Description

World Vision Zambia has been training several communities in the Citizen Voice and Action methodology. Participants have been learning about their role as citizens as they gain knowledge of rights to which they are entitled and are able to hold their government accountable.

Health and education were the two major areas about which community members wanted to voice their concerns.

Community members in Keembe, Mumbwa, Lufwanyama, and Kufululu ADPs carried out the CVA process. First they evaluated services with the use of score cards. Next, they outlined their requests to the government, and organized themselves in order to attain changes and better services.

It is important to point out that in those ADPs, men and women separately completed score cards about services delivery and other issues of their interest. The gender-sensitive approach taken during this process allowed for both men and women to talk about their concerns and evaluate services without either gender dominating the discussion. They were also able to focus in gender related issues.

The evaluations about health services showed that men and women wanted improvement in regard to availability of drugs, bed spaces, number of staff, and timeliness of service. They all expressed concern about health facilities without a maternity wing. For men, it is difficult and expensive to travel with their wives for them to give birth. For women, the possibility of having to give birth on the way and not receiving antenatal care was a major concern.

In addition, women voiced their complaints about the need of properly separated wards for men and women, better antenatal services, improved behaviour and availability of midwives, and better immunization and growth monitoring for children under five.

Men and women also differed on their reactions about the mandatory HIV test every pregnant woman needs to undergo. A call out to a husband from a health centre signifies an HIV positive wife. Some husbands refuse to take the call, and women complain the manner that hospital staff give the message.

After community gatherings and mobilization, changes have happened.

In Keembe ADP, the community and health centre converted a store room into a male ward so that women and men are separated.

In Lufwanyama, male involvement was integrated into Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition service delivery with TOT (Training of Trainers) for increased community coverage. Also in this community’s health centre, messages to husbands for expectant mothers found to be HIV positive has been given more discretely.

Last, more staff members, including midwives, have been sent to communities in Mumbwa and Lufwanyama.

As previously mentioned, community members also evaluated education services. Both men and women voiced their complaints in regard to staffing, facilities, lack of books, and quality of learning environment.

Among the issues raised by men’s groups are: the role of Parent Teacher’s Association and how money raised from school levies is spent. They also complained about the non-fulfillment of free education promises such as availability of books, and about teachers sending students to purchase things for them in the middle of class sessions.

Men also have expressed that they would like to see the corporal punishment clause re-instated, and voiced their opinions regarding the re-entry policy. They argued that this policy encourages promiscuity among school girls.

On the other hand, women raised issues that included: schools turning children away on account of parents’ failure to pay levies (this is especially more so in female headed households), refusal by school authorities to accept payments in kind, (mostly women don't have the necessary cash), misconduct of teachers particularly in relation to school girls, and adverse traditional practices that keep both girls and boys out of the classroom.

After discussions and evaluations, community members moved on to the next step in the CVA methodology. They reached out to local authorities to request for change and improvements.

In Keembe ADP, Kufululu school has a strong council that has been key in holding teachers accountable for their work, and in monitoring and implementing policies. The council has been effective, and has been receiving great support from the school administration. As a result, the district schools standards officer has recently requested that school councils be formed in all schools working with the CVA team.

In Lufwanyama ADP schools, parents can now pay levies in kind such as maize, beans or groundnuts (peanuts) instead of cash.

Another outcome of the CVA mobilization in communities has been parents’ deeper understanding (particularly male guardians) of the re-entry policy. District education authorities report a greater number in girl-child retention in schools.

Increased awareness of the re-entry policy has encouraged parents to send their children back to school. A father from Kafululu area, for example, has sent his daughter back to school after she had left at eighth grade to get married. Now, she is divorced and mother of three, but she is still able to finish her schooling.

After voicing their complaint about children being sent out of school to run errands for teachers, action has also been taken. It has been reported that no children have been out of school for those purposes.

Community members have also been more involved in the education of their children. It is reported that as soon as a school project comes up, communities make their 25 percent contribution.

In addition, the district office in Keembe reports that there have been less allegations of fraud against teachers. This decrease is attributed to PTA members’ better understanding of free education policy funding dynamics and limitations. Community members now buy books and other supplies for students without having to wait for school authorities to provide them.

In communities in Zambia, individuals are utilizing the CVA methodology as a tool to achieve better services in both health and education. The approach has given everyone the opportunity to participate in their communities.

Women have gained space to voice their opinions and demand change according to their specific needs. As community members gain knowledge about policies that directly affect them, girls have been going back to school, and pregnant women and children have been receiving proper care and services.