Aprender Para No Depender: An Analysis of Casa de la Mujer Women’s Resource Centre in Nicaragua

Abstract

This thesis investigates an adult education program led by Casa de la Mujer, a women’s organization in San Juan del Sur in the south of Nicaragua. At this centre, women acquire vocational skills and engage in workshops about women’s rights, domestic violence awareness and sexual and reproductive health. Several gender and development scholars suggest that empowerment can be achieved through women’s informal education programs that aim to facilitate critical learning for consciousness-raising and self-awareness. This was the topic of my field research at this centre. I conducted semi-structured interviews and participant observation to gain an understanding of how those in the program feel that their participation has impacted their gendered power social relations and livelihood opportunities. My research indicates that despite facing various barriers, through the skills development and gender training programs participants of Casa de la Mujer are able to act as agents to make strategic life decisions.