NATIONALE VROUWEN BEWEGING
NATIONAL WOMEN’S MOVEMENT BUREAU
Address:
Verlengde Gemenelandsweg 132 B
Paramaribo - Suriname
Tel.: (597) 465626 / (597) 432921
Fax: (597) 433167
E-mail: n.v.b.@sr.net and siegmien@cq-link.sr
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
MISSION
The mission of the National Women’s Movement (NVB) is to be a flexible, innovative, resourceful
and technologically advanced bureau for the provision of services of the highest quality in the
sphere of sustainable community development and of gender and development.
The mission is based on a functional partnership between the NVB and the communities or
organizations that it serves, ensuring improved quality of life, gender equality and gender equity
throughout the communities of Suriname.
HISTORY
The NVB an independent non-governmental organization, founded on 16 June 1982 as a
membership organization and operated as a voluntary organization during 13 years.
Since 1996 the NVB entered a stage of professionalism, establishing the NVB Bureau and
providing services to NGO’s, CBO’s, government and individuals (women and men), which
developed a successful methodology for sustainable (community) development, using
participatory techniques.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The NVB favours a society based on:
 Elimination of poverty
 Increase of productivity
 Development and strengthening of social justice
 Equal participation of all groups of society in decision-making
 Gender equality and equity
 Increase of autonomy, self-initiative and self-reliance of low- income communities.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The NVB aims at improving the position and quality of life of Surinamese women and at gender
equity and gender equality in society.
TARGET GROUPS
The NVB targets women in general but especially women and women’s groups belonging to
disadvantaged socio-economic groups. Since the NVB is involved in many community and village
development activities, men and children are as well targeted in NVB programs and activities.
The main target group, however, is women.
PRIORITY AREAS
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Based on the structural financial economic crisis in the country, the NVB aims at expanding the
possibilities of women and their families to deal with poverty in a sustainable way and increase
their access to resources and incomes, among other means through:
 The promotion of female entrepreneurship, i.e. increasing the access of women (micro)
entrepreneurs to knowledge, information, technology, credit, land and markets
 Increase of the participation of women in non-traditional female occupations
 Strengthen the capacity of women in the interior to increase their food production and to
enter into meaningful economic activities and business, which improve their position and
their quality of life
 Strengthening the capacity of women in management and leadership and in decision-making
CAPACITY STRENGTHENING OF WOMEN’S (COMMUNITY) GROUPS
Given the fact that women’s participation in the decision-making process is low, it is necessary to
increase the capacity of women’s organizations, women’s (community) groups to:
 Assist their target groups in identifying needs and assets
 Develop and implement strategies to solve problems related to poverty, development, gender
equality and gender equity
 Adequately manage their organizations
 Adequately negotiate with all related actors
 Develop and strengthen skills to participate in decision-making processes at the local and
national level
PROMOTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS
The NVB thinks it necessary to promote the rights of women in daily life, especially the
elimination of violence against women.
NETWORKING
Networking with government agencies, NGO’s, CBO’s and other social actors is considered
important in order to successfully implement the NVB policy.
ETHNIC GROUPS
The involvement of a broad variety of ethnic groups living in the country in the planning and
implementation of NVB activities, is of importance.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
Through participatory approach techniques the NVB is aimed at achieving that the target group
(women, women’s groups, community group village groups) in the long run will assume and
exercise full responsibility and ownership for the developments initiated under a project or
programs.
STRENGTHS OF THE NVB
An organization scan developed by IC Consult in the Netherlands was applied to the NVB in
December 2002 by the organization NIKOS. Some results of this scan showed:
 in general the evaluation was very positive, proving that the NVB is a professional
organization which has dealt adequately with the ‘child diseases’ of management
 None of the items showed a weak score
Six



was the highest possible score. The total result was as follows:
Position/right to exist
5.4
Thinking and Learning
4.8
Doing (programs)
5.2
 Being (Implementation)
4.9
 Relating (Networking)
5.4
 Overall balance (internal balance) 5.0
Overall average
5.1
NVB PROGRAMMES
1. PROGRAMMES “CAPACITY STRENGTHENING OF FEMALE
(MICRO-ENTREPRENEURS)”
Objective
The programmes aim at enabling small and micro women entrepreneurs, both individuals and
groups, to operate their businesses in a professional manner in order to establish productive
and sustainable enterprises and by doing so to help to push back and alleviate poverty.
