ABSTRACT: This study focused on estimating the gender and women's empowerment in Heifer Vietnam's projects, comparing gender and women's situation before and after joining the projects as well as the causes for the efficiencies of the projects at the level of the households. Five provinces of the MRD as Tra Vinh, Vinh Long, Ben Tre, Soc Trang and Kien Giang are selected to gather the needed data for analysis. The study uses 310 observations of farm households in the projects. In which, 42 observations in Vinh Long, 88 observations in Tra Vinh, 60 observations in Ben Tre, 62 observations in Soc Trang and 58 observations in Kien Giang province. The study results show that after joining the project the gender and women's empowerment have increased. This paper is supported by the Heifer Vietnam Project Keywords: Gender equality, women empowerment, Heifer Vietnam project.

1. Introduction

Heifer international established since 1944, and has country offices in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and America with the mission “to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth”. Heifer Vietnam operated in Vietnam since 1987, mainly cooperated with Can Tho University to build staff capacity and implemented small projects that provided small animal to beneficiaries in Mekong Delta. Since 2003, Heifer Vietnam first established project office and had projects from the North, Central, Southeast and Mekong Delta region. Heifers principle is Passing on the Gifts.

In 2007, Heifer Vietnam started to implement the Value Based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) model, Heifers approach to development is holistic, meaning we aim to address the whole system - social, spiritual, ecological, mental and physical development - instead of certain parts. Our philosophy is that farmers are the most suitable to identify their own problems and the ways to address them. This leads to the ground up, creative approach that is VBHCD, in which Heifer Vietnam empowers and strengthens the targeted communities through forming Self Help Groups (SHG), reinforcing 12 Cornerstones, providing physical inputs, empowering and Holistic development. Heifer Vietnam also promotes gender equity, in which both men and women have equal opportunities to benefit from and contribute to economic, social, cultural and participatory governance, enjoy socially valued resources and rewards, and realize their roles.

There are anecdotal success stories about gender equality and women empowerment but there is lack of research evidence to prove that this is happening, This study will assess the gender equality and womens empowerment in all Heifer Vietnams projects, which are at different development stages. Study results will be used to strengthen complementarity between multiple gender mainstreaming tracks and apply lessons learned. In addition, appropriate recommendations from gender analysis will be applied to program planning to increase and accelerate the program impacts and to achieve sustainable family livelihoods and harmonious communities.

2. Methodology

2.1. Analysed data

Secondary data were collected, including data on the characteristics of the social-economic information about the families in the Heifer projects. Secondary data were gathered from the provincial and district agriculture departments and the Heifer Vietnam Projects as well as from secondary sources such as statistical yearbooks, agricultural journals and newspapers, and official documents and reports of local authorities.

The study was conducted in the areas of the Heifer projects. Primary data were collected, including data on the characteristics of social-economic information about the families, the gender and women's situation before and after joining Heifer projects. In order to collect primary data, a questionnaire was designed with several indicators related to the objectives of the study. The questionnaire consists of two main parts – one focuses on gender and women's empowerment in Heifer Vietnam's projects and the other concentrates on characteristics of gender and women's situation before and after joining the projects. Our research was conducted in five provinces of the MRD, i.e. the Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Soc Trang and Kien Giang provinces where the Heifer Projects were conducted. The data were gathered through a survey of projects farmers from five districts. The Mang Thit district was selected in the Vinh Long province, the Cang Long district in the Tra Vinh province, the Thanh Phu district in the Ben Tre province, the Chau Thanh district in the Soc Trang province and the An Minh district in the Kien Giang province. The number of selected farm households and the total projects households in each district are presented in the Table 1.

2.2. Method of analysis

In this study, main methodological approaches are followed for different research objectives. The descriptive statistics as well as tabular presentations of the data, which are intended to help understand the social economic characteristics of the study sites. A basic cost-benefit approach method for calculating and comparing profits of individual farm households in the Heifer Projects.

