CLA in Safe Spaces to Promote Learning in Food Security Programming in Madagascar

Maharo is an integrated food security project funded by USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) under the Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) program to reduce acute malnutrition in the Androy and Atsimo Andrefana regions of the Deep South of Madagascar. A cross-cutting gender, youth, and inclusion component and strategy promotes equality and inclusion for positive sustained behavior change. Inequality remains a sensitive cultural context diminishing the participation of women, men, male and female youth, and persons with disabilities (PwDs) in community affairs and project activities. Maharo initially proposed the Community Conversations approach to promote inclusive, equitable, and effective participation by all in community decision-making. Based on evidence from the Maharo Gender Analysis, the Safe Space approach was adapted and piloted in August 2021 to encourage equitable participation in program activities for men, women, boys and girls (WMBGs).Through Safe Space participation, participants acquired psychological safety, knowledge, and skills to improve their openness to share and discuss community issues. Results of the pilot evaluation also included increased participation and diversity through collective interaction and encouragement of collective behavior change. Learning obtained from Safe Spaces was supported by strong collaboration between Maharo Learning, technical, and cross-cutting project staff, partners, and participants following consistent CLA strategy, processes, and values promoting psychological safety. Pilot learning helped further modify Maharo activities to promote inclusive local governance systems, enhanced social protection, and strengthened community accountability mechanisms to achieve program objectives and participants' shared visions for their improved resilience and food security.