IMPLEMENTING VACS Experiences and Findings from Cambodia
Content 1. Cambodian context 2. Collaboration Steering Committee 3. Sampling design 4. Questionnaire development 5. Electronic data collection 6. Supervisor and enumerator selection 7. Enumerator training 8. Response plan
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 GDP per capita, USD Cambodia Context The Economy has rebounded strongly from the crisis Cambodia's Gross Domestic Product Growth (%) 900 14 13.3 800 11.9 12 700 10.8 10.3 10.2 10 600 8.8 8.5 8.0 8 500 6.7 6.7 6.4 6.5 6.5 6.0 6 400 5.4 5.6 5.0 7.0 4 2 300 200 100 0.1 0 0 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 GDP Note: per capita 2012 and 255 2013 are 286 ADB estimates. 295 319 340 367 417 487 558 656 760 753 830 Source: ADB Asian Development Outlook 2012; World Development Indicators, World Bank. Source: Chart adapted from National Accounts of Cambodia, National Institute of Statistics, 1998-2010.
Tremendous progress made in terms of poverty reduction 40 35 30 25 CSES Measured and CDB Computed Poverty Rates 35 34 33 31 30 30 29 27 26 CDB CSES 24 23 20 15 23 21 20 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 CDB: 2011 POVERTY BY DISTRICT National 2004 2011 CDB: 2004 POVERTY BY DISTRICT National OMC OMC BMC SRP PVR STG RAT BMC SRP PVR STG RAT PLN BAT KPT KRT MKR PLN BAT KPT KRT MKR PUR PUR KCH KPC KCH KPC KKG SHV KSP KAM KEP PNP KDL TAK PVG SVR Poverty 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-42 KKG SHV KSP KAM KEP PNP KDL TAK PVG SVR Poverty 0-10 10-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 50-55 4
But large regional disparities persist.. Poverty Rates by Province - CDB 2011 40 35 33 33 34 36 37 37 30 25 20 15 15 16 16 17 20 20 20 20 22 24 25 26 28 28 28 29 29 23 10 5 0 0 5
.. and the gap between best and worst has increased 50 45 40 35 19.STG 10.KRT 30 27.85 25 20 15 10 10.KRT 15.PUR 22.66 18.SHV 19.STG 17.35 20.SVR 15.56 24.PLN Camobodia 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Timeline VACS Cambodia First discussions on VACS started in 2009 Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee established in 2010 A thorough process of capacity building and preparation followed Since 2011, members of the Steering Committee have provided input into the development of survey tools and the ethical protocol In 2012 the focus was on pilot testing of survey tools, finalization and approval of the ethical protocol and development of the response plan Comprehensive training of survey teams followed (end 2012/beginning 2013) Fieldwork conducted in February and March 2013 Cambodia is currently analyzing the preliminary findings
Management structure of the study
Collaboration within the Steering Committee Government UN Agencies NGOs Others
Representation from 8 ministries The Ministry of Women s Affairs as the chair The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation as the co-chair The National Institute of Statistics implementing the field work and involved in data analysis Attention for capacity development as part of the preparation process as well as during regular Steering Committee meetings Lessons learned 1. Ensure representation beyond the technical level 2. Process in Cambodia could have benefitted from early inclusion of ministries as the Ministry of Cult and Religion or the Ministry of Labour
Sampling design Four-stages Stage 1 225 villages selected (27% urban and 73% rural) Stage 2 225 enumerator areas (EAs) selected within those villages (106 female and 119 male) Stage 3 25 households selected in each EA Stage 4 One eligible respondent randomly selected from list of eligible respondents (using the Kish Method) Sampling frame originally compiled by the National Institute of Statistics for the Cambodia Inter-censal Population Survey 2013 Mapping and listing team visited all randomly selected EAs to map and list structures Expected Realized Response Female 1008 1121 94% Male 1008 1255 92%
Questionnaire development Questionnaire contextualized by the Technical Working Group on Questionnaire Review Further changes based on finding from the cognitive lab in the Philippines, training of supervisors and enumerators and field-testing Additions Changes were made to: Language deleted or simplified Introductions removed or shortened Minor revisions to questions Changes to the flow of the questionnaire Inclusion of screener questions and skip patterns Lessons learned
Additions unique to Cambodia People living in the community Physical Violence Including teachers, police, religious or community leaders, friends classmates or even strangers. Has one of the people ever: Sexual Violence -Was anyone else home at the time? -Who else was at home at the time? Non-Contact Sexual Violence/Exploitation -Forced you to watch sex photos or sex videos against your will -Forced you to be in a sex photo or video against your will
Lessons learned Ensure language is spoken dialogue Enumerators found that those who were sexually active and those who were better educated had fewer problems understanding the questions Conduct a small focus group discussion with supervisors and enumerators to recheck the questionnaire before entering in CSPro (the software running on the PDAs) Physical violence section found to be very long The physical and sexual violence sections are structured differently found to be confusing
Electronic data collection Eliminated routing errors Reduced training on skip pattern sequencing Significantly reduced data entry errors Excellent opportunity for capacity building Reduced the costs of the study Reduced overall time for data collection However.
