Changes in gender roles and relations in GQAL households: impact of GQAL

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the impact of Gender Quality Action Learning (GQAL) Programme initiated by Gender Justice and Diversity (GJ&D) Programme during the period of 2007-2011. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to achieve its goals. The data collection tools used here were survey, focus group discussion (FGD), case study and census. Here, a village with maximum GQAL intervention in 2007- 2011 was selected for census to know the status of that community on selected indicators. The data was collected from five districts of Bangladesh in June-July 2014.The impact was measured by comparing the data between respondents with intervention and those without intervention. The study revealed that after receiving GQAL message, men achieved positive attitude towards gender division of labour as well as women’s role in decision making. Women also experienced decreased physical violence after intervention. In addition to various recommendations, the study suggested to have mechanism through which it can follow-up the situation of programme recipients for sufficiently longer period of time after intervention.