Kenya, Nairobi

The Center for African Family Studies (CAFS) is a regional collaborating centre of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its worldwide effort to improve the quality and scope of reproductive health. This one-week course is designed to provide practical skills in using culturally sensitive approaches to develop and implement interventions and develop partnerships with community change agents to address gender-based violence.

According to the organisers, challenging peoples’ attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and behaviours related to gender relations and rights, requires a great deal of sensitivity to social dynamics as well as patience and respect for cultural diversity. This is required in order to be able to work with people and find common ground to address gender-based violence. To do this effectively, programme developers and implementers should have the technical capacity to promote a favourable environment that helps community members to examine and challenge cultural values and norms while at the same time being careful not to create misunderstanding, unnecessary tensions and antagonism.

The course will focus on the following:

• social construction of gender;
• gender, reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, and development;
• understanding gender-based violence;
• approaches to address gender-based violence;
• addressing gender-based violence practices; and
• advocacy, negotiation, and communication skills.

The course aims to give participants the skills to be able to:

• examine concepts of gender, gender-based violence, sexuality, and rights;
• analyse how gender norms, perceptions of masculinity and femininity are socially constructed;
• discuss how gender-based violence impacts on health and development;
• promote and apply culturally sensitive participatory approaches to address gender-based violence;
• develop and implement innovative interventions for eradicating sexual violence, domestic violence, and female genital cutting; and
• initiate and develop partnerships with other social change agents to promote a culture that will reduce gender-based violence practices in society.

This course is designed for programme managers and professionals responsible for developing and implementing interventions for eradicating harmful traditional practices or promoting gender equality and family health. They will include staff from governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society, humanitarian organisations, development partners, and technical assistance agencies.

Course fee is US$1,000. Tuition covers administrative and instructional costs, text, materials, supplies, health insurance, field trips, airport pick-up and drop-off, and certificate awards. Airfare, transit expenses, and per diem are the responsibility of the sponsoring organisation. Participants are responsible for meeting the costs of their accommodation, meals, and other incidentals. CAFS recommends that all participants stay at the course venue—half board rate (covering bed, breakfast, and lunch) is approximately US$80.

Applicants should complete the course application form in detail and send to the address below.

Click here to download the application form in Word document format.

Click here to download the application form in PDF format.