Since its inception, Huairou Commission has positioned itself as a unifying force committed to a global movement for grassroots women’s empowerment in and for development. We believe that effective development occurs from the grassroots up. In 2015, we have consolidated our distinct approach to a Theory of Change, which organizes our work around four pathways for change, our “diamond” vehicle for building community resilience, women’s leadership and a local to global movement.
Theory of change
STRENGTHEN GRASSROOTS WOMEN’S ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP
Huairou Commission members advance grassroots leadership by mentoring, training, and advising less experienced/newer grassroots groups on strategies for building community resilience. Women learn to take on new leadership roles that position them as experts and leaders in the community (as trainers, mobilizers, risk mappers, monitors, fund managers, grassroots advocates). Together, they develop and/or apply tools to facilitate collective analysis of key development issues.
Nurture Grassroots Women's Knowledge and Good Practice to Promote Gender-Just and Resilient Development
Huairou Commission members build an awareness of community vulnerabilities in terms of what and who. They pull collective resources and design and invest in actions to improve housing, infrastructure, basic services, and livelihoods linked to sustainable agriculture, food security and natural resources. The grassroots women-led solutions demonstrate innovation and expertise, becoming a foundation for scaling up together with the community, local authorities and other partners.
BUILD NETWORKS AND COALITIONS
Huairou Commission members federate, linking women’s groups together, and forming networks that plan, implement, and evaluate together. Knowledge and practices are shared with new groups through Peer Learning Exchanges and Grassroots Academies. Partnerships are advanced with government officials, donors, researchers, NGO leaders who are prepared to collaborate and/or champion grassroots women’s roles in advancing community resilience. Grassroots women’s groups organize and participate in multi-stakeholder platforms.
INFLUENCE AND CHANGE PUBLIC POLICY AND PROCESSES
Our members identify and engage decision makers and allies who recognize grassroots women as resilience experts by holding joint training programs and other activities. They organize action-research on resilience and present findings and recommendations to local officials. Agreements with governments formalize the role of grassroots’ women’s groups in planning, implementing, scaling up and monitoring resilience initiatives and help to secure government resources and budgets for grassroots initiatives.