Action Research Training Course - Violence Against Women
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September 13, to October 2, 1999
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
The GTZ-supported International Action Research Training Programme
CIFRA in Burkina Faso is offering a training course addressing the is-
sue of gender violence and female genital mutilation.
Estimates show that about one fifth of women's health problems are vio-
lence-related. Violence manifests itself in many different forms. In
many cases, it occurs in the family or within the home. Neglect, geni-
tal mutilation, physical and sexual abuse and rape of girls and women
by family members often go unreported.
Achievements in violence prevention in the social or legal area have
rarely been significantly sustainable since cultural factors still al-
low women and girls to be physically and emotionally abused. As vio-
lence is secretly tolerated in many societies, it is difficult to ap-
proach and prevent. Personnel working in institutions, which support
and care for women are often helpless and cannot cope appropriately
when confronted with violence against women and its consequences. In
training and staff development programmes, it is often not sufficiently
taken into account, and health promotion concepts, which aim at disease
prevention almost always neglect violence.
New ways are needed to support socially committed personnel in NGOs and
other national and international organisations and institutions, in or-
der to help women and girls to live with happier and more productive
lives through reducing gender-based violence.
The International Action Research Training Programme CIFRA in Burkina
Faso is now offering a training course specially designed to address
the issue of gender violence by strengthening health and social ser-
vices to approach the issue from "within". It is focusing on health and
social personnel who deal with women's issues in NGOs and other social
service providers, and who are confronted with gender violence and fe-
male genital mutilation.
Here is a brief introduction to the Action Research Training Course -
Violence against Women:
The training programme aims to qualify health personnel, social workers
and managers of health and social services to contribute to systems de-
velopment from within their working environment. Like all CIFRA action
research courses, the training course 'Violence against Women' is in-
tended particularly for staff who are in direct contact with the popu-
lation concerned. The training programme qualifies course participants
to analyse the health and social situation and problems in their imme-
diate working environment and to find possible solutions through small
action research studies.
The themes of the individual action research studies conducted by each
participant depend on the specific situation and on the particular pos-
sibilities of each participants' working environment. As a result of
the studies, concrete measures to improve services or programmes and
action plans are developed. The programme consists of three steps:
In an initial four-week foundation course, an introduction and back-
ground information on gender violence are given. The course partici-
pants define, clarify and discuss their perception of and experiences
with gender violence. As a first step, all participants apply the meth-
ods of situation analysis to their own work environment in order to de-
termine the most important problems and to develop relevant research
questions. Particular attention is given to basic principles of scien-
tific procedure, such as the formulation of research objectives, the
definition of information needs and the choice of categories for struc-
turing and condensing information. The course then focuses on theory-
based and practical elaboration of action research methodology as well
as on the techniques needed to conduct a study: analysis of existing
data, interviewing, observation and focus-group discussion. Partici-
pants return to their work environment with a concrete research subject
and fully elaborated guidelines.
The four-week course is followed by independent action research at the
participants' workplaces, lasting approximately 3 months. Participants
utilise their chosen situation analysis instruments and action research
methodology to identify - in co-operation with the affected and con-
cerned population, colleagues and other key persons - their specific
problem solving strategy. During this research study, participants re-
ceive supervision from action research trainers and - where possible -
regional supervisory teams.
The third step of the training programme is a follow-up seminar, during
which the results of the individual action research studies are criti-
cally reviewed and, in team and individual work, practical consequences
of these findings are proposed. The formulation of practical conse-
quences, summarising of the studies, and a cogent presentation to the
team and to decision-makers are important components of this third
step.
The initial three week training course shall take place in Ouagadougou,
Burkina Faso from September 13 to October 2, 1999, and the follow up
seminar is planned to take place in March 2000. The course fees are
850.000 FCFA, including teaching materials and supervision. Travelling
expenses, board and lodging as well as insurance fees are upon the par-
ticipants. Candidates can apply for scholarships to national or inter-
national organisations or directly to CIFRA.
For application and more information on the Action Research Training
Course - Violence Against Women please contact:
CIFRA
Dr. Boukary Ouedraogo
01 BP 1485
Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso
Tel: ?314-580
Fax: ?316-541
mailto:cifra@fasonet.bf
or
Cordula Schuemer
Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)
Postfach 5180,
D-65726 Eschborn, Germany
Fax: 6196-79-7411
mailto:Cordula.Schuemer@gtz.de
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