Annex II: Checklist for developing and implementing an M&E framework for SRGBV

How to develop and implement an M&E framework for SRGBV? A sample checklist 

Steps 

Who Leads 

1.

Contextual analysis: Assess the situation for entry points and spaces for strategic intervention on SRGBV using formative research, including literature review/policy analysis and secondary data sources. 

2.

Design your M&E framework: Identify core activities and the theory of change involved in these, with your organization’s potential contribution. [A theory of change is a tool that allows you to describe the sequence of change: starting with the need you are trying to address, the changes you want to make (your outcomes), and what you plan to do (your activities).]

3.

Identify suitable M&E methods throughout the programming cycle – e.g. collecting baseline data in the design phase, a participatory assessment of gender equality in schools, ongoing monitoring and analysis of programme activities and outputs, participatory mid-term assessment, evaluation. 

4.

Design SRGBV indicators: Ensure you have a good balance of quantitative and qualitative indicators.

5.

Outline a timeframe for conducting monitoring activities with partners (e.g. other key ministries, school administration and teachers, NGOs providing health and counselling services to adolescents) and other stakeholders such as parent associations.

6.

Map out potential data sources and data collection points (key primary and secondary data sources, informants to interview, meetings and events to evaluate). Schools are typically the basic unit of analysis for SRGBV monitoring, and Leach et al (2013) recommend that at least a 10 per cent sample of schools are selected. In some contexts, a ‘control’ sample of schools may also be part of the M&E design. The location for conducting interviews is especially important in SRGBV so that perpetrators do not have the opportunity to observe who is being interviewed or how they respond.

7.

Look at budget requirements: What can be done in-house, what needs external input and what might that cost?

8.

Design data collection instruments: Examples include: confidential surveys to be filled out by pupils and/or teachers; semi-structured interview guides; focus group discussion guides; participatory tools to explore specific issues; observation cards; classroom observation formats. Also consider including self-administered electronic data collection methods where feasible as a way to keep responses confidential and help participants feel more comfortable. Keep in mind the time needed to complete surveys – very long surveys may not be appropriate for young children when designing instruments.

9.

Secure Institutional Review Board approval: Working with children on such a sensitive issue as SRGBV requires an institutional review board (IRB) approval. An IRB, also known as an independent ethics committee, ethical review board, or research ethics board, is a committee that has been formally designated to approve, monitor and review biomedical and behavioural research involving humans. A key goal of IRBs is to protect human subjects from physical or psychological harm, which they attempt to do by reviewing research protocols and related materials. Institutional review board processes can take several months so that should be taken into account early in the planning process.

10.

Pilot data collection instruments: See Step 8 for examples of possible data collection instruments that need to be piloted before they can be administered.

11.

Identify ethical, safety and methodological considerations and ensure that staff are fully aware of, and trained to handle, these considerations: For example, how to address a disclosure, from referrals to appropriate services or having a social worker/counsellor on hand? How to deal with mandatory reporting laws that exist in many countries? It is important to be aware that we are asking about things that are often seen as taboo, and/or may be perceived as being critical of local culture and norms. Therefore, more than in other fields/sectors, it is important to think about sensitive ways to engage people.

12.

Recruitment and training of research team/enumerators: This is an extremely important step for SRGBV M&E and research to ensure the research team use child-friendly, sensitive methods and know how to handle reports of SRGBV in an appropriate way. They should ideally match the participant’s sex and status and culture, but not come from the same community (because participants could be afraid to reveal incidents to someone from their own community) and should not be perpetrators themselves.

13.

Initial engagement with communities: It is important to keep in mind that survivors and perpetrators may be among the stakeholders you engage with, and perpetrators may pressure survivors or others not to reveal things. You might consider talking to groups separately and talk to student groups before talking to teachers groups as one approach to address this problem.

14.

Collect primary baseline data, analyse and collate results.

15.

Conduct ongoing monitoring and evaluation (Adjust activities as required.

Adapted from: Littlewood et al (2015); Leach et al (2013)