Setting up Women’s Survey Groups

WHAT IS A WOMEN”S SURVEY GROUP?

In remote locations and areas of conflict it is difficult to gather data that is disinterested and does not reflect particular interest groups. RealtimeAid envisioned setting up a various data points to minimise risk of data collected not being reflective of grassroots needs. One such data point is a Women’s Survey Group WSG) which is essentially a group of women selected, hired and trained to collect data. Their function being to access community members who would normally be difficult to reach or completely excluded from data collection activities.

The Women’s Survey Group also fulfils the additional roles of monitoring Project outcomes, being a part of a participatory decision making processes to select initiatives for Awards, and as the recipients of community grievances/issues which the WSG can then raise through the RealtimeAid Grievance and Accountability process.

HOW DOES A WOMEN’S SURVEY GROUP WORK IN PRACTICE?

Women are recruited into the group based on open-hiring, - they are paid - they are then trained on various skills with a specific emphasis on monitoring and evaluation. In the longer-term the aim is that the WSG network allows for meaningful connections which can benefit the community as a whole: this can look like information sharing about further resources for special needs children, or the setting-up of new community initiatives. The WSG also acts as another data point for the Projects being run in Al Raqqa (or other location) thereby further minimising risks of corruption/other risks.

WHAT IMPACT DOES A WOMEN’S SURVEY GROUP HAVE?

The Women’s Survey Group is established in Project locations as part of ensuring community ownership, participation and accountability. This focus on giving women in the community leadership roles also helps elevate what are otherwise often thought of as ‘women’s issues’ and help to build trust with groups who may otherwise be outside of ‘normal’ structures of decision-making.

The Women’s Survey Group is further trained in skills which help build their capacities to take on other jobs in the community. The trainings which RealtimeAid provides can be found under the Trainings page.

WOMEN’S SURVEY GROUP CASE STUDY AL RAQQA

In 2021 and 2022 RealtimeAid ran an innovative new Project called the Women’s Survey Group. This Project was initiated in response to the difficulties in ensuring that non-traditional aid recipients - such as grassroots initiatives- were properly represented at all levels of decision making. In Al Raqqa this is a complex issue as it is a post-conflict environment, which remains vulnerable to outbreaks of conflict. The same leadership groups (e.g. militia, elites, men) are mostly the ones who control decision making in terms of international aid money and have access to international aid groups. The interests of women, children, special needs and other vulnerable or minority groups are often not represented in such structures.

Initially Realtime aid outlined a process for sourcing, interviewing, selecting women to join the Women’s Survey Group. This process was designed using a design thinking methodology. We then went to our network of Changemakers to spread the word about the Women’s Survey Group. Materials were also designed for advertising the position, and applicant process, including leaflets, online media, points of contact for questions.