Village Savings and Loans Association Women’s Empowerment Project Burundi

1. Village Savings and Loans Association Women’s Empowerment ProjectBurundi A Guide for Interviewers

2. 1. Introduction to Surveying

3. Introduction • This is a baseline survey—it’s goal is to collect information from participants who will be involved in Village Savings and Loans Associations • We will be collecting a range of information through a verbally administered questionnaire • Today we will go through the basics of this project and how to conduct interviews

4. Administrative Arrangements • We will be surveying XX Communes and XX zones in a 10 day period • You will be working in teams for XX hours each day • Transportation will be arranged

5. Introduction to the Survey The Status of Women in Burundi • Legal Status • Socio-economic Status • Intimate partner violence • Economic empowerment and women’s empowerment

6. Understanding the Survey and Survey Questions • Familiarize yourself with the survey—you should know the types of questions asked and understand them • Explain why we need to collect this in private and be sure to maintain privacy throughout the interview • Explain that we are asking both about actual behavior (like spending) and attitudes. There are no wrong answer and we’re just trying to understand life and attitudes in Burundi

7. Introductory Script • This script introduces the questions and content of the survey. • You may read this to the entire group of participants before entering the private room

8. Informed Consent • It is very important that everyone is read and understands what is in the survey • Emphasize that their participation in the survey is not necessary for their participation in the VSLA • Try to reassure anyone who is worried that their answers are confidential and their input is important to us

9. Exercise 1: Survey Review • You will each get a copy of the survey • Ask if you do not understand a question, have questions about rewording a question, or are confused about something • Are there questions you would be uncomfortable asking? Why? • Are there questions you worry the respondent might feel uncomfortable answering? How can we increase their comfort level?

10. 2. Being an Interviewer

11. Defining the Role of the Interviewer • Survey Process • Asking questions as they are written • Being non-judgmental and respectful • Characteristics of a good interviewer • Daily Routine • Out in teams • Return forms to supervisor

12. General Interview Techniques • Be friendly, positive and prompt • Be persistent but not aggressive • Don’t form expectation • Understand the issues • Repeat a question as needed and change the words a little but make sure not to change the meaning. • Allow respondents to fully explain their answers fully, then choose the appropriate survey response

13. Troubleshooting • Common problems: • Refusal to participate (General) • Concerns about privacy • “Why me” • Answers “don’t know” to everything • What problems do you anticipate?

14. 3. Surveying about Domestic Violence

15. Domestic Violence in Burundi • Statistics are scarce: conflict and poor data collection make it difficult to have accurate measures of intimate partner violence. A study done by the Ligue ITEKA [Source: Ligue Burundaise des droits de l’homme, ITEKA, Réflexion sur la lutte contre les violences faitesaux femmes dans les ménages en mairie de Bujumbura, December 1999.] • 42% of women in a study in Bujumbura had experienced domestic violence • Poverty, orphan status, and displaced persons are at particular risk

16. Issues and Challenges to Empowerment • Limited decision-making power: Women have limited decision-making power within the household. In most parts of rural Africa, women are responsible for bringing income into the family by farming and petty trading, but possess limited control over how those resources are spent. • Increased exposure to risk Poor women and girls can be exposed to sexual violence on a daily basis because they must travel long distances to fetch water and firewood, and perform farm work • Multiple and excessive demands on time The excessive demand on poor women’s time and the multiple chores they perform, creates tensions in households that lead to domestic violence with its subsequent social, psychological and economic impact on families. • Lack of access to resources (especially land) Land is considered the most fundamental resource for living conditions, economic empowerment, equity and equality but women have no inheritance rights. Without the rights to own land, women’s economic and physical security is compromised and leaves them more vulnerable to violence. . • Under-representation in political structures: Socio-cultural attitudes held by the voting public stereotype women as being incapable of undertaking challenging leadership roles. Technical and financial restraints usually place women at a greater disadvantage than men during election times.

17. What is domestic violence? • Emotional and verbal abuse: Survivors of domestic violence recount stories of put-downs, public humiliation, name-calling, mind games and manipulation by their partners. Many say that the emotional abuse they have suffered has left the deepest scars. • Isolation: It is common for an abuser to be extremely jealous, and insist that the victim not see her friends or family members. The resulting feeling of isolation may then be increased for the victim if she loses her job as a result of absenteeism or decreased productivity (which are often associated with people who are experiencing domestic violence). • Threats and Intimidation: Threats -- including threats of violence, suicide, or of taking away the children -- are a very common tactic employed by the batterer. The existence of emotional and verbal abuse, attempts to isolate, and threats and intimidation within a relationship may be an indication that physical abuse is to follow.

18. Wheel of Power and Control

19. Exercise 3: What is gender-based violence? • Discuss all the different kinds of violence that are common in this community • Try to answer the following questions • Are all these acts of violence the same? • What kinds of differences are there between them? • What kinds of violence are more likely to happen to women and girls than to men and boys? • What do you think are the effects on the health of women and girls of this kind of violence? • Which types of violence are suffered primarily by women and girls, which are mostly experienced by men and boys, and which are suffered equally by men and women.

20. Safety and Ethical Concerns Working on a project that involves discussions of domestic violence can be extremely taxing, and it is important—both for ethical reasons and to ensure the quality of the data—that active steps are taken to protect the emotional well-being of field staff and the safety of the respondents.

