Discussion with Family Members (DWFM)

Programme Summary

Implemented by the Nepal-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) SLISHA (meaning “connection”), the Discussion With Family Members (DWFM) initiative is designed to educate and motivate community members regarding the importance of the rights of women and children in the context of holistic community development. The initiative draws on interpersonal communication activities and strategies in order to identify good practices/strengths that already exist in the community – and to promote them. DWFM attempts to improve the situation of women and children among the families, build a strong foundation for children, and increase women’s value and recognition.

Communication Strategies

Implemented in the village environment, DWFM draws on participatory methods, as well as the creation of what are intended to be fun learning environments, in order to engage men, women, boys, and girls in dialogues and action around the issue of human rights. SLISHA explains that, “[t]o bring improvement in the situation of women and children of any community, the male members of that community must be told the importance and need for such improvement.”

Specifically, discussions, case studies, role plays, and demonstrations are designed to foster interaction and involvement of interested children (between 10 and 15 years) and their parents. SLISHA also facilitates the setting up of separate children’s groups for those between the ages of 7 and 10. After completion of the programme, which is expected to last 2 or 3 years, organisers anticipate that 3 different groups will have been formed. Child clubs will be formed from children groups; their central role will be to work with village development committees (VDCs) and other bodies to address the issue of child rights. The other 2 groups will involve both men and women who will take the lead in handling various issues in their communities.

A core element of the initiative, according to SLISHA, is to work with the group/community and not for them. This involves not merely showing village members how to create healthy families and then just request that this change occurs but, rather, to ensure that the motivation for change comes from the community. To foster that commitment, from the beginning – even before conducting the discussions – SLISHA works together with the participants to create indicators. Every month, facilitators hold a meeting during which they discuss the situation, and develop lessons for coming month. For instance, they might explore how to communicate the fact that concrete knowledge about construction and use of latrines is more important than a potentially abstract discussion about why latrines are necessary.

SLISHA stresses that follow-up/monitoring is an important aspect of the DWFM process; home visits, cross-check (women – children – men), and participatory self-review programmes are designed to enable participants to analyse and reflect on where they are.

What if “Discussion with Family Members” and Why is it needed?

“Discussion with the Family Members (DWFM)” is that branch of education/discussion which is imparted and experimented in the village environment. This is a basic motivation/education given to the community member/ which is indispensable for their life. Subjects in this discussion deal with everyday life of the people. Imparting discussion is one things but to motivate the prople to improe their daily life is a different thing. For instance, the knowledge to construct and use a latrine is important than a simple discussion on why latrine is needed.

Discussion with family members attempts to improve the situation of women and children among the families, build a strong foundation for the children and uplift women’s value and recognition in the society. To bring improvement in the situation of women and children of any community, the men of that community must be told the importance and need for such improvement. Therefore discussion with family members creates awareness in the prople and transforms the knowledge to practice through discussion, case studies, role-plays and demonstration.

In the village, the indigenous resources remain immobilized due to various reasons. DEFM attempts to help the people identify their own resources and utilize them for changing their own situation.

This discussion is also important in the sense that it raises conscience/awareness of their responsibilities in the community about what contribution prople can do to make their own house and own community a better place.

Goal

Develop a Happy and Healthy Family.

Objectives

Build a strong foundation.
Mobilize inactive human resources.
Interact with and involve the children and parents and hand over the program to the community after augmenting their feelings.
Create collective feelings.
To increase self confidence and self strength.
Introduce change in learned skills and transform into practice.
Create awareness for overall development of children and to bring improvement in their situation.
Develop leadership skills and self confidence.
Improve the situation of the 0-6 years children.
Enable them to analyze the problem and find solution.
Develop the feeling of cooperation and unity.
Develop the feeling of “WE” and “OURS”.
Create an ideal society on the basis of people’s participation by improving the situation of the women.
Create fun environment in the community.
Develop ownership feeling.

Prerequisites for conduction DWFM

Be involved with the groups to identify and analyze the situation of women, children and the area.
Before conducting the discussion, the participants have to be informed the meaning and necessity of the program.
The participants have to be asked to transform the discussion into practice.
The discussion are to be conducted with the groups nd before conducting discussion, a checklist is to be prepared with the group about what changes are necessary for the area.
Discussion is to be held with the community about the venue, time, period etc for conduction the discussion.
Discussion on a topic or lesson is to be based on the situation of the place.
The ideal number of participants in each discussion is 15-20. however, upto 25 participants can be accommodated if necessary.
The discussion can be conducted in the same place but in three separate groups of men, women and children.
Each discussion must be conducted for at least 2 hours.
The children groups participants should be to 10-15 years of age. However, in case of smaller children, a separate group for children of age 7-10 can be made.

The discussion with the family members aims to help communities to implement four major development activities. They are:

Sanitation and Preventive Health.
Child development and Child Right.
Situation of women and empowerment.
Community mobilization and Group mobilization.

The discussion are to be conducted on 4 levels.

A. In the male and female discussion course, there are 47 lessons which must be completed within 52 to 55 weeks. However, the number of subjects can be increased if required.

B. In the children group discussion, there are 32 lessons which are to be completed within 42 weeks. However the number of subjects can be increased in required.

There are 4 levels of participation. As participants go through the course, they will grow more independent, knowledgable, self confident and motivated and therefore will increase their level of participation until they take over the facilitating of the discussions.

Level 1: Conduct the discussion once a week by facilitator/ourselves.

Level 2: Considering the level of understanding of the participants, conduct the class once a week or twice a month. It should be decided by the participants. If some participants are able to conduct the discussion, le them conduct the discussion on rotational basis.

Level 3: Our role should be advisory, let the participants decide and let them conduct the discussion.

Level 4: Hand over the program to the groups and step back from the community.

Who will be the participants of the DWFM?

All the interested women including political/social leaders, teachers, health workers, TBAs and general women who are literate or illiterate from the community.
All interested men including teachers, political/social leaders and anyone from the community.
All the interested children, school going or not aged between 10-15 years. However, in case of smaller children, a separate group for children between the age 7-10 can also be included.

Why 3 different groups separately?

If we include the male and female in the same group, it would be difficult to organize the discussion because someone has to look after the house which means children, cattle etc. and similarly, the mean takeover the household works while the women are in the dicussion. If the men and women are mixed into the same group, it will always be the men leading the group and thus the women can never participate freely and actively due to gender discrimination.
For the children’s group, boys and girls are mixed into the same group with a view to develop gender balance concept from the beginning and encourage the group.

Strategy

Working with the group/community, nor for the group/community, we will only show the ways to do it and we will only request to change but everything has to come from the community. For that issue, commitment is the most important thing. Therefore, from the beginning before conducting the discussion, we develop/prepare indicators based on four areas together with the participants. Every month, facilitator will have meeting where they will discuss the situation and develop for lessons for coming month.

Program Duration

The duration of the program is 2 to 3 years. After completion of the program there will be three different groups formed. Child clubs will be formed from children groups whose main role is to work with VDCs and other bodies in teh issue of child right and from male and female groups it will to handle the situation of their community.

Development Issues

Children, Women, Rights.

Key Points

From SLISHA’s perspective DWFM is a tool; based on the situation, any topic can be integrated into the process of fostering child development and women’s empowerment. For instance, if conflict arises, then conflict transformation or conflict resolution are added.