Gender equality and empowerment measurement tool Part 2: Facilitator’s guide

On this page

• Introduction to the GEM Tool
• Overview of the focus group discussion process
• Preparing for the focus group discussion
• Step-by-Step instructions for using the GEM Tool
• After the focus group discussion
• Related Tools

In this guide, we provide information and step-by-step instructions for using the GEM Tool. As a facilitator, your objective is to collect and report data on a project’s gender equality and empowerment results during one or more guided focus group discussions with project participants (held in person or online). This process can be supplemented by additional data collection through interviews with local project partners.

The GEM Tool can be conducted with women participants and with other genders (e.g., men, transgender, non-binary, etc.) in separate or mixed focus group settings (see Box 2.1). The instructions below have been written with women participants in mind, but all of the same steps in the GEM Tool process can be followed regardless of the gender of focus group participants. However, you will need to adapt how you frame questions so that, for example, you are not asking men participants to speak about their own feelings and experiences of empowerment resulting from the project, but rather, their observations on the empowerment of women or other genders in their household or community.

Ultimately, the number and composition of focus groups and interviews that you choose to facilitate will depend on the goals of the data collection, the local and project context in which you are applying the tool, and the time and resources that are available. For example, you may wish to conduct 3-5 in-person focus group sessions with 8-10 participants each, plus 3-5 interviews with local project partners.

The information, definitions and examples provided below are meant to serve as a guide and should be modified to fit the socio-cultural context of the focus group participants and setting as needed. As you review the information in this guide, take notes and consider instances where you might need to modify the language or examples used. You can also refer back to the information and resources provided in Part 1: Training Guide to help you apply a feminist methodology and approach for each step of the GEM Tool data collection process.

Introduction to the GEM Tool

The GEM Tool (shown in Figure 1 below)is a standardized tool for data collection and information gathering on the gender equality and empowerment results of development projects. It is used to collect data from project participants during one or more focus group discussions held in person or online.

It is focused on five key categories of empowerment: economic, knowledge, physical security, self-confidence and social. These categories cover important and widely recognized aspects of women’s empowerment and are provided to offer some standardization in data collection across focus groups and projects using the GEM Tool. The guidance below includes examples and terminology for each category that should be modified to suit the local and project context. These categories can also be replaced with any others that you deem more appropriate for the local and project setting that you’re working in.

Figure 1: Blank GEM Tool

What this tool can do:

• capture the gender equality and empowerment outcomes of development programming with project participants using an intersectional lens;
• collect qualitative and descriptive data using participatory focus group discussions and interviews (held virtually or in person);
• document the perspectives of project participants on the meaning of gender equality and empowerment in their local context, and in relation to their own perspectives and experiences;
• help identify barriers and supports for gender equality and empowerment in the project environment (at the individual, household, community and structural levels);
• determine project results by collecting information at specific or multiple points in time (i.e., data collection can take place within six months of the project completion and/or for longitudinal data collection after one or more years have passed – this tool could also, in some instances, provide useful information for baseline studies); and
• build the capacity of researchers to conduct feminist data collection, particularly locally-based researchers who can use their contextual knowledge and expertise to inform the data collection process and support reciprocal knowledge mobilization.

Therefore, this tool is about capturing the rich details of participants’ self-defined experiences of gender equality and empowerment, and tracking the barriers and supports that either hindered or contributed to a particular result.

What this tool is not designed to do:

• provide quantitative data (though, some examples of quantitative information are possible in the final reports, especially the synthesis report);
• demonstrate the overall gender equality and empowerment impacts of projects (though, some insights into a small sample of individual experiences will be revealed);
• be used to make decisions about future funding (this is not a tool to determine if and what projects should continue, and this should also be made clear to focus group participants during the informed consent process); or
• serve as a substitute for embedding feminist monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning across the project cycle.

In-person or online data collection

As mentioned, the GEM Tool can be used for in-person and online data collection. Unless otherwise stated, the facilitator should use all steps in this guide regardless of the data collection approach (online or in person).

Overview of the focus group discussion process

Focus groups conducted using the GEM Tool are divided into eight steps, each with their own objectives, activities, and time allocation. In total, the focus group session will last approximately 2.5 hours, and will follow this general structure and process:

Step 1: Open the discussion (20 minutes)
Step 2: Revisiting the project activities and objectives (5 minutes)
Step 3: Discussion on “what does gender equality and empowerment look like?” (15 minutes)
Step 4: Documenting the project’s gender equality and empowerment results (50 minutes)

Break (10 minutes)

Step 5: Rating the gender impact for each category of empowerment (20 minutes)
Step 6: Identifying barriers and supports for empowerment (15 minutes)
Step 7: Validating the findings with participants (10 minutes)
Step 8: Thanking participants and closing the discussion (5 minutes)

Supplies needed:

In person

• GEM Tool (a visual board: poster or flip charts)
• Tape/tacks to hang the tool on the wall
• Post-it notes
• Pens or markers
• Different coloured stickers or coloured markers (blue, red, yellow and green)
• Paper for note-taking
• Small ball for ice breaker activity (optional)
• Audio recording device (optional)
• Camera or mobile phone with a camera function
• Refreshments (e.g. water, tea, light snacks)

Online

• GEM Tool (a visual board: shareable on screen)
• Online video conferencing platform (e.g., Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, etc.) that is most appropriate and popularly used in a given area
• Technology and internet connection that is compatible with video conferencing with capacity for recording the session

Preparing for the focus group discussion

As you begin to plan for your focus group discussions, be sure to reflect on the composition of your research team (e.g., gender, local expertise, languages spoken) to determine the best way forward for data collection. See Part 1: Training Guide for some considerations on the role of the facilitator and research team in data collection using the GEM Tool.

