CANADA NEPAL GENDER IN ORGANIZATIONS

Section II: Outcomes Mapping

8. Methodology

Process and Schedule | Methods and Tools | Role of Canadian Consultant
Role of Nepali Consultant and PNGO Team | Limitations and Challenges

8.1. Introduction

The focus of the outcome mapping is on the changes within the PNGOs and the impacts at the community, other NGOs in the district (civil society), and local government. The methodologies and tools were designed to be participatory, to enable learning, and to increase transparency and sharing.

8.2. Team Members

The entire mapping team are "insiders" to the CNGO project (see team names in Annex 3), therefore measures were designed to triangulate and validate the data. Each member brings a bias or perspective. Yet insiders also are the quickest to zero in on weaknesses and vulnerable places, to know the project history and dig for both successes and failures, and thus to know what was intended as well as what happened. The reason for an insider team therefore is to jointly assess each other - the PNGOs - and the project results so that the results are owned by the project stakeholders.

PNGO team members were among the strongest and most capable from their organization. Their participation on the evaluation team took them away from participating in their own PNGO evaluation. Thus, for example, empowerment scores bear some limitation due to the absence of the most empowered PNGO members in the focus groups.

All members of the team were committed to make the process fair and objective.

8.3. Process and Schedule

The mission was jointly designed by the consultants, the CNGO project manager and the CNGO director. The design phase commenced in March 2004 and the final report was submitted to CNGO at the end of September. (see annex 4 for details)

8.4. Methods and Tools

A variety of methods were employed: semi-structured interviews, focus groups, PRA tools, and review of secondary data from the PNGOs and CNGO. The Canadian consultant conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from the PNGOs and district, individually and in small focus groups. The Nepali consultant and PNGO team collected data with PNGOs and CBI Fund beneficiaries. Both authors reviewed project documents for further details and validation. The following sections provide a broad outline of the process and tools, and further details are included in annex 5.

8.4.1. Role of Canadian Consultant

The interviews conducted by the Canadian consultant enabled an in-depth reflection with key members of each PNGO to complement and supplement the tools used with the PNGOs and beneficiaries. The PNGO members who were personally interviewed answered questions on the changes in themselves and the organization, gender equality in the organization, adoption of learning organization characteristics, and sustainability as a GRO. Semi-structured interviews were also used with the in-charge for the CBI#3 projects to assess the usefulness of the projects and the quality of the linkage; and with the Local Development Officer (LDO) and Woman Development Officer (WDO) as key district stakeholders that interacted with CNGO and the PNGOs. Either individual interviews or focus groups were held with some of the gender allies¹⁰ , GEC, NGO associations, and DDC-NGO committee members to assess the changes that occurred in the district due to these programs, and to validate data on the PNGOs. The questionnaire guideline is included in annex 5.

8.4.2. Role of Nepali Consultant and PNGO Team

The Nepali consultant led the PNGO teams and provided great depth of experience on NGOs and gender change. Two senior members (F/M or F/F) were selected by CNGO from each PNGO for the team. Each PNGO team member participated in the orientation and planning workshop to design the tools and practice their use. Each person then conducted the evaluation in their own district with the other PNGO in their district (not their own PNGO), and also in one other district in their cluster. For example, team A was formed by one PNGO (two people) that evaluated the other PNGO in their district, along with two people from another district. Team B was similarly structured.

The teams met with the PNGOs (one day), the PPNGOs (half day), the CBI Fund community project beneficiaries (half day), and the LA beneficiaries (couple of hours). The tools used with the PNGOs are based on the organizational assessment "spider diagram" that the PNGOs have used, which assesses four areas:

internal organizational systems and practices (vision statement, personnel policies, etc),
external linkages with stakeholders including the community, local government and other like-minded organizations,
program design, implementation and monitoring, and
gender capacity such as knowledge and integration in organization and programs.

One indicator for each of the four areas was used to delve deeply into the PNGO. The following chart summarizes the source of the data, the indicator, the tool/method and the outcomes being tested.

Source of data	Indicator	Tool & Method	Outcome
PNGOs & PPNGOs	Internal: Decision making processes – who benefits, how	Decision making matrix Focus group, with separate women and men groups	Capacity for open communication, transparency, accountability, with equal participation and benefits for women and Dalits
	External: Number & type of linkages, made by women or men	Venn Diagram Focus group	Linkage development leading to gender equality results
	Program: the degree that strategic gender interests are met in programs	List programs and identify how they meet strategic gender needs Focus group	Clarity on importance of addressing strategic gender interests in programs
	Gender: women empowered in organization at control level	Empowerment Index Focus group, separate women and men’s groups	Culture of gender equality with women in control (empowered) in PNGO
Community groups (CBI #2)	Women increase in access and control of benefits	Gender Analysis Matrix Focus group	Project benefits accruing to women
	Women’s ability to travel increased	Mobility Map Focus group	Increase in mobility due to project
Line Agency trainees & LA in-charge	Change in trainees perception on gender concepts	Semi-structured questionnaire Focus group and individual interviews	Changes and benefits to trainees and to community

The tools are described in detail in Annex 5.

A stakeholders meeting was held on the final day in each district to present the preliminary findings to the PNGOs and other people who participated in the outcomes mapping. The PNGO team members presented the findings.

An evaluation team meeting was held in Janakpur and in Dadeldhura after each cluster evaluation was completed. The purpose was to reflect on the evaluation experience, what was learned and how these new skills could be applied.

8.5. Limitations and Challenges

A challenge for the PNGOs was in assessing their "neighbours" - the other PNGO in their district.
Since a new team formed for each district, the consultants were continually reviewing the tools with the team.
Some team members did not take the process seriously enough.
Often, district officials that had participated in the CNGO events and processes, have already transferred to new districts. People who are new to the CNGO project are usually less knowledgeable about the project, although they can be a useful test of whether the work has been sustained or systemized and whether there is continuity.
Appointments were made by the host district PNGOs, in accordance with the schedule agreed at the orientation workshop. Problems encountered:
Confusion about who to contact and what times to arrange
Lateness in contacting people for meetings
Planting season for community women
LA/DDC officials out of district during the entire interview period
Banda's (general strikes) necessitated rescheduling the time in districts
Tense situation necessitated fieldtrips nearby the PNGO or in district headquarters only rather than in more distant locations
Lateness by interviewees/participants in attending meetings meant that the schedule fell behind, resulting in time pressure for report writing and analysis
Stakeholder meetings were not always attended by district officials