Sub-objectives
 to strengthen the capacity of women entrepreneurs through training and guidance
 to eliminate institutional impediments to (small and micro) women entrepreneurship
 to involve society in (small and micro) women entrepreneurship
 to strengthen the capacity of the service organization (IVVO)
Target group
Underprivileged women who have decided to increase their income by means of a small or
micro business
Activities
 Training in business skills
 Workshops on credit facilities; taxes, licenses,
 Gender and entrepreneurship
 Coaching in formulation and implementation of business plans
 Credit facilities: mediation with financial institutions if necessary. Together with the
Women’s Group Foundation and the Credit Union ‘De Schakel’, the Uma Kraka Fund,
special credit facility for women entrepreneurs, was established; guidance of women to
the Credit Facility
 Facilitation of participation of entrepreneurs in trade fairs in Suriname and abroad
 Organization of braderies
 Organization of the Women in BisNis Trade Fairs bi-annually – 15000 attending
 Organization of Trade Missions to penetrate export markets
 Guiding of economic activities at the community level
2. PROGRAMME “WOMEN AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE
UPPER-SURINAME RIVER AREA (INTERIOR OF SURINAME)”
Objective
The objective of the programme is to contribute to the sustainable social and economic
development of the people, particularly women, in the villages of the interior, i.e. the Upper
Suriname River Area.
Target groups
 Women and women’s groups
 Villagers
 Village heads
Activities
Increasing the productive capacity of families, particularly women
 Improving the conditions for increasing individual and family earnings
 Improving and strengthening the capacity and skills on the local level
 Improving the access of the people in the villages (children and adults) to health care
 Improving the access of the people in the villages (children and adults) to education
 Improving the access of the children to the benefits of the project, both in the short run
and in the long run
 Contributing towards balanced gender relations in the villages
 Contributing to mainstreaming the project developments in the national development
Policy
3. PROGRAMME NON-TRADITIONAL WOMEN’S OCCUPATIONS
Objectives
To offer women opportunities to overcome poverty, by improving their position in the labor
market and advancing their entry into and promotion in sectors and functions which offer
good prospects and are usually not accessible to women.
Target Groups
The target groups of NVB and of this program consists of Surinamese women in general, and
in particular underprivileged women. The program is directed towards women aged 16-45
years, providing girl drop-outs with a new opportunity to learn a useful occupation and attain
a good economic position.
Activities
 Develop and implement intermediary and orientation training for job-seeking women and
women who would like to be re-trained
 Develop and - in cooperation with third parties – implement NTWO vocational training.
o Car mechanic (maintenance/repair)
o Electrotechnics (with specializations for electro technical installation and
refrigeration installation)
o Construction (specializations: carpentry, masonry, assistant foreman;
foreman; installation of gas, and water piping/plumbing)
o Computer hardware (assembly; network manager/helpdesk; webmaster).
 Placement of trained women in the labor market.
 Enhance access of women to formal vocational education.
 Remove institutional barriers for women in NTWO in education and enterprises.
 Encourage a broad public debate on NBWO (awareness campaign).
4. PROGRAMME “CAPACITY BUILDING WOMEN'S GROUPS”
Objective
To contribute to the strengthening of the capacities of women's organizations and women’s
(community) groups, so that they can independently contribute to the sustainable
development and gender equity of their target groups.
Target groups
A.: The boards of 20 women groups and the members of their internal structures
Paramaribo
District Commewijne
District Wanica
District Para
B: Indirect target groups
The members of the women's groups that are residing in areas wherein these women's
groups are operating (and are not yet a member).
Activities
 the implementation of a training program for board members of women's groups.
 Areas of training and coaching:
o Leadership, organization and management
o Negotiation
o Networking
o Confidence building
o Sustainable development
o Train the Trainers in all areas mentioned
 the implementation of a counseling program, whereby through counselors, technical
assistance is provided to boards of women's groups
 the implementation of an “upgrading” training for the counselors of the women's groups
 the implementation of network meetings
 the promotion of the activities of the program, in an effort to inform the society about
the application of the methods to reach sustainable development and gender equity
 Support women’s groups with the development, formulation, implementation and
evaluation of projects; examples:
o Project Literacy Training for Maroon women in Paramaribo
o Project ‘Production Units for Bricks Making”
o Project ‘Commercial Production of embroidery’
o Project ‘Maroon Women and Food Promotion’
o Building of school and teacher’s homes in Pikin Saron
o First Aid activities at the community level
o Project ‘Home Gardens’
5. PROGRAMME HABITAT AND WOMEN
Objective
To improve the living environment of poor communities, including access to adequate housing
conditions and access to land.
