STRATEGIC PROGRAM AREAS

The strategic Program area of NWAB is broadly grouped into three categories. These strategic program areas emanate from the vision of the NWAB. Success of these strategic program areas would lead towards achievement of the vision.

Development of capability

Capability of the disadvantaged women is the significant determinant of their socio economic status. Capability is based on factors such as education / skill, nutrition and health.

Program objectives

• Promotion of activities concerned with literacy, education, health, non-formal education, and nutrition.
• Promotion and dissemination of vocational skills that are suitable to the local conditions of the disadvantaged women.
• Promotion and dissemination of development experiences especially of the disadvantaged women.

Promotion of economic opportunities

Economic opportunity is an essential condition to exercise the capability. Economic opportunity provides for an enabling environment to enhance the economic status. Access to capital, market, materials and appropriate institutional support are some factors that would create the opportunity.

Program objectives

• Facilitate financing of small-scale economic development initiatives for the disadvantaged women in partnership with national and international institutions.
• Liaise with institutions that will support productive initiatives at the community level especially aimed at the disadvantaged women (e.g., credit cooperatives).
• Foster synergies and mobilize resources form civil society, the private sector, the government, and donors for financing of sustainable project targeted at improvement of the economic conditions of the disadvantaged women.
• Promotion of access and financing for technical assistance in productive activities for community groups, and project initiatives aimed at benefiting the disadvantaged women.
• Facilitation of the access to credit and markets for produce originated from projects, individuals and associations that are aimed at benefiting the disadvantaged women.

Raising awareness of women’s rights and potential

Raising awareness on women’s right s and potential would enable the disadvantaged women to formulate strategic choices and make decisions that affect important life outcomes. An awareness of their potential and rights would foster their drive and initiatives to seek better life.

Program objectives

• Promote dissemination of information and knowledge to the women and the society at large on the issues of women’ right.
• Promote the growth and capacity building of grass root associations from civil society to intervene in women rights issues.
• Influence the government and donors to establish a legal and institutional frame work favorable to the promotion of the rights of women.
• Advocate with the policy makers to ensure that the women issues receive due attention in the national policies.

Institutional strengthening

The NWAB has been restructured and the following new units are established:

• Advocacy and Communications Unit
• Competency development Unit
• Community Development Unit
• Finance and Administration Unit

The NWAB should fill up the positions created in the new organization structure conforming to the competencies required against each of the positions. These positions may be filled in either through external source or through development of personnel that rare available within the organization.

Workshop on Strategic Plan, NWAB Headquarters

HR at the District Chapters

NWAB should endeavor to develop a skilled workforce that is responsive to change. Such a goal requires a comprehensive exercise to identify the current and future skill gaps. Current skills gaps are those skills and abilities that NWAB needs in its people now which are either missing or those that needs to be developed for optimal effective performance. Future skills gaps are those skills and abilities that NWAB will need in the next two to five years.

Once the needs are identified present competencies should be assessed and appropriate HRD actions commenced.

There are five streams of identified learning competencies. These streams are:

• Management and leadership skills (both existing and potential managers);
• Project Management skills for the Unit co coordinators and district co coordinators
• Information technology skills
• Special skills related to women issues
• Office Management skills

Based on the above stream of competencies the following HRD actions are recommended: Other activities that support the learning and development of staff include:

• The creation of “forums” to deal with specific challenges/problems can help with the development of staff as well as exposing staff to other ideas and experiences. The manager, coordinators and presidents should engage in the forums to brainstorm or gain consistencies in approaches in dealing with issues of women. The forums would also allow for greater dissemination of information and increase the effectiveness of communication channels.

• A quarterly policy and planning meetings may be conducted under the chairmanship of the secretary with membership from the unit heads and could include some representative district coordinators and presidents. Such meeting could target deliberation on development in issues relevant to NWAB.

Development opportunities for staff are important but can be too expensive for NWAB to support. Therefore, NWAB could liaise with the RCSC and the BCCI to gain channel into their HRD training slots. NWAB should also network with the international organizations such as the UNDP, UNICEF, WORLD BANK, Asian Development Bank and other such international organizations for its HR development needs.