Gender and transnational Humanitarian Commitment for Children (Europe - 1980-2007)

Project Information

GenHumChild

Grant agreement ID: 748770

DOI

10.3030/748770

Project closed

EC signature date 23 March 2017

Start date 4 September 2017

End date 3 September 2019

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 185 076,00

EU contribution

€ 185 076,00

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITE D'ANGERS
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GenHumChild (Gender and transnational Humanitarian Commitment for Children (Europe - 1980-2007))

Reporting period: 2017-09-04 to 2019-09-03

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The main objective of the project is to examine the extent to which “gender”, as category of analysis, can be a useful tool in explaining the nature and the impact of humanitarian aid of western organizations towards children in Europe, between 1980 and 2007, using as case study the relation France (initiator)-Romania (beneficiary).
In a first time, the fellow identified the stakeholders involved in the humanitarian aid for children (local and European institutions, humanitarian organizations, formal and informal support networks, the different categories of children that beneficiated from it), targeted problems (prevention of violence and protection, targeting and relief distribution, health and reproductive rights, nutrition and household food security, income generation and skill training, information and advocacy, HIV/AIDS). More than 1200 humanitarian organizations were active in Romania in 1990, starting with the transnational NGOs such as Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Médecins du monde (Doctors of the World), EquiLibre, Handicap International and Care International-SERA, but also a plethora of local associations, individual initiatives and faith-based humanitarian organisations.
Subsequently, a second objective was to identify the grassroots activity of the humanitarian organizations involved in aiding the children. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the fellow established the aid repartition between medical help, basic necessities (food, shelter, clothing) and political intervention in an international context that quickly changed the anti-anticommunist discourse blaming Ceausescu for the tragedy of the Romanian children with severe criticism towards the entire Romanian society.
One of the main research hypothesis – reflecting the third objective of the project, an analysis of human resources – was that gendered power dynamics inside the corpus of the humanitarian personnel assigning “proper” jobs for men and women had an impact on the field activity. The research showed that the Romanian campaign was mostly a “women’s affaire” due to the massive feminization of all professions involved in child caring. Working outside the classic patriarchal hierarchies had an empowering effect on all the women involved. On one hand, the expats had the possibility to break the gender regimes inside home organizations, while the local personal challenged the post-communist political and economic transformations. The Romanian particular situation also allowed the public expression of masculinities that questioned the feminine dominance over childcare activities.
The forth objective consisted in a survey on the local impact of each of the major intervention axes. By using in-depth interviews and extensive field research, the fellow looked at the short, medium and long term effects of humanitarian aid towards children. One of the tested hypothesis regarded the economic and social precariousness of women, especially single mothers, as potential cause for the persistence of a system of illegal adoptions. Overall though, the humanitarian missions managed to identify and to help the most vulnerable categories of institutionalized children: Roma, disabled children, those with AIDS.

The major conclusion of the research is that gender can be a useful tool in analyzing the nature and the impact of humanitarian aid, especially in what concerns the grassroots activity. The gender perspective offers valuable knowledge on the motivation and dynamics inside the humanitarian corpus. It can confirm or reveal situations of discrimination or gender based violence. In the same time, a gender sensitive research debunks examples of empowerment and the multitude of femininities and masculinities that take shape in a particular context.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The documentation effort concerned both France and Romania, and the fellow made periodic documentation trips in order to ensure the most exhaustive possible data collection. This research used qualitative methods (in-depth interviews), extensive field research, as well as online surveys (using the existing blogs and internet, networks of beneficiaries). During these encounters, the researcher also had the possibility to access private archives (personal diaries, photos, letters, newspaper clippings etc.). Training activities also occupied an important part the fellowship.

The dissemination activities included:
6 conference presentations among which:

At the rescue of ceausescu’s Children : International adoption of Romanian institutionalised children during the 1990’s, Children’s History Society Biennial Conference, “Children and Youth on the Move”, University of Greenwich, UK, 21_ 23 June, 2018.
Gender and Humanitarian Intervention in Romania (1989-2007), Gendering Humanitarian Knowledge. Global Histories of Compassion from the mid-Nineteenth Century to the Present, Genève, Suisse, 20-21 April, 2018.
“Women Nurture, Men Protect, or Not ? Gender Roles in the Transnational Humanitarian Commitment for Children in Romania (1980-2007)”, European Social Science History Conference (ESSHC), Belfast, UK, 4-7 April, 2018.

6 Participations in events targeting the young and/or large public:
European Researchers’ Night, Angers, 28 September 2018,
Fête de la Science, l’Europe et de l’innovation, Angers, 6 October 2018,
Soirée Europe, Ingrades sur Loire, 15 March 2019,
La recherche à l’échelle de l’Europe, Séminaire 2018-2019 du Master Histoire, civilisations, patrimoine Parcours Pratiques de la recherche historique, Université d’Angers, 7 novembre 2018,
Ingénierie des projets de recherche: les projets européens, Séminaire 2017-2018 du Master Histoire, civilisations, patrimoine Parcours Pratiques de la recherche historique, Université d’Angers, 17 février 2018.

Organization of International Conference:
Integrating Gender in the History of Humanitarian aid: Europe (20th–21st century), June 12-13, 2019 – Angers, France

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In a first time, the project analyzed the actions of humanitarian aid of western organizations towards children in Europe, between 1980 and 2007, using as case study the relation France (initiator)-Romania (beneficiary). The results are a step forward in the scholarship regarding humanitarian aid in Europe, often reduced to the Armenian and Yugoslavian case.
Traditionally, while referring to gender, the history of humanitarian aid traditionally privileged the image of women as victims. GenHumChild is breaking with this pattern. In a first time, the research recuperates the hidden stories of women involved in the humanitarian aid for children in Romania. In a second time, the fellow explores the humanitarian aid through the gender lens. Her effort takes looking into how socially constructed practices dictated the assignment of specific tasks, hierarchies, responsibilities and expectations to men and women working in the humanitarian effort, but also how structural unequal gender roles present on the field, among the beneficiaries, undermined or even completely compromised humanitarian actions.
The fellow is currently preparing “Good Practice Guide”, to the benefit of humanitarian organizations.

article published by the journal Chercheurs Européens, No 16

article on a local journal presenting the encounter between Luciana Jinga and Odile Godin

Conference Poster