Participatory Research

EDC HHD Asia takes a broad and varied approach to participatory research to create specific, contextual methods to generate qualitative and quantitative data suitable to the needs of each project.

In addition to the tools of traditional social science methodology, we involve our partner agencies and key stakeholders in dialogue and critical reflection. Exercises for this process include needs assessments, monitoring site visits, evaluations, and feasibility studies.

We then translate this robust “living knowledge” into action, accommodating participants in the investigative process, and validating stakeholders’ experiences.

• We produced an overview and assessment of the civil society sector, recommending to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation the feasibility of various interventions and means of support to the sector. As part of the process we conducted in-depth interviews, multi-stakeholder workshops, and desk research.  A key component was the two-day workshop we facilitated with leaders of indigenous organizations.

• In China, we conducted focus group discussions with migrant workers, factory managers, and local government officials from five factories to develop a “picture” of the situation with the factories. We then developed recommendations for the design of a pilot program, which became the Migrant Worker Capacity Building and Better Factory Project, for which we subsequently worked in tandem with the Chinese Government.

For more information on these and our other programs, please see the Projects section of our site.