Giving citizens a say in development

Keystone’s Ground Truth programme designed the survey instruments and data collection plans and conducted its first round of data collection in three, namely in Lebanon, Northern Iraq and Austria between January and March 2017. The surveys cover similar topics but were contextualised for each country. This contextualisation included scoping missions to Northern Iraq and Turkey, a design workshop in Austria with key NGOs and phone calls with key informants in Lebanon. The objective was to better understand information needs, obtain buy-in for the surveys and finalise the data collection plan. In Lebanon, Northern Iraq and Turkey a local research firm was identified and contracted for carrying out the data collection. In Austria, where Ground Truth is based, we have hired our own enumerators directly instead of recruiting a company that would manage the data collection process.

 Key achievements and challenges per country between January and March 2017:

1)     Austria

• The first round of quantitative data collection has been completed (376 interviews) in Vienna.
• The first report for Vienna is expected to be published at the beginning of May.
• In addition, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development has offered to do some further data collection with its own enumerators in rural areas. The findings from rural data collection will be included in a separate addendum to the Vienna report.

2)     Lebanon

• The first round of quantitative data collection has been completed (452 interviews), covering all five governorates of Lebanon and a good mix of Syrian and Palestine refugees as well as different accommodation types.
• The first report has been published.

3) Iraq

• The first round of quantitative data collection has been completed (678 interviews) and the first reports - one on IDPs and another on refugees - will be published by the end of April.
• The data collection covered a good mix of camps and urban settings across northern Iraq. Bad weather slowed down the data collection and accessing camps was difficult, but the data collection plan was followed as originally planned.

4) Turkey

• Ground Truth contracted a research company and data collection is expected to begin in Gaziantep and Istanbul at the end of April.
• Considering the size and complexity of the refugee response in Turkey, Ground Truth decided to narrow its focus and conduct 1 quantitative and 1 qualitative round of data collection in Gaziantep and in Istanbul, both with representative sample sizes and separate reports, instead of doing 3 rounds covering the entire response in Turkey.
• Ground Truth is proposing to do additional data collection in Izmir, using the budget that was initially allocated for Greece. Collecting data in Izmir would be more expensive than in Gaziantep and Istanbul because most research companies do not have an existing set-up there, however, many agencies working in Turkey indicated that it would be particularly interesting to look at migrant and refugee perceptions there as to date here is very little research focusing on the Western provinces. Discussions are ongoing with the data collection company about whether this will be feasible from their side.
• In general, conducting data collection in Turkey is very sensitive in the current political climate. The data collection company is trying to keep the visibility of its data collection low, which means that the process might be slower and some of the data collection might have to be done over the phone instead of face to face.
• Ground Truth is also exploring the possibility of doing an SMS survey with Turkish citizens focusing on the question of social cohesion. This would complement the findings of the survey with refugees and asylum-seekers.

5) Greece

• Ground Truth has continues to work with unaccompanied minors on the mainland and on Less, collecting feedback on the time in the shelters. We have collected 2 rounds of data so far for Save the Children, UNCHR and the International Rescue Committee.