2.1 OSSREA Research Competitions
Gender Issues and Social Science Research Competitions for young scholars, which are part of OSSREA's research support grant program, have been progressing smoothly. In November 2000, small grants were awarded to winners of the Twelfth Gender Issues and the Fourteenth Social Science Research Competitions.
OSSREA's Liaison Officers and Executive Committee members working in the various universities of member countries were instrumental in ensuring wider publicity to the research competitions. The announcements for the Fourteenth Social Science and the Twelfth Gender Issues Competitions were made through brochures and posters distributed to various universities and research institutions in Eastern and Southern Africa.
As in the past, applicants were given about three months to identify their research topics and submit their proposals. The deadline for submitting applications for these competitions was set at 15th August 2000.
Forty-six applications were received for the Fourteenth Social Science Research Competition (SSRC). Out of the total 46 applicants, 39 were males and seven females. As in previous competitions, there were applications from almost every branch of the social sciences. Some of the areas of specialization represented were Economics, Education, Literature, Geography, History, Political Science, Public Administration and Development Studies.
Forty-eight applications were received for the Twelfth Gender Issues Research Competition (GIRC). Out of the total of 48 applicants, 25 were males, 22 females while the remaining one did not state his/her gender.
The country breakdown of the applicants for the two research competitions (SSRC and GIRC) is provided in table 1.
Table 1. Country breakdown of applicants of the 12th GIRC and 14th SSRC
|
Country |
GIRC |
SSRC |
|
Ethiopia |
19 |
11 |
|
Kenya |
13 |
16 |
|
Sudan |
4 |
7 |
|
Swaziland |
3 |
-- |
|
Tanzania |
-- |
1 |
|
Uganda |
6 |
8 |
|
Zambia |
1 | |
|
Zimbabwe |
3 |
2 |
|
Total |
48 |
46 |
The jury for the Twelfth Gender Issues and the Fourteenth Social Science Research Competitions, which met in Addis Ababa on 23-25 September 2000, selected 13 winners out of the 48 applicants for the Gender Issues award and 13 winners out of the 46 applicants for the Social Science award. The country distribution of the winners of the two competitions (GIRC and SSRC) is provided in table 2.
The jury for the Twelfth Gender Issues Competition comprised Prof. Agnes Musyoki, from University of Venda; Prof. Bahru Zewde, Resident Vice-President of OSSREA, from Addis Ababa University; Assoc. Prof. Almaz Eshete, former Resident Vice-President of OSSREA; and Prof. Rudo Barbara Gaidzanwa, from University of Zimbabwe. The jury for the Fourteenth Social Science Competition comprised Dr. Evelyn Sandra Pangeti, President of OSSREA, from University of Zimbabwe; Prof. John O. Shiundu, from Maseno University College; and Prof. Ahmed Hassan El Jack, from Khartoum University.
Table 2. Country breakdown of winners of the 12th GIRC and 14th SSRC
|
Country |
GIRC |
SSRC |
|
Ethiopia |
7 |
2 |
|
Kenya |
2 |
2 |
|
Sudan |
1 |
3 |
|
Swaziland |
-- |
-- |
|
Tanzania |
-- |
1 |
|
Uganda |
1 |
3 |
|
Zambia |
-- |
1 |
|
Zimbabwe |
2 |
1 |
|
Total |
13 |
13 |
The award winners of the Twelfth Gender Issues and Fourteenth Social Science Research Competitions and their respective topics were the following.
Mr. Fassika Melesse. The Dynamic Role of Women Petty Traders in Urban-Rural Socio-economic Interaction. Ethiopia.
Ms. Guday Emirie. The Effects of Socio-cultural Values on Females' Participation in Primary Education in Present-Day Rural Ethiopia: A Case Study of Yidonga Peasant Association in Merawi District, West Gojam. Ethiopia.
Mr. Teshome Emana Gender Differences in Mathematics Achievements in the Primary Schools of Addis Ababa. Ethiopia.
Mr. Yared Getachew. Women's Participation in the Civil Service Distance Education and Short-Term Training Programs of the Ethiopian Government: The Case of Afar, Benishangul, Somali, and Gambella Regions. Ethiopia.
Mr. Befekadu Zeleke. Determinants of Gumuz Girls' Primary School Participation in Mandura District. Ethiopia.
Mr. Mesfin Messele. The Influence of Gender Specific Oral Narratives on Women in the Amhara Society. Ethiopia.