Target groups
 low income women and their families
 community organizations
Activities
Participation in the Low Cost Shelter Programme (2003 – 2005) of the government
 To improve low income communities through rehabilitation of existing houses and
building of new houses (target 4000 houses in 5 years)
 To assist low income families in improving their housing situation by making the housing
policy more efficient and more transparent.
The role of the NVB in this programme:
o NVB participates as an intermediary NGO in the policy making board of the
programme together with representatives of the government, financial
institutions and other NGO’s
o NVB strengthens community organizations in developing housing plans for their



neighborhood. At the same time NVB task is to assist individual families with
their applications for subsidy
Coordination of the Campaign ‘Land for Women’
o Lobby with government to increase the number of women who possess land
both for building and for production activities
o Selection of and information to women who are in the position to build a house
on short term
Develop and implement housing projects for women through collective application for
land
Capacity strengthening of the Women’s Group ‘Land for Women’
6. WOMEN’S DOCUMENTATION CENTER
The Johanna Elsenhout Women’s Documentation Center was officially established in 1992
It is a service center in the field of documentation and information on gender and
development, which is well attended by women, especially young women.
7. WOMEN’S RIGHTS BUREAU
The NVB established the Ilse Henar-Hewitt Bureau for Women’s Rights in 1997:
 Providing advice and guidance to individual women for their individual cases
 providing information on the Surinamese legislation and international legal instruments in
general, especially the rights of women
 production of several videos and booklets on women’s ad children’s rights
 lobbying for the change of legislation
Since June 2002 the NVB handed over the responsibility of this Bureau to a Foundation which
was established to give the Bureau the opportunity to develop independently.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICIPATORY APPROACH IN ALL
NVB PROGRAMMES
The sustainable development approach aims at the building and strengthening of the capacities
of the target groups and their organizations to manage local development planning and
implementation and on the long run take control over their own life, situation and/or community.
NVB uses the sustainable development approach in all programme activities, including the
following techniques:
 site selection and situation analysis: impact of macro, micro and sectoral policies and
governance arrangements on women/people and their communities
 identification of stakeholders: inventory of needs, problems, culture, and assets (social and
human capital, natural and physical assets) of the women and their family or community
members involved.
Methods used ; public meetings/interviews with key persons/surveys/information to
people/advisory groups/ announcements, etc.
 implementation of strategies to improve productivity and create new opportunities for the
women and their communities involved
 implement techniques to strengthen the capacities of the target groups/organizations to
develop ownership of the activities, policies or projects involved (target group consultation;
development planning strategies, management of organization; negotiating and networking
skills)
 monitoring and evaluation, using indicators to measure impact, outcome, output,
participation and input.
NETWORKING
Networking with government agencies and NGO’s in the following areas:
Government
 National Bureau Gender Policy (Ministry of Internal affairs): collaboration on several issues;
 Contracted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the preparation of the First and Second
Periodic Report of Suriname to the United Nations under the Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw)
 Member of the Technical Advisory Board for the Unifem-Suriname programme through the
Ministry of Internal Affairs
 Representatives of the Ministries of Education and Justice and Police participate in Board of
the I.Henar Hewitt Bureau Legal Advice and Information of Women
 Cooperation with the Ministry of Education in the campaign to increase the number of
female students in technical training institutes
 Cooperation with the SAO Foundation (Foundation of the Ministry of Labour) in implementing
the training programme for non-traditional female occupations
 NVB signed cooperation contract with the Faculty of Technological Sciences for
implementation of activities in the sphere of agriculture, animal husbandry, machines and
equipment and environment, as part of the programme for women in the interior
 Representative of the Ministry of Labour participates in Advisory Board for the Programme
‘Non-Traditional Female Occupations’
 Cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Police in the Campaign to Change Inheritance
Legislation and eliminate discrimination against children born out of wedlock
 Departments of Youth Police and Anti-Narcotica supported the Women and Drugs Project of
NVB through participation in information teams and advice to the project
 Cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing on the ‘Low Cost Shelter
Programme’ and on activities in the context of promotion of Child’s Rights
 Invited by the Ministry of Health to participate as a member in the National Committee for
the Fund for Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and in the National Anti Drugs Board
 Cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Development in executing the Programme for the
Interior
NGO Networking
 Pro Health assisted in the execution of a health programme in the Amerindian village of Pikin
Saron
 Medical Mission assisted in the preparation of a training programme for community health
workers in the interior
 The Foundation Suriname Red Cross assisted in the training of community women’s groups in
first aid skills
 Cooperation with the The Lobi Foundation on a Cervix Cancer Information Campaign
 Cooperation with the Inner wheel Club on a campaign on breast cancer
 Cooperation with intermediary women’s organizations in the network ‘Platform NGOs Women
and Development ‘
 Networking with 20 women’s groups in the Network ‘SVO’
 Cooperation with NGOs operating in the interior in the Network for the Interior
 The Peace Corps Suriname assists NVB in the institutional strengthening of the women’s
group of Pikin Saron
 NVB participates in activities of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action,
i.e. CAFRA in Suriname
 The NVB cooperated with several women’s and community organizations in Paramaribo and
districts and abroad (Island of Aruba) in organizing training programmes in home gardening
 The NVB cooperated with several women’s, community and trade union groups in executing


the project “Women and Drugs’
Appointment of representative by the Foundation Stop Violence Against Women, in the
Foundation for the Bureau for Women’s Rights, established by the NVB in 2001
Support by a group of ‘women friendly jurors’ to assist the I.Henar Hewitt Bureau for
Women’s Rights in developing and implementing a legal education programme for women
and their families.
