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Doing surveys during conflicts; Iraq to Libya. Data from Conflict-Affected Regions: Filling the Blanks June 9-10, 2011, Brussels. Some Fafo Surveys in Conflict zones. Palestine (living conditions surveys and polls) 1994-2011 Particular post Gaza war 2009
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Doing surveys during conflicts; Iraq to Libya Data from Conflict-Affected Regions: Filling the Blanks June 9-10, 2011, Brussels
Some Fafo Surveys in Conflict zones • Palestine (living conditions surveys and polls) 1994-2011 • Particular post Gaza war 2009 • Iraq living conditions survey (ILCS): 2004 • Iraq election polls: 2005 • Refugees in Northern Uganda: 2005, 2007 • Iraqis in Jordan: Their Characteristics and Number: 2008 • Sichuan Earthquake survey: 2008 (2009,2011) • WDR ‘Conflict, Security and Development’: 2010 (DRC, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Gaza, West Bank, Colombia)
Challenges when doing surveys in conflict • Methodology - sampling • Time • Training of local and own staff • Cooperation with Statistical offices and other local partners • Logistics and follow-up of quality • Highly politically sensitive contexts and projects
This is politics!!! • Working in a highly politically sensitive context • Many stakeholders; relate to them as early as possible • Governments, factions, interest groups • Humanitarians • UN (other internationals) • Media • Results often have huge impact • Might challenge former “truths” • “The need for sensation” • A difficult context to maneuver
Cooperation with local partners: Statistical offices and others • Often a part of the former regime • Tension between local partners/areas due to conflict • Need for update and education, training • New methods and approaches • Need for new standards • New technical equipment • New ways of thinking • Work together WITH local partners/stat. office • Close, continuous follow up, include analysis
Presents in the field, logistics and quality checks • Planning, planning, planning • Involve local partners • Be and stay involved • Build a team • Good systems for information flow • Real time quality checks • The importance of being present in the field, the supervision of the field organization/project • Include all members of the field organization • Take responsibility
Iraq living conditions survey 2004 • Finances by UNDP • Cooperation with COSIT • Training of staff – new standards • Sampling (starting all over again) • Extreme security issues, for staff both from Fafo and from COSIT • The situation escalated rapidly during the fieldwork • After UN-bombing take non-Arabic Fafo staff out • Logistic administration and quality checks had to be done from abroad • Real time quality checks – re-communicated to the field • Very politically tense situation
Iraqis in Jordan 2008 – estimates of number and characteristics • Population of unregistered/illegal Iraqis in Jordan • Difficult sampling and interviewing • Politically sensitive • Many actors had stakes in the number • UNHCR • Jordanian government • US government • Humanitarian agencies • Cooperation with the Jordanian statistical office DoS • Agent of the Jordanian government, answers to the ministry