1

GENDER AWARENESS TRAINING BY

THE GENDER UNIT IN BENGALI

FOR THE BANGLADESHI PEACEKEEPERS-SOLDIERS

SERVING AT THE UNMIS SECTOR-1, JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN

REPORT ON

THE LEARNING OUTCOMES

UNMIS, KHARTOUM

11 JANUARY 2006

2

Executive summary: From 2-7 Jan., 2006, the Gender Unit of UNMIS conducted a gender awareness training-workshop in Bengali for 216 Bangladeshi soldiers serving in Sector- 1, upon invitation from the UNMIS Chief Forces Commander. The workshop programme was based on the gender induction programme delivered at the UNMIS-HQ for the peacekeeping personnel. Summary of Participant’s evaluations as well as outstanding issues raised at the session also have been compiled into this report. At the end of the programme, the Regional Force Commander has asked the Gender Unit to help prepare further training programmes in Bengali, in collaboration with other UNMIS units, on issues such as sexual exploitation and abuse, HIV/AIDS and Child Protection. 1,669 Bangladeshi soldiers remain to be trained in Sector-1 on those including gender issues. Background: As per the request and approval of the Chief Forces Commander, UNMIS the Senior Gender Advisor, Gender Unit, UNMIS, has decided that the Gender Unit will conduct the said mandatory training using the translated into Bengali training materials used for the induction training at UNMIS. This participatory-training/workshop was conducted at Juba at the camp area of Bangladeshi contingents during the month of January, 2006 from 2 January through 7 January. Participants: The Area Force commander-1 (Juba)/local chief of Bangladeshi army through his existing system selected 216 number of trainees from among the Bangladesh force protection, engineers, military police, transport, petroleum, medical lvl2, de-mining peacekeepers stationed at sector-1 for the ‘gender’ awareness training. There were 6 groups comprising of 36 participants in each group. Number of participants: Soldiers, Bangladesh contingent: 36 participants per batch X 2 batches per day X 3 working days = 216 soldiers. Number of trainees in each group comprised from sector HQ-2, Banbat-1:10, BANENGR-1:10, BANMED-1:2, BANMP-1:10, Pet pl-1:2. Facilitator: Nizamuddin Al-Hussainy, Gender Advisor, Gender Unit, UNMIS acted as facilitator-trainer in all the sessions. Training materials: Attached are 2 key training documents. The first attachment is an outline of the 2.5 hours session on ‘Gender issues’ in Bengali, the second attachment is the same training material in English used by the Gender unit for induction training.

3Venue and participants list: The training was held at the Juba Bangladesh contingent’s engineer’s camp area under a well equipped with multimedia projector, Audio-Visual equipments etc. It was the responsibility of Bangladeshi army commander of Juba area to confirm the training venue, training facilities and participants list. Program design: This was a half day intensive gender awareness course designed by the UNMIS Gender Unit for civilian, military and police trainers. The training was conducted in Bengali and it was an interactive and practical. Objective of the training: At the end of the program, trainees- soldiers were expected to be able to understand the gender awareness issues. This module is the mandatory module required to deliver to all UN personnel serving under UNMIS. Every day there were two sessions .One in the morning the other in the evening. Morning Session: 08-08-10 : introduction, administration, ground rules, expectations, structure of training &

objectives 08-15 08-45: Definitions of gender and sex, difference between sex and gender 15 minutes Break 09-10-30 : Discussion on ‘sexual difference or gender stereotype’, gender roles, women as

victim of SGBV, upheaval migration, displacement, disrupted social services, trafficking and forced prostitution, increased poverty. Women as actor of new roles and responsibilities- changes in division of labor, contribute to war effort, contribute to peace effort, increased political participation, new skills and knowledge, role of UN peacekeepers-soldiers, UNMIS mandate, SCR 1590, 1325, commitments reaffirmed in SCR 1325, explaining of gender equality, gender mainstreaming, gender balance and giving examples in statistics through power point presentation by facilitator and interaction among participants

10-30-10-40: questions and answer session Evaluation and review of the session by the participants Evening session 14-00-14-10 : introduction, administration, ground rules, expectations, structure of training & objectives 14-15 14-45: Definitions of gender and sex, difference between sex and gender

