles for sustainable growth and development. This action resulted into increased awareness and consciousness on the rights of women and children, as well as increased participation of women and children in decision making processes. Children were educated on their rights and responsibilities which they strived to fulfil while women especially those living with HIV/AIDs were empowered with knowledge and skills on their rights and economic sustainability.
Increased Awareness On Children Rights.
Reports indicate that majority of the children in Kibale are denied their right to education and opportunity to inherit their parents’ property. Some children are forced into early marriages and incest. However with the formation of child rights clubs at Mabaale Secondary School, Kyadyoko Primary School, Kiranzi Primary School, and Kyakahuku Primary School, children were made to understand their rights to education. These clubs sensitised the children about children rights and responsibilities because rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.  This was done through radio talk shows and face to face meetings. According to Kyaligonza Winnie, a parent and volunteer under this program, children advocacy has yielded. “We are now seeing children fulfilling their responsibilities a little more than before and this means reduced cases of rights abuse” Winnie notes.
Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLAS) Promote Economic Sustainability among women living with HIV/AIDS
In the bid to achieve sustainable growth and development, KSCON mobilized and introduced the women in Mabaale Sub County to the VSLA model. Three VSLAs were formed and have since gotten women together to share about human rights and their association too. The women are able to save their money and also borrow money from the group at low interest rates. Members have used their savings to start income generating activities like piggery, farming and brick laying projects. An increase in the members’ incomes and improvement in their livelihoods has been witnessed.

Kyaligonza Winnie a member and volunteer under this program notes that; “I borrowed UGX.200, 000 from the group and used it to hire casual labourers to work in my garden. I then planted maize and beans which i harvested and sold at UGX.856, 600. I used this money to pay school fees for my daughter who was doing a Nursing course. My life has greatly improved since i joined the association. These VSLAs have also eased my work as a volunteer i am able to share with the women about human rights during our meetings. The members also use the meetings to share and find solutions to their domestic problems”. 
According to Winnie, the project has restored hope to the women in Mabaale, especially those with HIV/AIDS who were living stigmatized, and penny less lives.
Winnie sharing with the members during one of their meetings.
 

COMMUNITY ADVOCACY STRUCTURES IMPROVE HYGIENE AND SANITATION STANDARDS IN KATAKWI DISTRICT: A Case of Ngariam Sub-County


In its successful advocacy for the provision and access to clean safe water and good sanitation in Katakwi district, Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI) used Community advocacy structures as key avenues to reach out, empower and or engage the community. Community advocacy structures are community forums set within target communities. They are composed of community residents who understand the environment they live and operate in better. This is a big advantage because members easily identify likely and unlikely allies at the sub-county and district levels. Through set advocacy structures, it is easy to identify who is likely to support advocacy prioritized issues and which decision maker requires more time to be influenced positively. The advocacy structures provide collective participation of members to move and maximize their energies in the right direction.

In Ngariam Sub County, community advocacy structures provided the community with a platform for discussion, presentation and alternative sharing. The community found this mechanism handy because it easily brought them together for a common cause- sanitation and hygiene.
Through these advocacy set structures, communities learnt about their rights and responsibilities to access to clean safe water and good sanitation, how to demand for accountability and improved services from their leaders, for example; in Okuwe village, Kaikamosing parish, the community tasked TEDDO one of the WASH service providers in the district to address the severe water crisis in their area. In response to their request, a bore hole was drilled.  And today a total of 470 people now have access to safe and clean water at this water point.


Through this initiative, Ngariam whose sanitation situation was very deplorable now boasts of improved hygiene and sanitation standard.  Several facilities have been erected/renovated since CIDI’s intervention.
Overview of the Hygiene and Sanitation Situation of Okuwe Village, Ngariam Sub County
Total population
No. HHs
No of pit latrines
Bath shelters, drying racks& refuse pits
Village hygiene &sanitation percentage
No of functional boreholes
470
97
96
97
82%
02

“We are grateful for the support that has brought this change in our village, the place is now comfortable to live in”, remarked some of the women in Okuwe village.
According to Katakwi district health Assistant’s report of December 2013, Ngariam sub –county has a total of 29 villages and has registered an improvement in WASH coverage. (Sanitation coverage is at 80%, water coverage is at 60%).
Precisely community advocacy structures have helped the community to hold discussions that enable them to jointly address prioritized issues in a responsible manner, and, this in several ways mounts pressure on duty bearers to move into action. The advocacy structures have further allowed for collective participation of members to move and maximize their energies in the right direction and realize results.
CIDI has been able to cause this positive change through it’s Independent Development Fund (IDF) funded project titled “Promoting citizens recognition on right to safe water and good sanitation in Katakwi District”