Some respondents worried the machines could take their pictures enumerators had to reassure that this was not possible In some cases, the visibility of the machines drew extra attention to teams Program errors occasionally interrupted interviews Machines proved susceptible to humidity and high temperatures: - Caused them to be charged more often than anticipated spare batteries were useful - In some cases led them to shut down during the interview
Supervisor and enumerator selection Lessons learned Assure careful selection of supervisors and enumerators with a relevant background and supportive attitude Be considerate of age Make sure you have a big enough group so you are able to keep the best
Enumerator training Reduced time on skip patterns and logic sequencing More time for training: Partnership with NGOs Additional training topics Role plays with social workers to practice Practice the response plan
Additional training topics Beliefs and facts about violence against children Child development The needs of children Violence against boys and young men The impact and indicators of abuse How to communicate with children Talking about violence and sex Vicarious trauma and self-care
~ Belief ~ She gets raped because she wears sexy clothes; She must want it, that is why she gets raped First session by the NGOs Highlighted worrying myths and misunderstandings Crucial to identify these early in order to be able to address them throughout the training If unaddressed this can seriously comprise the quality of data collected
Talking about violence and sex Important sessions to include as disclosure of violence may be impacted when: Enumerators are shy or reluctant to ask specific questions And This fear or reluctance leads them to avoid asking important questions, or ask questions in a way that makes it hard for the respondent to answer
Enumerator training Reduced time on skip patterns and logic sequencing More time for training: Partnership with NGOs Additional training topics Role plays with social workers to practice Practice the response plan
Trainers played the role of children and young people Answered and disclosed information as if they were the respondent Hided or kept information if they did not feel safe After the interview trainers revealed whether they disclosed or not and explained why Extra training days were added value due to the effectiveness of these role plays
Enumerator training Reduced time on skip patterns and logic sequencing More time for training: Partnership with NGOs Additional training topics Role plays with social workers to practice Practice the response plan
Important sessions as limited understanding on the need for a response plan, particularly in case of physical violence The NGOs delivering these sessions also implemented the response plan, supervised by the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation
The response plan Support offered Directory of services shared with all respondents Direct referral services (the response plan) to respondents who became upset, who indicated not to feel safe in their current living situation or who had experienced abuse of any form in the past Roles and responsibilities Leadership and development the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation Referral and service provision Social Services of Cambodia and First Step Cambodia
Findings from the response plan Mix of telephone counselling and outreach by social workers Telephone only 10 (1-8 calls) Visit and telephone 16 (1-4 visits) In total 26 cases were referred Timing Age Types of cases Females versus males
Most referrals during the first 2 weeks of field work
Cases covered all ages. 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 Age of people referred 0 1 2 3 4 5
Types of cases encountered 1 3 Physical abuse Emotional abuse 5 10 Labour exploitation Sexual assault 1 7 Sexual harassment Unknown
5 out of 6 female teams made referrals 24 out of 26 referrals involved females 2 out of 8 male teams made referrals 2 out of 26 referrals involved males About half of all referrals by one of the female teams
Lessons learned Ensure the response plan is ready before training of supervisors and enumerators Allow sufficient time for training on the response plan, including practice time Assure telephone counselling skills are available to respond to cases
Final lesson learned A recommendation to other countries would be to conduct qualitative research before implementing the survey with a focus on: - Issues around disclosure (who do young people talk to, when and why) - Taboos and norms and young people s attitudes towards talking about sex and sexuality - Terminology, language and translation
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