Production of Country Status Reports.
EASSI took up the task of producing Country Status Reports on the implementation of the PFAs, MDGs and other women’s rights instruments. The production of the Country Status Reports went through a development process of: training respondents in all the 8 countries in 2006 and 2007 on the use of the Monitoring Tool, identification of national researchers, carrying out the research, compilation of information and editing of reports. In order to strengthen and disseminate the outcome of the research process, a two day peer review workshop was held in Kigali, Rwanda at which the 8 Country Status Reports were presented.
End Term Evaluation
EASSI conducted its end term evaluation in the first quarter of the year 2008. Under the guidance of a feminist consultant and someone with knowledge of EASSI, an analysis of EASSI’s strengths , weaknesses and spaces for opportunity which were realized during the strategic period of 2005 to 2008 were put forth. These helped in informing the new strategic planning process. The evaluation not only measured the annual work plans and reports but also staff performance, motivation, capacity building and areas of personal empowerment which could affect performance. The consultant also rated EASSI amongst other regional organizations with different focuses leading to gender equality. As a result, EASSI was able to internally reflect and make suitable changes to raising its profile and also making greater marks on the continent in the area of gender equality. More details are described in the report.
Internship evaluation
As part of the end term evaluation, EASSI managed to make a critical overview of the internship programme that has been in existence since 2000. Under this annual program, four young women from the region are trained to become leaders of excellence and ambassadors of gender. The evaluation of the programme brought to light the need for a well-guided curriculum and clear expectations o each individual.
Strategic Plan
This was a result of the end term evaluation. Together with board members and partners, EASSI created a new strategic plan for 2009-2013. Under this, new areas whose relevance was realized from various fora , recent events in the women’s movement and also global and national issues. The following themes will be the focus for 2008.
Women’s Rights and Gender equality
Women’s reproductive health and sexual rights
Women in the peace process
Regional Women’s Peace Initiative
EASSI, during the aftermath of the post-election violence in Kenya, took three approaches to the situation. The first was responding physically to the needs of the refugees in the Uganda camps. EASSI approached Uganda Red Cross and through her partners and networks, collected many basic necessities for the survival of the refugees. The second was conducting a Regional Women’s Peace Initiative in Kenya with key stakeholders of the region. The third was the SMS campaign. This campaign was held mainly to support the girl child in Kenya that had suffered atrocities during the post-election violence in Kenya. Together with (Women of Uganda Network) WOUGNET, EASSI approached the use of short text messaging on phone as an information tool. WOUGNET provided IT support and for three weeks of March ,messages raising awareness were sent to over 250 individuals from all over the world. Many participants came from advocacy and human rights organizations.
The Women’s Peace Initiative.
In February 2008 over 50 women gathered at the Stanley Hotel in central Nairobi. The occasion was a solidarity visit bringing voices of women from 8 Eastern African countries in solidarity with their Kenyan sisters following the post electoral violence that arose in December 2007. EASSI mobilized and led a team of 16 women from Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. EASSI had noted that Kenyan women bore the brunt of the violence alone. There was no collective African regional voice and there was a strong need to bring their voices together to express solidarity with Kenyan women and support their efforts towards peace building.