Mr. Berhanu Gebeyehu. The Role and Status of Pastoral Women in Ethiopia: The Case of Afar. Ethiopia.
Ms. Wawire Violet Khalayi. Gender and the Social and Economic Impact of Drought on the Residents of Tuyrkana District in Kenya. Kenya.
Ms. Karen Nyambura Nyangara. Family Life Education in Kenyan Schools: Needs Assessment and Pregnancy Prevention Strategies. Kenya.
Ms. Sara Mohamed Hassan Ayoub. Policy Aspect of Reproductive Health Rights in the Sudanese Context: A Gender Perspective. Sudan.
Ms. Atayi Jane Butigha. Perceived Causes and Consequences of Lowering the Defilement Age: A Comparative Study of Kampala and Arua Districts. Uganda.
Ms. Sunungurai Dominica Chingarande. Food Security Strategies of Urban Women: A Look at Women's Involvement in Urban Agriculture in Harare. Zimbabwe.
Mr. Fortune Tinofirei Gumbo. The Gender Dimension of Access to Land and Land Rights in Resettlement Areas in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe.
Mr. Hussein Jemma. Competition over Resources and Ethnic Conflict in Federal Ethiopia: The Case of Recent Guji-Gedeo Conflict. Ethiopia.
Mr. Aklilu Amsalu. Environmental and Socio-Economic Aspects of Soil Degradation and Conservation in Gudo Beret Area, Central Highlands of Ethiopia. Ethiopia.
Mr. Zachary Arochi Kwena. An Analysis of Accessibility and Pricing of Rural Domestic Water Supply: A Case Study of Kakamega District. Kenya.
Mr. Wilson Nyaoro. Drought Management in Machakos District, Kenya: Impacts, Societal Perception and Response Strategies. Kenya.
Ms. Intesar Ali Salih Ali. Effectiveness of Community-Based Institutions in the Management of Natural Resources: The Case of the Integrated Resource Management for Desertification Control, El-Odaya Project, West Kordofan State. Sudan.
Mr. Abdalla Abdelhadi Abdalla Elsheikh. Policies Impinging on the Environment and the Livelihood Systems in the Drylands. Sudan.
Ms. Eiman Ahmed Elwedaa. Lack of Water Supply and Sanitation Services in Southern Sudan War Zones and Its Implications on the Health Environment: A Case Study at Areas Controlled by SPLM/A. Sudan.
Mr. Sheshangai Chambi Kaniki. Towards Policy Coordination of Stock Markets in the SADC Region: Examining the Potential. Tanzania.
Mr. Fred Matovu. Environmental Management in Low-Income Settlements: A Case Study of Community Participation in Kampala City. Uganda.
Mr. Kazungu Peter. The Confluence of Pay Reform Policy, Perceptions of Public Servants and Organizational Performance in Uganda. Uganda.
Ms. Ampaire Christine. The Dilemma in Research Ethics: A Case for Constructive and Monetary Compensation at Individual, Family and Community Levels in Uganda. Uganda.
Ms. Sichingabula Yvonne Matebele Chinyama. Informal Care-Giving and Older Persons in Rural Zambia: A Relationship at Risk (the Case of Mwachinondo Village). Zambia.
Mr. Krasposy Kujinga. The Impact of the Economic Reform Program (ERP) on Local Level Rural Institutions in Zimbabwe: Case Studies of Nyanga and Gwanda Districts. Zimbabwe.
2.2 Research Workshop
A joint workshop for winners of the Fourteenth Social Science and the Twelfth Gender Issues Research Competitions was held from 31st October to 3rd November 2000 at the Conference Hall of the OSSREA Secretariat in Addis Ababa. As in the case of the previous winner workshops, the researchers benefited substantially from the exchange of views especially with reference to methodological issues. The award winners presented their revised proposals, on which they received comments and suggestions from the jury as well as from their fellow winners.
Two of the winners (Dr. Dolphine Odero-Wanga, from Kenya, and Mrs. Tehlile Thandi Dlamini, from Swaziland) could not attend the winners' workshop because of a justifiable reason. Therefore, the OSSREA Secretariat together with Executive Committee members in these countries has made a special arrangement in which these winners would do their research. In the arrangement, a well-qualified person would be assigned to advise the two grantees to make sure that all the comments of the jury would be incorporated in their revised proposals.
