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tural and economic development of women synonymous with
gender equality and is this form of empowerment superior to
human need?
We realized that each strand that goes into the various
forms of women’s empowerment needs to be identified in
terms of its goal. All forms of social progress need to be at
the service of the person and family and must be sustainable.
We concluded that as long as inadequate understanding
exists, political will cannot be maximized to bring about
social/gender equality, and gender imbalance and social isola-
tion will continue to exist. Millions of dollars will be spent
on numerous fringe programmes in the name of women’s
empowerment, but they will be addressed by the wrong voices
and from the wrong platforms.
Project: natural family planning programme
Based on the premise that gender inequality is not a benign issue,
SERFAC undertook to promote the Billings Ovulation method
of natural family planning. This was found to be an appropri-
ate method for all people as it recognizes that the stability of
marriage must receive prime importance while helping couples
to plan and space pregnancies. It enabled couples to function
as partners, make decisions on the basis of mutual respect, and
share family responsibilities. Over a period of 10 years the impact
could be seen in about 75 per cent of the marriages – couples
were truly exercising their parenthood as partners.
The Billings method, which hinges on observing signs of
fertility/infertility during a woman’s menstrual cycle, was effec-
tive in enabling wife-husband dialogue on ‘their fertility’, and
choosing whether to go in for or avoid a pregnancy. This was
a confidence-building measure that promoted talk on other
matters related to the family too. After several months, the tone
of the marriage showed considerable improvement. A sense of
openness gradually prevailed. Couples became partners and
joint architects of their relationship; they were autonomous.
In due course, 100 full-time workers were employed and
trained to teach the method and follow up on a monthly basis
for a year.
The outcome of the project was that husband and wife
could plan their family as a couple; spacing was by choice. A
newborn was given time to grow before the next pregnancy
was planned. Husband-wife dialogue was reflected in almost
all areas of life. Further, the method had no side effects or
complications and was easily reversible.
Project: skills development programme
The pivot of the gender mainstreaming project is the premise
that every woman has the right to be seen and accepted as an
individual with the capacity to decide and act for herself, and
have equal access to resources and social, economic and polit-
ical support to develop her full potential as a human being.
SERFAC responds to this need in a comprehensive and
integrated manner by providing education, training and
employment for uneducated women and single mothers.
The six-month programme covers employability skills
and education in marriage and family issues – pre-marriage
guidance, natural family planning, pregnancy, parenting,
childcare, health, education, budgeting, environment care
and gender equality. With these basic tools women are
able to understand what family life is about, and work at
improving their relationships with their husbands and fami-
lies. Therapeutic counselling is part of the programme and
husbands are included in several sessions.
While entry points differ from one programme to another,
the transformation process eventually becomes cyclic and
intergenerational.
The outcome of this project is that women become liter-
ate, numerate, confident and capable of earning a livelihood,
improving their living conditions and having some money
for emergencies as well. They become responsible, have more
stable marriages and healthy family lives; the husband-wife
relationship improves, domestic violence is eradicated or
limited, parent-child relationships and sibling relationships
improve, boys and girls are treated equally, fewer children
drop out of school, and risks of addictions and debt are lower.
The intergenerational long-term impact is that children who
experience less gender violence when treated equally will be
equipped to develop the resources to remain in partnerships.
The family is the foundation from which gender equality
can be effectively promoted and practiced, and it is the first
context where equality can be experienced. Investment in
women in the family as ‘family’ offers the first experience of
their humanity. These elements are essential to women’s liber-
ation and empowerment and need to be incorporated in any
programme that focuses on gender. Men must be educated on
similar lines, simultaneously. Families are key actors in the
empowerment process, for family encapsulates an orientation
which places women, children and future generations at the
centre of human development and empowerment.
SERFAC works towards women becoming architects of their
own empowerment and being able to build a positive framework
in the family and, along with their husbands, in the community.
Catherine Bernard, Founder-Director of SERFAC, is a
medical doctor who switched professions. The Natural Family
Planning Programme is about 38 years old and the skills
development programme was formulated on the basis of
several years of experience.
SERFAC aims to help empower women in the family and the community
Image: SERFAC
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