Qualitative Methods to Measure Girls Empowerment

By Ranjani K Murthyfor Dasra Social Impact Accelerator Programme, January 19-22, 2016

My Brief

To demonstrate qualitative methods for measuring girls’ empowerment and how is it different from measuring other aspects of programs

ObjectivesConcept of

empowerment

Empowerment of AGs

Methods to measure

empowerment

Factors that should be kept in

mind

Challenges - AGs

Empowerment

Power to• Exercise

control over one’s life

Power with• Collective

action and change

Power within• Strategic

attitudes, self esteem

Source: Rowlands, 1998

Empowerment - adolescent girls (10-14 years)

Power to

Power with

Power within

Identities that have a bearing on AGs (10-14 years)

AGs

Caste andClass

EthnicityReligion

Age

Spatial location

Survivor/notAccess to

school

Birth orderColour

Abilities/Ilness

Sexual orientation /

Gender identity??

Institutions (Kabeer 1994, Murthy and Rao, 1997)

State

Markets

FamilyCommunity

Supra state

SchoolsMedia

Participatory methods for evaluation (AG 10-14 years)

Power to: Mapping i) GDOL, 24 hour clock, mobility and perceived competencies, ii) Access to institutions and services, iii) Access to leadership positions iv) decision making v) Gender and identity based violence/discrimination mapping,

Power with: Choose the spot on unity, collective action on practical and strategic issues, action on discrimination and violence against girls

Power within: Attitudinal mapping on gender and social equity, confidence mapping and self worth mapping

Composite

Road map of change

Gender analysis matrix

Empowerment mapping

Body mapping

Road map of change-individual (Adapted –Linda Mayoux, 2010)

Questions• Kindly draw a road, the

direction and shape of which shows the changes in your life since the year X?

• What are the factors that contributed to improvement, status quo or deterioration?

• Which of these factors are to do with the AGs’ Empowerment Programme?

• What more could the Programme do to take you along the path you want to go?

Empowerment mapping(Adapted –Linda Mayoux, 2010)

Steps in empowerment mapping

Group

debates

criteria for empowerment

Individual girl map

s changes

Ascertaini

ng contribution of programm

e

Recommendations

In group or individually

Use photos if necessary

Gender Analysis Matrix + - = (adapted from Rani Parker, individually or in gp)

Resources Skills/knowledge

Decision making

Body AttitudesDignity

Individual

Peers

Family

School

Transport

Community

Body mapping for evaluation (individual, only 14+)

Narayan n.d

Rank 1-4 B/A

Questions in sports based AG empowerment programme

Parts of body

Questions/criteria for assessing control

Feet

Have your visited any new places? Alone or with somebody?

Legs

Are you using legs for anything new? Do you dress differently now?

Vagina

Has anything changed in how you handle menstrual periods? Or your vaginal area?

Breasts

Do you examine your breasts without feeling ashamed? Do you examine for lumps?

Heart

Happiness level now and before; ability to deal with a no from someone you like

Hands

Have you done anything new with your hand in a bank? In computer?

Mouth

Have you used your mouth in helping others in cases of GBV? To solve interpersonal problems?

Mind

Has your attitude changed on gender equality? Has your attitude changes on social issues like caste, religion, disability etc? Give examples

Other methods

Confidence mapping (individually or in group)

1. Ask AG (s) to make a list of stakeholders important in her life

2. Put four cards with labels 1,2,3,4 3. Read the name of each stakeholder. 4. Ask the AG (s) to rank her sense of confidence vis a vis

each stakeholder, higher the rating more the confidence

5. Explore whether her rating has changed after the period the programme started, and find why

6. Explore what more the orgn can do

Social mapping from AG lens

Caste-discrimination mapping (individual dalits, gp all)

• Explore caste based seating arrangements in transport, and changes if any

• Explore caste based mixing of girls in classes and sports and changes if any

• Explore caste based eating arrangements and visiting each other and changes if any

• Explore caste based relationships with boys (older)• Explore caste based allocation of work in school or

outside for AGs and changes if any

Caste discrimination example

Story telling on discrimination (in group)

(Murthy and Sagayam, 2006)

• Story of the thirsty fox and thirsty crane which are both given a beaker of water

• Question after story: Did you ever feel like the fox or crane in the story during relief and rehab? Why? What more could the government do?

Participatory assessment of government programmes: General and gender specific (group)

Attitudinal change mapping (individually)

Inter caste marriage

What is present

attitude? What has changed

favourably and what has not?

Why? What was +ve from beginning

Violence against girls/women mapping (slums)

Methodology

• Minimum 30 of each method

• Before-after comparison

• Control group difficult

• Quantification (software)

• Contribution analysis- differences

Factors to be kept in mind: (1)

Inclusion

Privacy

Expertise

Experience

Democratic

Factors to be kept in mind (2)

Choose metho

ds

Same sex

facilitator

Empower

Debriefing

Added challenges in measuring empowerment of AGs

Time

Best interest of the child

Counseling servicesHelp line

Stakeholders- awareness

Age appropriate

Peer influence

Thank youYou

Learning

Me