Iraq Assessment Working Group Rapid Needs Assessment Tips, Tricks, and Coordination Tools Session 7 3 January 2018

Introduction This short presentation will look at 4 key topics essential to carrying out successful RNAs. Coordination platforms GPS Points English translations and place names Tips for RNA interviews

Coordination platforms: Skype The RNA Skype group is active with over 100 members and can be regularly used to: Ask any questions openly about all parts of the RNA process Ask other partners questions concerning their areas of interest or experience using the RNA Announce that you are planning to conduct RNAs in a certain area at a certain time Announce that you have submitted RNA forms Link: https://join.skype.com/hkT1ObE2kcrm For private interactions or questions concerning the RNA you are urged to email either Alex (lazau-ratz@un.org) or Adam (adam.james@reach-initiative.org)

Coordination platforms: Tracking sheet Once you have decided on an area to conduct an RNA you are urged to fill in the details of your organization on the online tracking document in order to avoid overlap and keep us up to date. Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ipsjfJ6z4rzaXIHx40U0IzQjxonj__NK8A84kXi4vuc/edit?u sp=sharing

Coordination platforms: Online dashboard and map Link: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/iraq/iraq-rna Covered extensively in the previous presentation. Good way to check who has done what and where

Coordination platforms: Assessment Registry Link: https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/iraq/assessments/table An OCHA-managed platform/service provided to all humanitarian actors. This is not specific to RNA, but a good way of finding out what other assessments have been conducted by partners in the area you are considering for a rapid assessment Platform as good as reporting that goes in it. Responsible entities to keep it updated: cluster IMOs and OCHA IMOs for multi-sectoral/joint assessments. Kindly share all assessment (information for assessment 3W/metadata or report) with clusters and ask them to upload it on the AR.

GPS Points In order to keep the interactive RNA online dashboard map up to date and to correctly understand findings it is important to do two things. Correctly input the GPS coordinates for the areas you have assessed Use standardised English language village/neighbourhood names where possible

GPS Points GPS points are a required question and you can not submit an RNA form without them. There are two options for inputting the GPS points: If you submit the final form on the computer you can simply click on the map to record the GPS coordinates Or you can record them in the field using KoBo GPS Points

Submit form on the computer and click on the map If submitting the form on the computer you can simply zoom into the assessed village, town or neighbourhood, click where you were and it will automatically generate the GPS points.

GPS Coordinates in the field Unfortunately you can not type in the GPS locations directly into the Kobo. So if you are planning to submit the form from a phone/tablet you need to record the GPS points when you are in the field, then use this form when you are back in the office to submit the final questionnaire. Open a blank form in the field ‘Skip to end’ then scroll one page back to question 13.08 Record your location Save and exit this form Use this blank form later when you submit your final form

Record coordinates using KoBo GPS On LOCATION settings, TAP balloon (GPS) icon and leave it ON always. Please turn off data Wait for the location to be recorded. This can take some time. If it doesn’t go back and try again. At the location page, question 13.08, click ‘record location’ You can now move to the next page Keep waiting for the question to record the exact location, you will see the longer you wait the more accurate it will be, don’t just move on to the next question as soon as it finds where you are. PUSH THE GPS BUTTON of the phone/tablet and leave it ON always. This will make the phone/tablet always on stand-by mode to track satellites to capture GPS coordinates whenever they are in field (WILL GO A LONG WAY IF PARTNER/ENUMERATORS STICK TO THIS APPROACH); rather than just putting it ON when arriving to the AOI to conduct assessment (time delay will set in some areas).

Place names There are many different names used for villages and city neighbourhoods across Iraq. To avoid confusion it is important that partners submit their form using an English language standardized village/neighbourhood name and spelling. You can find this name on the left hand columns of the RNA Tracking and Planning sheet, shared earlier. Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ipsjfJ6z4rzaXIHx40U0IzQjxonj__NK8A84kXi4 vuc/edit?usp=sharing

Location names Names and spellings of villages for the RNA Alternative names used This sheet contains almost 24,000 village names. Scroll to the right and you can filter it by Governorate and District.

RNA Interview tips Be weary of KIs hiding issues Often key informants, being an important member of society or local representative, may attempt to hide or distort the gravity of the situation in their area, eg. claiming access to education is better than it is.

RNA Interview tips Let interviewees talk freely and don’t always read out the answers Especially important during the questions on the ‘main issues’. Ask the participants what the main issue is, let them come to an agreement, and find that option in the tool. If it isn’t there, there is always the ‘other’ option. Then do the same for the secondary issue.

RNA Interview tips 3. Questions about which group are most affected require attention If participants interviewed are all from one population group eg. IDPs or returnees, they will likely only identify themselves as the most affected. Here triangulating the CGDs with the KI interviews becomes especially important.

RNA Interview tips 4. Questions about the proportion of the population affected In this question participants here often exaggerate. This exaggeration is often noticed when the enumerators draws attention to the severity of the answer. CGDs tend to either confirm the severity or downgrade it but it is advisable to question if it seems very high. Give example of enumerators using the group interview as an example, eg are 100% of you ill, injured, disabled.

The End