A few months ago, I went on a data collection assignment as part of a national consultation team to study specific barriers and constraints faced by Ethiopian women. I was excited for the task because I believe every data collection process is an opportunity to navigate a different environment and gain further insight into people’s reality.
My natural instinct is to plan everything, but in this case, I knew I had to be adaptable. Even though I am a young Ethiopian woman, I was conscious that I was going to have to build rapport as an outsider. I worked with my co-researcher to consider various scenarios and incidents that may arise. The difficulties we might face as two young women out in the field, conducting gender research in a patriarchal society were discussed in depth.
Our data collection assignment was based in a small town in the south-western part of Ethiopia. The majority of the population spoke Amharic, the country’s official language. I am an Amharic speaker, making it easier for us to collect data in most parts of the town. However, we were still viewed as outsiders. Some people showed a reluctance to participate in interviews, preferring to watch us from a distance. Even after being assured of confidentiality and purpose through the use of informed consent, and the fact that we did not take participants names, we noticed some people had reservations about discussing some topics. Several FGD respondents chose not to write their names on the attendance list, claiming that is was at odds with the promises of confidentiality made in the consent form. Ironically, the fact that the consent form duly stressed the confidentiality of the interview process made some other participants more suspicious and uncomfortable about providing their information. Ethiopia’s history of political suppression and authoritarian regimes has left many citizens suspicious of outsiders.
We conducted one-to-one interviews, community discussions and focus group discussions. The community discussions were the hardest to manage because of the variety of participants. We tried to replicate the community by choosing heterogenous participants. Some people (e.g. the young) were reluctant to speak openly due to social norms that respect elders. It was very hard to make sure everyone participated and contributed to the discussion, especially when we were also two young women. With older age groups, the challenges had more to do with communications. In some discussions, people struggled to speak Amharic and we had to use a translator. We noticed that one question that was meant to say ‘in the last 25 years’ was translated to mean ‘after the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) came to power.’ Most of the respondents’ answers became positive and were highlighted with words and phrases frequently used by the leading party, EPRDF. We had to correct the translator and remind participants that we were impartial researchers with no political affiliation.
In focus group discussions, we faced other challenges. Some of the questions we were asking were considered intrusive by respondents who were not used to discussing gender in such depth and length. In one instance, a group of young girls in a focus group discussion (FGD) were too ashamed to answer a question regarding sexual and reproductive health and we had to put the question aside for later. We thought about the location of the focus groups to help participants feel more comfortable. We held the male youth FGDs in the local coffee shop so the young men would feel more comfortable to open up with two young women. However, we observed that the youth often became quiet or showed a greater disinterest to participate in the research when other people came into the coffee shop.
In groups composed of same sex participants, female respondents were more willing to give us information. However, male respondents were relatively apathetic during the data collection process – particularly regarding sensitive gender information. They kept their answers short and elusive. In male FGDs, young respondents either fully denied the existence of gender-based violence (GBV) or saw the ‘gender equality propaganda’ to be far-fetched and politicized. As two feminists it was challenging to keep a neutral and engaged expression.
Meanwhile, older male respondents were willing to speak more openly but were equally dismissive on the topic of GBV. Their evasive answers, however, made it feel like there was more to their responses than what they had chosen to say. After experiencing our fair share of catcalling in the area, we were surprised to hear young girls also disregard the topic of GBV as not important. However, with probing questions, it was evident that their definition of GBV did not include catcalling or abduction. Adult women, on the other hand, were willing to discuss the matter in depth, proving that sexual harassment and GBV do exist in the community. I found it perplexing and wondered how surveys can ever tell the truth about topics that lack definition and understanding or are taboo.
During our key informant interviews, female and male respondents had very different views regarding women’s challenges to empowerment. The female government officials cordially welcomed this question and were excited to share their personal experiences. According to them, external factors such as societal prejudice and lack of men’s support, as well as other women’s reluctance to take on leadership roles, impacted their individual struggle towards empowerment. The male respondents, on the other hand, were quick to disregard these claims. They believed women were setback mainly due to a lack of confidence and belief in themselves. As young female researchers we felt we were not taken seriously at times and this did affect our confidence. We wondered if we should be thinking about our own experiences or if we were too removed from the situation to relate?
All in all, the information gathered from the various respondents was different (as their opinions were highly influenced by their own experience). Women’s empowerment is perception based and so is GBV and women’s leadership. It matters who you ask, and our research has to be inclusive of different groups and population segments to capture and represent this diversity. This research was a great way for me to learn about gender and women’s empowerment at the grassroots level. It also showed me how long the journey toward empowerment and equality will take, given my country’s heterogeneity and systems of segregation and hierarchy.
More foundational work is needed to empower young rural women through capacity development efforts. If they cannot take up opportunities that arise because they lack confidence and if they do not have opportunities to practice a new way of being and knowing, then things will not change for a long time. It is similar for male youth who have little opportunity to partake in societal development agendas because age governs decision making. New ways to erode these systems of segregation are needed. Language, definitions and experiences all shape how we understand a topic, as an insider or an outsider.
I look forward to my next data collection experience for I know I will learn about myself as much as my respondents and my country.
Feminist observations from a gender data collection process in Ethiopia
By Hanna Lemma (a whip-smart, passionate researcher learning to appreciate her own power and position in the world)
