Women’s groups build partnership towards prosperity

Save the Children’s Women’s Wealth and Influence (WWI) Project funded by Department for International Development (DFID) a held Women’s Leadership Forum on May 27, 2016 in Rudaki District in order to build support networks within women’s groups themselves and strengthen the partnership rural women have built with local governments on sub-district and district level.  

In order to increase women’s power within their communities, the Women’s Wealth and Influence project has held 172 Women’s Leadership Forums at the sub district level that enabled rural women to come together to share information on their collective activities and plans for the future. With the support of government nongovernment organizations, these rural women were able to solve not only household issues but also contribute to resolution of issues at sub district level. Women’s groups have created new employment income generating opportunities by establishing sewing workshops and sales outlets. They have contributed to improvement of local infrastructure such as the reconstruction of roads, schools, health centers and bridges. These WWI groups also arranged meetings between residents of their home villages and local authorities to prevent domestic violence, family breakdown and youth joining terrorist organizations.

More than 50 women groups’ leaders and members gathered in Rudaki District center to introduce themselves and their activities at the district level. Representatives of Rudaki district government including representatives from government departments responsible for women’s and family affairs, labor and employment, and education participated in the event. Women representing their groups started by sharing their experiences, citing examples of their successes and their plans for future. Later, sitting in the front of the local government representatives, the women spoke out about their problems at both the household and community levels. Kamolova Firuza, Deputy Head of Rudaki District gave valuable advice to the women on the resolution of the problems and assigned the representatives from the labour and employment and education departments to support women in the solution of their issues. 

At the event, the Government of Rudaki District awarded four leaders of women’s groups with acknowledgment letters for their active participation in political and cultural activities and contribution to the prevention of families’ breakdown at their communities.  Four women’s group leaders who are also heads of their jamoats also received acknowledgement letters from the government for their cooperation with Save the Children and DFID in promoting WWI.

“Thanks to Save the Children, especially to Women’s Wealth and Influence Project, we became closer with rural women and were able to hear their voices. Today we saw that women became empowered and did a lot towards prosperity in their families and communities. Together we will be able to overcome any obstacles” stated Kamolova Firuza.

With the continued support of the Government of Tajikistan and DFID, Women’s Wealth and Influence Project has been implemented across 17 districts in Tajikistan since 2012. The overall goal of the project is to improve rural women’s wealth and influence, strengthen women’s groups and create better access to services and technical information.