The 1st and 2nd of December 2011 the staff at the Norwegian Embassy were trained by a Malawian gender expert to further develop knowledge and practical skills on gender and how to mainstream it in the agreements.
The seminar was divided in two parts; first there was a general introduction for all staff members on issues of women’s rights and equality through participatory approach. The consultant created an encouraging environment for reflection, analysis and open discussions on the challenges and opportunities faced by women and men in Malawi and by the Embassy in mainstreaming gender in its work. The consultant promoted a climate of openness and participation by keeping the sessions fun and interactive. There was limited focus on theoretical discussions on concepts and definitions.
The second part of the seminar was for programme staff and management. It was a practical session on how to do simple gender analyses and mainstream gender into the different tasks of programme staff based on the processes described in the Development Cooperation Manual. This included:
o the basic questions for programme officers to ask when preparing appraisal and appropriation,
o what issues to consider when preparing an agreement,
o what to look out for when receiving reports, work plans and budgets,
o what to discuss at Annual Meetings and field visits,
o what to include in reviews, evaluations and completion documents.
The seminar was combined with team building activities, discussion about the work at the Embassy, and social gatherings. The two days were filled with new knowledge and a lot of laughter!