3. Gender and womens empowerment in heifer vietnams projects

3.1. Income generation activities from women

The survey results in Table 2 showed a fairly complete picture of thepositivechangesin the average income of households after participating in the project.Specifically, in Table 2, the average income has increased by 38% from 3,362 thousand VND / month to 4627 thousand VND / month.The number of women involved in income generating activities while have not increased in numbers, their contribution to the family income have increased significantly after participating in the project (from 1,182 thousand VND / month to 1,768 thousand VND / month, an increase of up to 50%).By being able to contribute to family funds, the voice of women has become more valuable in the family, thus promoting gender equality.

3.2. Education access

Agricultural producers in difficult areas long the Mekong Delta region have fewer opportunities to participate in training courses, training of knowledge in agricultural production and livestock farming, as well as opportunities to pursue their studies at higher levels. It is even more difficult for women.However, thesurveyresultsin Table 3 shows that the participation in training courses for women hasincreasedsignificantly, up to 83 people believe that women participate in training more than men, they also attend meetings more regularly than men. Overall, their involvement has increased by 261% after participating in Heifers project. Women participants also state, their opportunity to enhance their knowledge in higher education are a positive improvement (obstacles to higher education for women decreased by 34% after joining the project).We can say Heifers project has contributed to womens access to knowledge and their motivation to further learning.

3.3. Health access

After participating in the project, awareness and knowledgeof health and health protection for women themselves have improved remarkably.For example, prior to participating in the project only 229 out of 310 women reported their participation in family planning process, but after participating in the project the number of women has increased family planning up to 275. Not only are they aware of the importance of family planning, but the health care after birth, routine physicals and knowledge of health care for women has shown positive improvements after participating in the project withan increase of 63% in turn, 74% and 37%.

3.4.Working and leisure time

Survey results show that relief, recreation; time engaged in social activities and social contact opportunities for women have improved markedly after participating in the project. The number for no time to rest recreation fell by more than half, from 11 to 5 people.Meanwhile, the amount of time to rest comfortably, entertain up to 42 people, an increase of 8 times than when not involved in the project. This is a breakthrough in the perception that the project Heifer brings to people here, women no longer have to work to the point where they have no time to rest for yourselves. Besides, they also have the opportunity to interact with the outside more, to participate in social activities morec omfortably. Specific data are shown in Table 5.

3.5. Power in making decisions in families

With the tradition and customs ofVietnamin general and the Mekong Delta in particular, women had virtually no role in makingimportantdecisionsin the family. However, the survey results in Table 6 indicate that the important decisions related to household spending, major asset purchases, education forchildren, organize labor, business planning, family social organizations, and traveling has markedly improved. After participating in the project, most of the women surveyed said that they are equal or almost equal to men in all the indicators. In particular, there is an increase of at least 33% (Education for children) and 35% (number of children born);The highest increase was in house expenditure (80%), manufacturing planning business (61%), participation in social organizations (60%) and organized labor (57%). The majority of women participating in the project have an equal role with men in making important decisions in the family. Table 6.

3.6. Asset Ownership

Equally important decision-making power in the family, the right to property values such as home and land have increased for women. Statistical results in Table 7 shows that, after participating in the project, womens property ownership has increased significantly. Specifically, there were 89 women homeowner compared to 75 before participating in the project, the number of women landowner has also increased by 13 and the number of women who owns assets with large family has also increased 30%, from 69 people to 89 people.Heifer Project contributes to women by helping them become more aware of their rights in asset ownership. 

3.7. Domestic violence

Violence and family violence is always an issue in Vietnams society, especially in remote areas, poor rural country with low literacy levels. For the provinces in this project, mental and physical violence against women and children still exists, but the number has decreased compared to the time before joining the project. Specifically, mental status and physical violence against girls has decreased by 25% and for women has fallen by 17%. 

3.8. Finance and credit access

Of the 178 households involved in the project before, 121 have said it is easier for them to obtain credit than before. The project has also helped households borrow more money, at 19.2 million VND from the State Bank (152 households). The number of women accessing loans are still lower than men, but was higher than before the project started.In addition, as many as 38 cases of both men and women have access to loans, more than double compared to when not involved in the project (Table 9). It can be affirmed that Heifers projects opened opportunities for household to access larger loans so they invest in cultivation and animal husbandry, as their premise out of poverty.