415 minutes Break 15-00- 16-30 : Discussion on ‘sexual difference or gender stereotype’, gender roles,

women as victims of SGBV, upheaval migration, displacement, disrupted social services, trafficking and forced prostitution, increased poverty. Women as actor of new roles and responsibilities- changes in division of labor, contribute to war effort, contribute to peace effort, increased political participation, new skills and knowledge, role of UN peacekeepers-soldiers, UNMIS mandate, SCR 1590, 1325, commitments reaffirmed in SCR 1325, explaining of gender equality, gender mainstreaming, gender balance and giving examples in statistics through power point presentation by facilitator and interaction among participants.

16-30-16-40: questions and answer session Evaluation and review of the session by the participants. Good points:

• As the training sessions were conducted in the mother tongue of the participants those were easily understandable and participants fully understood the theme.

• Specific ‘gender’ issues subject matter and objectives were fully met. • Provided open and interactive sessions through discussion and adult learning

approach. • Practical life experiences, case studies enhanced learning concept.

Suggestions for future training:

• Gender Unit should consult with other units/sections of the UNMIS, like Sexual exploitation and abuse/conduct group, HIV/AIDs unit, Child-protection unit and provide further package training programme for rest of the forces stationed at sector-1.

• Provide the Bengali training materials to the trainees after each session. • Consult the army experts and the participants on training needs. • Provide more gender-balanced subject matter professional experts for the package

training program. • Demonstration through photos/video/visual materials would have made the session

more attractive. Written evaluation: Participants reaction after the training Participant’s evaluation The participants provided the facilitator with their views on the structure, content and delivery of the programme in a frank and open manner throughout the training. This allowed the facilitator to refine the programme to better meet the needs of the participants. An individual written evaluation was also completed by all participants. The main findings have been reflected in the following tables. Participants indicated that while it was important to understand the topics covered there were other issues/topics that needed to be examined and these were considered to be also valuable, such as SEA, Gender issues and HIV/AID, Gender and child protection etc.

5 Stated expectations at the beginning of the training and objectives of the ‘gender awareness’ training were appropriate

Expectations fully met

140 participants 64%

Partly met

66 participants 31%

Not met

10 participants 5%

Design of the training and objectives of the training as per expectations Fully met, objectives appropriate

216 participants 100%

Partly met 0 participants 0 % Not met 0 participants 0 % Duration of the training Too long 11 participants 5% About right 156 participants 72% Too short 49 participants 23% Quality of the training Excellent good satisfactory so-so Bad/should have been done better

93 participants (43%)

107 participants

(49%)

11 participants

(5%)

5 participants

(2%)

0 participants (0%)

As a whole the training was Excellent good satisfactory so-so Bad/should have been done better 136 participants (63%)

77 participants (36%)

0 participants (0%)

3 participants (1%)

0 participants (0%)

6GLIMPSES OF THE TRAINING IN PHOTOS:

The training program was inaugurated by the UNMIS Forces Commander Major General Fazle Elahi Akbar at 8-00 AM on 4th January 2006 at the ‘tent’ of BANENGR Camp at sector Commander-1, Juba. Sector commander, All CO/OCs, Section Chiefs and participants-trainees were present during the inauguration session. The photo shows a tent where training was conducted.

7

An Army Major who coordinated the organization of the training expresses his expectation from the trainees of the training at the beginning of a session. Specific questions noted at the beginning and issues that may be specific to trainees.

Photo shows the training facilities those were available at the training venue, computer supported by multimedia projector for pp projection.

8

Presentation of group work by a participant during the session which followed by open discussion on the issues.

Group photo of a session’s participants with the facilitator. At the end of the session, trainees were able to understand the issues related to ‘gender’.

9

Photo shows a section of participants listening to the presentation by the facilitator.

With some Bangladeshi peacekeepers-participants of the training-workshop.

10Annexure-1 (Contact gender unit for full set of PPP)

UNMIS

October 2005

Annexure-2 (Contact gender unit for full set of PPP)

Gender Induction Briefing

UNMIS Integrated Induction Training

Gender Unit

October 2005

Report prepared by: Nizamuddin Al-Hussainy, 11Jan, 2006.