Focus Groups and

Marginalized Populations

Eben FriedmanEuropean Centre for Minority Issues

friedman@ecmi.de

What are focus groups?

Basic components:

Small group of people (usually 4-12)

Non-threatening environment

Skilled moderator

Intensive and carefully planned discussion

Why (not) focus groups?

Advantages:

Relatively rich qualitative data

Intelligibility to participants

Peer-group security

Why (not) focus groups?

Disadvantages:

Non-random sampling

Limited researcher control

Groupthink

Labor intensive

Even where quality statistical data are available, the “bare facts” rarely speak for themselves.

Focus groups can supplement analysis of available statistical data with intensive stakeholder consultation.

Focus groups do not require that the moderator be a member of the population from which the participants are drawn.

Focus groups and marginalized populations

Toward Regional GuidelinesToward Regional Guidelinesfor thefor the

Integration of RomsIntegration of Roms

Toward regional guidelines…

June 2003: Sida commissions and finances an assessment of the June 2003: Sida commissions and finances an assessment of the needs of the Romani population in the Republic of Macedonia.needs of the Romani population in the Republic of Macedonia.

  

September – November 2003: ECMI conducts September – November 2003: ECMI conducts needs assessment, needs assessment, making use of existing organizational infrastructure.making use of existing organizational infrastructure.  

In addition to focusing on the Romani population in general, the In addition to focusing on the Romani population in general, the evaluation attendsevaluation attends to the position of Romani women relative both to the position of Romani women relative both to Romani men and to the non-Romani population.to Romani men and to the non-Romani population.

The design of the needs assessment and the issues covered by it The design of the needs assessment and the issues covered by it are broadly applicable to other countries in the region, and a are broadly applicable to other countries in the region, and a similar initiative is currently underway in Serbia and Montenegrosimilar initiative is currently underway in Serbia and Montenegro..

The purpose of the project is to lay the groundwork for a set of guidelines to The purpose of the project is to lay the groundwork for a set of guidelines to increase the level of integration of Roms in Macedonia’s general population.increase the level of integration of Roms in Macedonia’s general population.

  

Macedonians Albanians Turks Roms Serbs Other64% 25% 4% 2.70% 2% 2%

(Data from 2002 census)Unofficial figures from Romani NGOs indicate that Roms are more than 6 %

Unofficial figures from Romani NGOs indicate that Roms are more than 6 %

• Discrepancy between census figures and informed estimates of size of Romani population

• Underestimating size of Romani population at census increases likelihood of overestimating unemployment and involvement in criminal activity among Roms

• Absence of global needs assessment on Roms

Needs for assessment

September 2003September 2003

October 2003October 2003November 2003November 2003

Analysis and Reporting Analysis and Reporting

DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION

State Statistical Office Ministries of: Education, Health, Interior, Justice, Social

Welfare State Employment Bureau UNICEF OSCE UNHCR Internet

FOCUS GROUPS FOCUS GROUPS

Contact with local NGOs for each region    Organizing focus groups in 6 ECMI

Regional NGO Resource Centres in Macedonia

Preparation of transcripts from focus groups

Project Activities

Focus Groups

Education Health Women and Girls Education Health Women and Girls 30.09.03 07.10.03 04.11.0330.09.03 07.10.03 04.11.03

Education Education 02.10.0302.10.03

Health Civil RightsHealth Civil Rights09.10.03 16.10.03 09.10.03 16.10.03

Civil RightsCivil Rights 14.10.0314.10.03

EmploymentEmployment28.10.0328.10.03

EmploymentEmployment30.10.0330.10.03