Empowerment in Food Security Programming: A Discussion on Unintended Positive and Negative Gender Impacts

Presented by: Kristi Tabaj, Senior Specialist for Gender, TOPS Program; Advisor, Gender and Livelihoods, Department of Hunger and Livelihoods, Save the Children

Interventions within food security programming, whether gender-specific or not, can sometimes lead to unintended impacts.  Program activities can disrupt an established balance between men and women, leading to conflict in both households and communities. Activities can lead to unintended positive impacts also.

This session continued the dialogue started at the East Africa FSN Network Knowledge Sharing Meeting held in June 2012.  Participants were asked to provide examples of program activities and their results related to family and community dynamics, household responsibilities and labor, and gender-based violence. Both emergency and development programs were represented in discussions. Through discussion, participants of the session were encouraged to share examples from their own experience as well mechanisms and tools in place to prevent and mitigate negative impacts as well as document recommended practices.