Hanoi workshop – participants learning about integrating gender in value-chain research
I’m Linh, an agricultural researcher from SCAP based in Ho Chi Minh city. I had an opportunity to participate in the workshop “Integrating gender in agricultural value-chain research” organised by the ACIAR-funded gender project. The workshop took place on 15 – 16 November 2018 in Hanoi, Vietnam with the participation of about 120 guests from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines and Vietnam. This workshop was very useful for agricultural researchers. Participants shared and exchanged their experiences in mainstreaming gender in the research process. I am one of the participants who have learned a lot of things from this workshop. Before, I had ever analysed the gender aspect in my studies, but only mainly included the gender of respondents in the questionnaires. And I had been not sure about how to gather enough information on gender relations. This workshop helped me to identify three main contents that needed to be evaluated: labor division, decision making and access & control of resources. Analysing these three contents help us to find out the problems, from there we can provide appropriate interventions.
The tools given during the workshop made participants very excited. Using pictures, drawing on papers, sharing personal ideas, making decisions are tools that I have rarely used before. Finding problems through gender-dis-aggregated focus group discussions is very effective. Everyone has to provide their opinions, there are no requirements for professional qualification, no pressure, just what is needed to create a comfortable atmosphere. In the future, I will apply these methods for gender research in my agricultural studies. I really appreciated the opportunity organisers gave me and this amazing experiences.
Tran Thi Ut Linh, SCAP, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hanoi workshop – participants engaging in a group activity
Hanoi workshop – participants thrilled to learn about and improve their research skills