Trade Union networking
Trade Union Federation C47 represented in Advisory Board Programme ‘Non-traditional Female
Occupations’.
Preparations to establish and coach a Women’s Bureau as part of the C47 Trade Union
Federation
Affiliations
 Member of the National Anti-Drugs Board, headed by the Ministry of Health
 Member of the National Steering Committee of the National UNDP-G.E.F/Small Grants
Programme (environmental issues) - Chair since 2002
 Member of the Technical Advisory Board of the UNIFEM-Suriname Programme on Women
and Sustainable Development in Suriname, from 1998 – 2001
 Member of the Civil Society Mechanism to advise on the IDB Suriname Programme.
 Member of the Caribbean Associations for Feminist Action and Research (Cafra)
 Member of the Forum of NGOs
 Member of the Network Organization for the Interior of Suriname
 Member of the network ‘Platform NGOs Women and Development’
 Member of the network of women’s organizations ‘SVO ‘.
PROJECT EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE WITH DONOR AGENCIES
OVERVIEW OF PROJECTS AND DONOR AGENCIES 1982 – 2002
Project
Donor Agency
Cervic Cancer House to House Information Campaign
Unifem
Fruit-processing Unit for Women
Cebemo (now Cordaid)
Women’s Documentation Service
Dutch Embassy
Women’s Documentation Service
Canada Fund
Fruitproduction Women Peperpot
Fodep (Belgium)/Dutch Embassy
Home Gardens Project Blauwgrond –pilotproject
Lions Paramaribo Central
Study Position of Children Born out of Wedlock in
Unicef
Inheritance Law
Production of Videos – Information on Inheritance
Dutch Embassy
Legislation
Home Gardens Project
Bilance (now Cordaid)
Food Exposition
Dutch Embassy
Women and Drugs Project – Information Campaign
UNDCP
Institutional Strengthening NVB
Bilance (now Cordaid)
Women in BisNis Trade Fair 1996
Dutch Embassy
Women and Food Production Pikin Saron
Canada Fund
Survey and Public Opinion Poll on Position of Children Born Unicef
out of Wedlock in Inheritance Law
Restauration of Community Center Mijnhoop/Republiek
Caritas/Microproj.EU/ Oroverde
Restauration of Kindergarten Vierkinderen
Badische Zeitung (Germany)
Training Tractor Operators for Women
Dutch Embassy
Exposition Non-traditional Women’s Occupations
Bilance (now Cordaid)
Period
1984
1987
1988
1988
1994
1994
1994
1994
1995/96
1995/96
1995/96
1995/96
1995/96
1996/97
1995/96
1996/98
1997
1997
1997
Sewing Classes Pikin Saron
Workshop Women’s Rights
Exchange Visit Women’s Organization Cefemina-Micro
Enterprise Costa Rica
Information on Women’s Rights
Information on Surinamese Legal System and Legislation
Training and Coaching of Women Entrepreneurs
Training of Women Beekeepers
Evaluaton Fruit-production Project Peperpot
Improve Services J.Elsenhout Documentation Center
Building of Teacher’s Houses Pikin Saron
Establishment I.Henar Hewitt Bureau Legal Advice and
Information
Survey Economic Empowerment Women in the Interior
Restauration Community Center Mijnhoop-Republiek –
continued
Pokigron Recreational Activities
Institutional Strengthening NVB – 2
Women in Non-traditional Women’s Occupations
Women’s Magazine Skwala
Women in BisNis Trade fair-2
Home Gardens district of Para
Home Gardens village of Bigi Poika
Home Gardens community of Flora
First aid training at the Community Level
Survey and workshop Convention on the Elimination of
Discrimination of women (Cedaw)
Conference CEDAW and Production of Booklet
Economic Empowerment of Women in the Interior
