Women, Work and Violence in South Asia – Study Design
This project ran for 18 months to March 2018, and the design was informed by the ethnographic web model. It was conducted in three different countries – Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. In each country there were three strands to the study, enabling the study team to explore women’s understanding and experience of violence, for women from different economic backgrounds. These strands explored experiences of :
- Women working in the informal economy
- Women working in professional roles in the formal employment sector
- Programmes designed to address gender issues with a focus on VAW
The research focuses on different levels, from individual and household to state and national programme level.
This lead to the study design being expressed as follows:
The research was conducted in two broad stages:
Stage One
Developing an understanding of the beliefs, values, social frameworks and practical conditions in each site that shape both violence against women and women’s economic engagement. This requires in-depth intersectional analysis of various relevant sociocultural, economic and political factors.
Stage Two
Considering how employers and employment programmes can improve women’s productivity while also diminishing the occurrence of VAW both at work and outside
Involving Stakeholders
The study team was supported by a ‘Technical Advisory Group’ of international and regional experts, with knowledge of existing gender related research and programme activity in the South/South Asia region. This group acted as a sounding board, who could comment on the study approach and the design of the tools used. They play a key role in ensuring that the project design is focused and relevant, and links well to other research.
To support the study in each country, it was particularly important to involve local stakeholders, who can provide local knowledge and guidance. For this purpose we sought to engage local actors from both government, civil society and the private sector. Within these sectors we also sought to engage people with roles in donor organisations, in the media, in advocacy and in the telecommunications sector who play an increasingly key role in supporting communication (e.g. via mobile phones and social media). In each country an ‘Advisory Forum’ was established from representatives identified from these sectors, and these groups assisted the study team in identifying wider stakeholder groups who could support the study objectives, or who the team needed to be aware of and consult with in order for the study to proceed smoothly.
The following reading, written by the Dr Smita Premchander, study team lead for Nepal and Myanmar, provides an insight into the importance of stakeholder engagement.
>> Key reading: Multi-Stakeholder Involvement: Key to Successful Research
We will return to the importance of stakeholder engagement under Theme 4 where we explore the way the impact of studies like this can be maximised through use of an effective research uptake strategy.
Conducting the study
The process of carrying out a study is as important as the design. Conducting the ethnographic approach to the study, presents a range of practical, ethical and psychological challenges for the research team and those managing the project. In the following interview the academic director, Professor Tamsin Bradley, together with Dr Zara Ramsay, discuss the process of designing and implementing the study, and gives an honest assessment of the successes and the difficulties experienced
| Reflection Activity
Watch and listen closely to this interview, and note down key points relating to what can be learned from this that can be of value in other similar studies |
< Previous Page] Page 4 of 6 [Next Page >