- Enhancing the voice of women (social and political empowerment)
- Changing the rules of the game that constraint freedom & rights of women (social inclusion)
- Improving the access of women to assets, income, and services (economic empowerment)
Depending on the situation, availability of funds and expertise, all activities implemented by MSBKN will deploy all or some of the above three elements of the strategy. However, in cases where one of the other elements cannot be deployed, working collaborations will be established with other like-minded organizations for synergy and impact. MSBKN firmly believes that actions in all the three elements (domains) are necessary for lasting results and sustainable impact.
Social and political empowerment
Depending on the situation, need and ground realities, women will be mobilized, oriented, organized, trained and linked to broader networks and rights groups to enhance their collective and individual voice against the formal and informal unequal and unjust structures, systems and practices at the community, village, municipality, provincial and national levels.
Enhanced voice of the women will contribute to their better access to resources and opportunities and also exert pressures to change the existing unequal rules of the game in favor of poor rural women.
Social inclusion
Several barriers prevent women from using their in-born freedom and rights. Some of the barriersare of legal and political nature, others are social and cultural. Some of them are formal, while others are informal. Many of these barriers are embedded and deeply rooted in the social/institutional customs and practices. It is also to be noted that these barriers tend to vary depending on the specific caste, religious, ethnic or geographical group the women belong to. This strategy implies working at the existing institutions, structures and systems to break the barriers. Breaking these barriers allows freedom and rights to women, which in turn enhances their access to assets and resources and voice.
Economic empowerment
Activities will be implemented to increase income and employment of women. Provision of employable skills and knowledge, career coaching/counseling, linkage to financial, technical and managerial services and opportunities, and support to income generation or employment promotion initiatives will be some of the key activities for economic empowerment. This empowerment will improve the voice and inclusion of women in matters and institutions concerning their short-term and long-term interests.
Considering MSBKN’s competitive advantages, the first component of program strategy and to a large extent, the second component, will be solely implemented by MSBKN itself. Meaningful working collaborations will be established with partner organizations for most of the economic empowerment, though some non-sophisticated income generating activities will be implemented by MSBKN itself.