Building of Old People’s Homes Pokigron
Partner Relations of Young Women
Gender Socialisation Survey
Women in BisNis Trade Fair –3
Low Cost Shelter-Survey and Planning for 15 communities
in Paramaribo and Wanica
Multi-annual Programme NVB
* Non-traditional Women’s occupations
* Micro Entrepreneurs
* Capacity Strengthening Women’s Groups
* Women in the Interior
Training Bricks Making for Women
Adult Education including Literacy Training Marroon Women
Paramaribo
Restauration Community Center Naks
Survey Mercury Pollution Village of Pikin Saron Fishing Area
Literacy Training Women of the Interior
Agroforestry Women of Futunakaba (interior)
Training Kindergarten Workers for the Interior
Training Women’s Occupational Training and Production of
Manual
Women in BisNis Trade Fair – 4
Badische Zeitung
Dutch Embassy
Dutch Embassy
1997
1997
1997
Unicef
Dutch Embassy
Dutch Embassy/Mama Cash
German govt/Wanatti
IDB
Dutch Embassy
German Government & Wanatti
Bilance (now Cordaid)
1998
1997/1998
1997/1998
1997/1998
1997/1998
1998
1998
1997/1999
Unicef
Badische Zeitung
1998
1998
Badische Zeitung
Bilance (now Cordaid)
Bilance ( now Cordaid)
Dutch Embassy
Dutch Embassy
Canada Fund
Consultancy Bureau Artist
NGO Fund
Dutch Embassy
Canada
Carib.Gender
Programme
Unifem
Unicef
Caritas/DBSH (Germany)
Unifem
Unicef
Dutch Embassy
IDB
1998
1998/2001
1998/2000
1998
1998
1998/2000
1997/1998
1997/1998
1998/1999
Equity 1999
Cordaid
NGO Fund
SKAN Fund/Mama Cash & SION
LAZ/DBSH
UNDP-Small Grants Program
Foundation Sur.Jaarkalender
UNDP-SGP
Unicef
Federation of Dutch Trade Unions
Fund
Micro Projects Fund European
Community; Rabobank Foundation
1999
1998/2002
1999/2002
1999/2000
2000
2000
2000
2001-2003
2001-2003
2001-2003
2001-2003
2001-2003
2001
2001/2002
2001/2002
2001/2002
2001
2002/2004
2002
2002
2002
THE NVB BUREAU
Composition
 One Director
 Three Deputy Directors
 Project Coordinators
 Five Project Departments: every department operates with a small professional and
supportive staff and hires part-time staff or consultants
 Financial Department
 Staffs meetings are held on a regular basis in order to inform all staff members on
activities planned and implemented and in order to discuss policy issues. All Depts.
organize internal meetings.
Until 1998 the NVB worked in the districts of Paramaribo, Wanica, Commewijne and Para. In
1998 it was decided to extend the geographical area to the Upper-Suriname River area in the
district of Sipaliwini when the implementation of the WEEP project started.
NVB Management team
Director
Dep.Director Finance & Coord.Institute Female Micro Entrepreneurs
Dep.Director Human Resources & Coord. Institutional Strengthening
Women's Groups
Dep.Director General Affairs & /Coord. Programme Habitat and Women
: Siegmien Staphorst
: Joyce Ooft
: Renate Wouden
: Florence Lenne
NVB Support Foundation, the Netherlands
A group of volunteers, all experts in the socio-economic field, has established the SONVBS
foundation in the Netherlands. The foundation lobbies in the Netherlands for material, financial
and technical support to NVB programmes and activities and helped establish the NVB website.
NVB Staff
The NVB Staff consists of 12 fulltime and 11 part-time workers and a network of trainers and
experts of 22 persons who are participating in training and coaching of individuals, groups and
organizations.
Source: NVB / Library Anton de Kom University of Suriname