21. Risks to the Interviewer • To ensure safety, it may be necessary to adopt any of the following • interviewers travel in pairs • carry mobile phones • use designated means of transport/drivers • assign a trusted male escort to accompany teams into certain neighborhoods known to be unsafe for women alone. • This is particularly true in circumstances where interviewers may have to conduct interviews in the evenings.

22. Risk to Participants • When discussing the survey with community or other household members, refer to the survey in general terms—such as a study on women’s experiences or opinions rather than mention violence or abuse directly. • If it becomes well known in the community that women are being questioned about violence, men may prohibit their partners from participating or may retaliate against them for their participation. In addition to potentially jeopardizing the safety of respondents, this could also undermine the survey objectives and data quality.

23. If you believe that the person is at risk of harm (1) Immediately contact the designated domestic violence counselor in your group This person will be able to provide resources and help counsel the survivor (2) Safety planning Try to do some safety planning with them. We’ll talk more about this shortly. (3) Regard survivors as experts on their own lives He or she knows the batterer well and can therefore usually judge his or her own risk pretty accurately. If the person tells you that something you are recommending will escalate her or his risk, this is probably true. If the person tells you that some other option has worked well for them in the past, then support them in taking that step again now. Denial is a critical and useful strategy for survivors. It is difficult to meet the normal demands of life if you are constantly thinking that someone you live with is going to harm or kill you. Often, using denial permits one to do what needs to be done in life. Sometimes, on the other hand, denial will prevent the survivor from recognizing their immediate risk. When you think this is the case, it is important to voice your concerns for the person’s safety to your supervisor and/or the designated counselor.

24. Safety Planning Every individual in an abusive relationship needs a safety plan. Safety plans should be individualized -- for example, taking account of age, marital status, whether children are involved, geographic location, and resources available -- but still contain common elements. When creating a safety plan: • Think about all possible escape routes. Doors, first-floor windows, basement exits, elevators, stairwells. Rehearse if possible. • Choose a place to go. To the home of a friend or relative who will offer unconditional support, somewhere you will feel safe. • Pack a survival kit. Money, a change of clothes, medicines, and valuable jewelry, and papers that show jointly owned assets. Conceal it in the home or leave it with a trusted neighbor, friend, or relative. • Avoid arguments with the abuser in areas with potential weapons. Kitchen, garage, or in small spaces without access to an outside door. • Know how to contact resources: The sheet provided which you can give to the respondent

25. Exercise 3: Crisis Scenario • Scenario 1: You are interviewing a woman who tells you her husband has tried to kill her several times in the past and she doesn’t know what to do. • Scenario 2: When asking about the presence of abuse, the respondent describes the use of weapons you believe may cause serious injury the respondent and her children. You offer resource list and a chance to talk with the counselor. She refuses.

26. 4. Self- Care

27. Taking Care of Yourself • Your own experience with violence is important to consider before and after hearing other’s experience • Listening to stories of violence and abuse, not unlike research in fields such as death and dying, may be draining and even overwhelming. • A common response to hearing stories about violence can be emotional responses similar to those of victims of trauma • Experience has shown that unless this reality is confronted directly, research projects can experience high rates of attrition among staff.

28. Physical: Trouble sleeping and/or eating Fatigue Nausea, dizziness, chest pains Difficulty Thinking Trouble making decisions Confusion Nightmares Behaviors Changes in how you act Silence/Talkativeness Substance Abuse Feelings Nervousness Fear Grief Depression Secondary Trauma Reactions

29. Common Problems • Rescuing Angel • You can help only so much • Do not assume you know better than the survivor. She knows her situation better than you do • Hero Syndrome • Do not “jump in” to any situation—wait to be asked for help • Be careful not to heighten the emotions in the situation.

30. Coping Strategies for Interviewers • Survey teams should meet regularly to debrief after interviews • Admit you are working in a difficult situation: If you need a break—Talk to your supervisor • Be kind to yourself

31. Exercise 4: Strategies for Coping • Coping strategies to use between interviews • Coping strategies to use after a day of interviews

32. 5. Practicing the Interviews

33. Interview Techniques • Although trainees may worry that women will be offended by such sensitive questions, experience has shown that women rarely refuse to answer questions on violence unless they feel that it is not safe to do so. In fact, there is ample evidence that most women welcome the opportunity to tell their stories if they are asked in a sympathetic, non-judgmental way. • Participating in research interviews on sensitive topics can provoke powerful emotional responses in some participants. The interview may cause a woman to relive painful and frightening events, and this in itself can be distressing if she does not have a supportive social environment. • Most women who become emotional during an interview actively choose to proceed, after being given a moment to collect themselves.

34. Exercise 5: Practice DV Module • Take turns asking and answering the attitudes and screening for domestic violence questions. Try to come up with ways to deal with • Refusal to answer these questions • Fear of answering due to concerns about privacy • Response of “don’t know” or don’t care • Request help

35. Demonstration Interview • We’re going to do 2 demonstration interviews • Volunteers will follow script • You must explain the survey, obtain consent and deal with potential refusal to participate

36. Practice Role Playing • Remember the demonstration interview: you need to: • Read Introduction Script to the Survey • Explain the survey • Obtain Consent • Conduct interview • Submit your completed form to your “supervisor”

37. Exercise 6: Mock Interviews • We are going to pair you up and each person will get a chance to do the interview • Supervisors will be walking around to observe and provide feedback