3.9. Governance and social organization access

Previously, women, especially women in poor rural areas often have fewer opportunities to participate in community activities. However, after joining in the project, there are about 160 women in the province that said they are almost equal with men on the matter to participate in team meetings (168 cases), seminars and community meetings (159 cases) and social activities in the community (153 cases). Even in all 3 criteria, the number of women who claimed to complete equality with men is always higher than the number of "limited" and "very limited" (table 10).Participation in community activities not only represent womens interests in equal rights, but also an opportunity for women to gain access to information and knowledge. The effect and benefits Heifer brings are tremendous. 

3.10. Women in leadership roles

Male leaders are in majority in Vietnam, which is traditional and proceeds from the preconception of male chauvinism originated from the feudal system. Today, such preconception is suppressed gradually, but the number of female leaders is less than that of male. According to table 11, there were 120 women saying “very limited” to become leaders before joining Heifer project and now after joining the project, the answers “very limited” of 124 women has changed to “limited”. In addition, 79 interviewees said that they are almost equal with men on this issue, which shows positive changes in project participants awareness of female leadership although such changes are not lucid.

4. Conclusions

From the fact analysis of the study on estimating the gender and women's empowerment in Heifer Vietnam's projects, comparing gender and women's situation before and after joining the projects at the level of the households. The results show that:

income has increased, the number of women taking part in generating-income activities has increased as well as the contribution of women in family income has also increased.

The number of households getting over poverty has increased.

After joining Heifer project, women have attended training more often; the barrier of pursuing higher education has been reduced.

Women have understood more clearly about birth control and healthcare. The practice of regular checkup has been improved after joining the project.

After joining the project, women have more opportunities for entertainment and social activities as well as womens role in deciding familys issues such as expenditure, buying asset, educating children, sharing housework, production planning and number of children has been improved.

After joining the project, womens ownership on house, land and other properties has improved.

After joining the project, domestic violence of which victims are women and girls has decreased.

After joining the project, women have more opportunities to join social and governmental unions (unions, clubs, meetings, community activities).

After joining the project, women have more chances to take part in leadership positions in the community ■

REFERENCES:

1. Annual report of Heifer International Vietnam (2014).

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3. Lovell, C.A.K., Harold O. Fried and Shelton S. Schmidt (1993). The Measurement of Productive Efficiency: Techniques and Applications. Oxford University Press, 121-149.

4. Oladeebo, J.O and A.A. Fajuyigbe (2007). Technical efficiency of men and women upland rice farmers in Osun, Nigeria. J. Hum. Ecol., 22(2), 93-100.

5. Oren, M.N. et al. (2006). Determinants of Technical Efficiency of Wheat Farming in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey: A Non parametric Technical Efficiency Analysis. Journal of Applied Sciences, 6(4), 827-831.

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BÌNH ĐẲNG GIỚI VÀ NĂNG LỰC CỦA PHỤ NỮ TRONG DỰ ÁN HEIFER VIỆT NAM ● PGS.TS. QUAN MINH NHỰT Khoa Kinh tế, Trường Đại học Cần Thơ TÓM TẮT: Nghiên cứu tập trung phân tích thực trạng vai trò của phụ nữ trước và sau khi tham gia dự án Heifer Việt Nam. Năm tỉnh trong khu vực đồng bằng sông Cửu Long thuộc dự án được lựa chọn trong nghiên cứu. Nghiên cứu sử dụng 310 quan sát từ các hộ gia đình tham gia dự án. Trong đó, có 42 quan sát được thu thập ở Vĩnh Long, 88 quan sát ở Trà Vinh, 60 quan sát ở Bến Tre, 62 quan sát ở Sóc Trăng và 58 quan sát ở tỉnh Kiên Giang. Kết quả phân tích chỉ ra rằng sau khi tham gia dự án, vai trò và năng lực của phụ nữ tham gia dự án được nâng lên rõ rệt. Bài báo được tài trợ bởi Dự án Heifer Việt Nam. Từ khóa: Bình đẳng giới, vai trò phụ nữ, dự án Heifer Việt Nam.