The primary objective of the workshop was to help the award winners to fine-tune and further develop their research proposals by making use of the comments and suggestions made by the jurors and fellow researchers.
2.3 National Workshops
2.3.1 First National Workshop of the Ethiopia Chapter
The Ethiopia Chapter of OSSREA held its first national workshop on 4th March 2000 at the Graduate School Hall of Addis Ababa University. The theme of the workshop was "Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Ethiopia". The workshop was attended by some 70 academics, researchers, graduate students, interested individuals from various educational and research institutions, government agencies, and NGOs. Prof. Abdel Ghaffar M. Ahmed, Executive Secretary of OSSREA, made an opening statement while Dr. Kinfe Abraham, President of Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development, made a keynote address. A welcome speech was delivered by Dr. Dejene Aredo, Liaison Officer of the Ethiopia Chapter and coordinator of the workshop.
2.3.2 Second National Workshop of the Rwanda Chapter
The Rwanda Chapter of OSSREA held its second national workshop from 18-20 December 2000. The event was organized in collaboration with the National University of Rwanda (NUR) and with the financial assistance from some banks, the Office of the Poverty Reduction National Program (PRNP). Participants 78 academics, researchers, and graduate students. The theme of the workshop was "Poverty Alleviation and Elimination in Rwanda: A New Vision". The workshop was officially opened by the Honorable Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of the government of Rwanda while Dr. Emile Rwamasirabo, Rector of the National University of Rwanda, delivered a welcome address to the participants.
2.4 Regional Meetings and Workshops
2.4.1 Formation of LANDNET Africa Facilitated by OSSREA
A workshop on "Land tenure networking in Sub-Saharan Africa", sponsored by the Department of International Development (DFID) and organized by the Natural Resources Institute, Greenwich University, UK, with the assistance, backstopping and hosting of OSSREA, was held at the Imperial Hotel in Addis Ababa from 24-26 January 2000. The workshop was attended by specialists on land tenure issues, consultants, Government and NGO representatives, donor representatives, NRI and OSSREA representatives. The participants were drawn from 13 African countries and regional, bilateral and multilateral institutions such as Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), DFID, FAO, GTZ, IFAD, IIED, IUCN, NRI, OXFAM, SIDA, UNECA, and the World Bank.
The purpose of the workshop was to develop a practical framework for a program of African-driven network activities on land tenure and land policy for continued learning, information exchange, collaborative research and capacity building for policy debate and practical implementation, involving government and civil society. The workshop discussed findings of land-networking studies prepared for the sub-regions and other related presentations from resource persons.
The participants were also grouped by sub-region to discuss and draft their own network. The discussion comprised the mission, priority themes and activities, structure and work plan of the network. The sub-regions included East Africa, Horn of Africa, Southern Africa and West Africa. The groups' presentations were discussed in plenary sessions. OSSREA was unanimously selected to assume the responsibility of coordinating the sub-regional networks in the interim period of one to two years. OSSREA was also selected to act as a lead institution to undertake a regional networking study for the horn of Africa.
2.4.2 Social Science Research Methodology Training Workshop
From 28 August to 8 September 2000, OSSREA held a training workshop on research methodology for 20 participants drawn from 12 countries, namely, Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Palestine, Senegal, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen. Dr. Eva Rathegeber (Director, RARO-IDRC) and Dr. Eglal Rached (Director, MERO-IDRC) also took part in the workshop.
Four experienced trainers were involved in conducting the workshop. Among the issues addressed during the workshop are:
· Applied and Theoretical Social Science Research
· Gender Issues in Social Science Research
· Participatory and Action Research Methods
· Policy Research and Policy Analysis.
The training was organized under the project titled, "Capacity Building Monitoring, Evaluation and Social Analysis in Natural Resource Management". This project was part of the OSSREA-IDRC collaboration on "People, Land and Water (PlaW) Program in Africa and the Middle East".
2.4.3 Workshop on African Dryland Research Project
A workshop on African Dryland Research Project was held from 8th - 10th March 2000, at OSSREA Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. About 20 participants from Ethiopia, Norway, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda attended this workshop. The workshop discusses the activities undertaken since the start of the project and proposals for future studies. The proceedings of the research reports presented at the Addis Ababa and Jinja (Uganda) workshops have recently been published. Preliminary proposals for further inquiry were presented for discussion at the workshop.
