Guide for Community Assessments on Women's Health Care - ICRW

Keep Objectives in Mind
As the facilitator, your job is to keep the discussion and process in line with the workshop’s
objectives. What in<strong>for</strong>mation are you looking <strong>for</strong>? Why? What is important to know, and what is not
very useful? If the discussion does not go according to plan, think about the purpose and outcomes
of the exercise to determine how to ensure you get the in<strong>for</strong>mation you need.
Verify and Compare In<strong>for</strong>mation: <strong>Community</strong> assessment workshops are designed to obtain
in<strong>for</strong>mation from different sources: HIV-positive women, untested women, health care service
providers and community leaders. One of your tasks as facilitator is to cross-check and compare
this in<strong>for</strong>mation. For example, if you get incomplete or confusing in<strong>for</strong>mation from one group of
participants, ask the same question to a different group and compare their views. You will also have
an opportunity to bring together all four groups to examine what they agree on.
Clarify the Meaning of Key Words: It is important to ensure that you and participants are using
the same language. You may assume that you share a common understanding of a term, but later
discover that they understood it differently.
Find Ways to Equalize Participation
In some workshops you will find a few dominant participants. For example, women may say little and
instead defer to male participants to speak <strong>for</strong> them.
Follow these principles to involve everyone in the group:
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Establish ground rules that promote everyone’s participation.
Direct questions to the quieter participants and encourage them to contribute.
Divide into pairs or small groups to get everyone talking.
Go around the circle getting one point from each person.
Handle Sensitive Issues
Be prepared to manage sensitive issues, especially when talking about sexual and reproductive
health. In many societies, talking in public about topics related to sex is taboo.
Part of the skill in managing these issues is to build an atmosphere of openness. The body mapping
exercise is particularly effective in getting people to talk about sensitive issues.
Facilitators should prepare be<strong>for</strong>ehand. You may be uncom<strong>for</strong>table talking about sexual body
parts and their functions, or issues such as rape, child abuse, abortion or female genital cutting.
If you will facilitate these discussions, you need to be able to discuss these issues without feeling
uncom<strong>for</strong>table. Practice ahead of time with other team members.
While the workshop’s goal is to explore issues, be careful not to expose or isolate participants, or
proceed into discussions beyond the scope of the workshop. To manage sensitive issues, facilitators
should:
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Get as much in<strong>for</strong>mation as possible be<strong>for</strong>ehand on potentially sensitive areas and work out
strategies to bring out these issues and handle them well.
Include facilitators who are from the community and more attuned to sensitive issues. Work
closely with local partners who understand the culture and can lead the discussion around
these issues.
Observe the group’s body language to determine whether to explore an issue and or back off.
People who don’t want to discuss something may avoid eye contact or cross their arms.
68 Chapter D: Tips <strong>for</strong> Running Participatory Workshops