Questions related to “Participation” 1. What are the levels / occasions that you think that women should have participation (within family / common institutions - In decision making and distribution of resources) 2. Which extent do you have participation at various decision making levels at present ? 3. What are the situations / levels at which you have not got opportunity for participation so far? 4. How can you participate in the process of decision making in each place / institution ? What are the strategies for it ? 5. How are women empowered by participating in decision making in households as well as in common activities ? Questions related to “Control” 1. What are the occasions / things on which women should have control or decision making power in regard to their lives? (Eg. Receiving education, selecting a job, selecting a partner for marriage, child birth) 2. What are the occasions in your life on which you have been able to take decisions so far ? 3. What are the occasions, as you think, on which you do not have sufficient power in decisions related to your life, children, obtaining resources and the representation of your needs ? 4. How can women be empowered by the provision of such power ? Write the facts highlighted in the discussions on flip charts and submit them to the gathering through a group leader. (Provide 7 – 8 minutes) • Raise the following questions:  What are the facts related to the empowerment of participants out of the facts submitted by groups. o What are the strategies to get them? o What action should be taken?  It is important that the resource person also should comment on these questions in short.  For example a group which obtained some empowerment at 1, 2, 3 levels may submit the idea that empowerment means the fact of getting more participation in distributing resource and decision making.  It is important to discuss with examples the obstacles in getting an equal access for men and women in family or any other social institution and the strategies that can be used to get over such obstacles on such an occasion. • 58