13. Objectives and Methodology of Research

The overall objective of the report is to compile the voices of service receiver and providers in all EAP districts. More specifically the report aims to:

Methodology

The EAP recruited two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as voice capturing organizations (VCOs). The Himalayan Community Development Forum (HICODEF) based in Nawalparasi (one of the voice districts) is a community and livelihood focused NGOs coordinated and led the voice collection in Morang (terai), Chitwan (inner terai), Parbat (hills) and Myagdi (mountain) districts whereas Social Awareness Centre (SAC) based in Surkhet specializing on livelihood and advocacy took over the responsibility of Nawalparasi (inner terai), Rupandehi (terai), Dadeldhura (hills) and Dailekh (hills). Please refer to the location map (Box 1). It is believed that the selection of eight districts fairly represents the geographical, regional and socio-cultural diversity of Nepal.

These NGOs known as VCOs in this entire report, were hired on the ground that they were the grass root intermediary organisations and easily could reach to the communities where other EAP activities were implemented. Secondly, they were independent organisations and they could collect actual voices of the service providers and receivers without any biases. Since the voices are indifferent and coming from core of the respondents, it required some level of independent interpretation. Most importantly, they were perceived as the third sector organizations so they would rationally disseminate and strongly advocate the voices of the poorest and excluded women through their networks, for policy changes as required.

Both of the VCOs each hired a male Program Coordinator (PC) followed by female District Facilitators (DFs) in their respective districts. The responsibility of the Program Coordinators (PCs) was to plan, coordinate and administer different voice tools, prepare periodic and final reports, plan, coordinate and disseminate the results to the multi-project stakeholders, district government heath facilities, Reproductive Health Coordination Committee (RHCC), a committee formed among district level stakeholders including government, non-government and private parties, local bodies and information providers. The District Facilitators (DFs) collected voice of service receivers through Client Exist Interviews (CEIs), case studies, suggestion boxes. The Key Informants (KIs) using the Key Informant Monitoring (KIM) tool collected stories and voices of their peer groups from the excluded part of the society. In addition, the DFs conducted In-depth Interviews (IDIs) to collect voices of the service providers.

The EAP hired an Anthropologist as a consultant for periodic support to the project. The consultant designed training on CEI, IDIs and case study preparation and trained the DFs to enumerate information from service receivers and providers. The training consisted of theoretical classes with practical exercises in the class and piloting the skills in the respective situations.  The Options UK consultant and a local consultant trained the DF's Training of Trainers (ToT) on the KIM tool. The anthropologist supported the entire research process in all tools including the training, field work planning and implementation, data generation, quality assurance, data analysis and interpretation of the information. In support of the consultant, the VCO PCs prepared eight district level reports of their respective districts sharing and the consultant wrote national level consolidated voice report. In addition, the consultant has prepared a voice capturing guidelines for the EAP, and or any other similar organization, requiring voice capturing process details in future.