Field Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management Challenges

Field Research on Menstrual Hygiene Management Challenges

TERMS OF REFERENCE:

FIELD RESEARCH ON MENSTRUAL HYGIENE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

Research Assistants

Location:

Duration:

Start Date:

Reporting to: RESEARCH LEAD engaged in the project

Contract managed by: UNICEF

BACKGROUND

Emory University Center for Global Safe Water and UNICEF Collaboration

Since 2012, the Center for Global Safe Water at Emory University (CGSW) and UNICEF has collaborated in the field of MHM in WinS. CGSW and UNICEF are building on the mission to develop a shared learning agenda, with specific attention to menstrual hygiene management (MHM) among girls, specifically its role of limiting educational attainment. In-country collaborators and research assistants will be engaged to fulfill one of the key proposed project aims: to investigate and understand the range of challenges faced by schoolgirls during menstruation—as well as the determinants of those challenges—across a range of settings and cultural contexts. In order to understand the challenges girls face, qualitative research methods will be employed, including focus group discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews (IDIs, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and participatory learning activities (PLA). These methods will take place with adolescent-aged girls both in and out of school and from a variety of environments; school faculty, parents and peers may also be involved. Research assistants will be imperative to data collection and achieving the aims of this work

JOB DESCRIPTION

UNICEFand partner are seeking up to four (4)research assistants to assist with qualitative research on MHM. The total research assistant commitment will be up to three months (month– month 2015). Research Assistants will be based at the location and will report to research lead. Research assistants will work collaboratively with Research consultants on formative research components of the program, conduct focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, and be responsible for transcribing and translating the data collected. Specific details are outlined in the terms of reference.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The following outlines the details of what is expected from research assistants. Research Assistants must be capable of and available for the following activity

1. Working in a team under the supervision of theRESEARCH LEAD.

2. Training in qualitative data collection methods, research ethics, and research tool use. All Research Assistants working on the project must complete the whole 1-week training regardless of previous experience in with qualitative methods or data collection.

3. Translating research tools as appropriate for the local context (to be determined via conversations in country with Plan International and UNICEF team).

4. Pilot testing of research tools prior to official data collection.

5. Providing feedback about the tools prior to use, after the pilots, and throughout the data collection period.

6. Assisting with data collection and transportation scheduling and organizing.

7. Moderating in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participatory learning activities according to the agreed-upon data collection schedule.

8. Transcribing all recorded interviews, discussions, and activities into word documents. (Note: additional assistants may be hired to assist with this activity exclusively as needed).

9. Translating all transcribed data intolanguage. (Note: additional assistants may be hired to assist with this activity exclusively as needed).

10. Participating in meetings with the research team to discuss and review data collection activities, transcribed data, and proposed implementation strategies.

  1. Research Assistants should have the following qualifications:
  2. Experience using computers, including Microsoft office, and ability to organize, save, and share files.
  3. Ability to listen to recordings and type words into a document word-for-word, or verbatim. (Note: additional assistants may be hired to assist with this activity exclusively as needed).
  4. Ability to translate the transcribed information collected into English. (Note: additional assistants may be hired to assist with this activity exclusively as needed).
  5. Research Assistants ideally also have the following qualifications:
  1. Experience in qualitative data collection (conducting FGDs and IDIs).
  2. Experience working with adolescent girls and/or boys on sensitive topics.

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