Once your research team is established, complete the following tasks to prepare for your focus group discussions: 

Review project information and materials

Take some time to read over available information and materials on the project. Understanding the project activities and objectives will help you to be a more effective facilitator, and enable you to remind focus group participants about their involvement in the project. If a project ended several months ago, or if some participants have been involved in multiple projects by different organizations, you may need to refresh their memory about this project.

Coordinate with local project partners

You will need to work closely with local project partners to identify participants and a suitable location to host the focus group sessions. One of these partners may be able to provide space in their office, or recommend alternative locations that provide the necessary privacy, accessibility and accommodations (e.g. use of washrooms, moveable tables and chairs, etc.).

To ensure a manageable discussion, the ideal number of focus group participants is 8-10 for in person, and 3-5 for online. It can be more difficult and more time consuming to effectively facilitate online focus group discussions, so smaller participant numbers are recommended. However, depending on the specific context and participants, online focus groups might be the best option (e.g., to ensure the safety of participants due to COVID-19 or other health crises, or where participants are spread out across large distances).

Work with local partners to generate a list of project participants who can participate in the focus group sessions, including appropriate contact details (such as phone numbers or email addresses) and any demographic information available (i.e., age, gender, marital status, disability, location, languages spoken, etc.). Request/generate a larger sample of participants than required for completing the focus groups so that you can strive for participants with diverse backgrounds and experiences to ensure intersectional data collection. This includes participants who may have experienced different barriers or forms of marginalization with respect to their participation in the project.

Finally, consult with your research team members and local project partners to tailor the GEM Tool as needed (e.g., empowerment categories, definitions, examples, etc.) to suit the socio-cultural context of the focus group participants and setting, as well as the specific project objectives and activities.

Online: identify a strategy for online data collection

If you are limited to online data collection for any reason (e.g., COVID-19 travel or gathering restrictions, participants are spread across large distances, etc.), use your knowledge of the local context, or ask research team members or local project partners for help identifying an online video conferencing platform (e.g., Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, etc.) that is appropriate to use for hosting virtual focus groups. You can also reach out to participants once they have been identified and consult with them on their preferred platform. There is no one platform that can be recommended for all contexts, it depends upon participants’ preferences, familiarity, comfort level and access.

Keep in mind that online data collection can increase accessibility and participation for some groups, while excluding others.

In person: Prepare your GEM Tool poster or flipchart

If you are conducting your focus group in person, you will need to prepare your GEM Tool using poster board or flipchart paper. Your GEM Tool should include all of the components shown in Figure 1 above (modified as needed).

An important part of this process is to review the different categories of empowerment in the GEM Tool to make sure that they are appropriate for the local and project context. Think through each category and the types of descriptions and examples that you could use in your discussion with participants. See Step 4 below for more information on this.

Remember your feminist research training.

The GEM Tool is not an inherently feminist tool – it should be applied using a feminist methodology and approach. Refer back to Part 1: Training Guide for a reminder of the role of the facilitator and research team in feminist data collection.

Step-by-Step instructions for using the GEM Tool

Step 1: Open the Discussion

Time allotted: 20 minutes

Taking time to open the focus group session properly is important for establishing rapport and ensuring the comfort and safety of participants. During this step you will have a chance to facilitate introductions, obtain informed consent from participants, co-create ground rules for the discussion, and conduct an icebreaker activity. These four activities should take approximately five minutes each.

Introduction

Begin by introducing yourself and clarifying the purpose and goal of the focus group discussion. If you other research team members are present to work as note-takers or translators, introduce them and their role as well.

• Briefly introduce the project. You do not need to go into detail about the project activities at this point because there will be time for this in Step 2.
• Explain why you are collecting information on the gender equality and empowerment results of the project.
• Explain how the focus group discussion will be structured (i.e., outline steps 1 through 8)
• For online discussions, take a few minutes at this point to explain to participants how to use the different features of whatever online platform you are using. For example, if applicable: how to turn their microphones on and off, how to turn their video on and off, how to use the chat, how to use the raise hand function, etc. Have participants test these features. Make sure everyone is comfortable using the technology so that they can participate equally and effectively.

Obtain informed consent

Before proceeding further, informed consent should be sought and obtained from all focus group participants. This includes their consent for participating in the focus group, as well as optional protocols like audio recording the discussion.

You can download and modify a copy of the informed consent script (below), or create your own using this one as a guide.

Co-creating ground rules for the discussion

Working with participants, identify and agree together on a list of ground rules to ensure a safe, inclusive and meaningful discussion. Begin by asking the participants what ground rules are important for them. Here are some examples to keep in mind:

• Participation in the discussion is voluntary.
• The information shared in this group is private and should remain confidential.
  • For online discussions, this includes an agreement that participants will not record the session on their devices.
• Active listening, be free from distractions (i.e., turn cell phone to silent).
• Express your feelings and opinions freely – there are no wrong answers.
• This is a safe space for sharing and non-judgement.
• Be respectful of each other, even when you disagree.

For in-person discussions, write these rules out on a poster or flip chat and hang it on the wall.

For online discussions, type out these rules and paste them into the chat function of the meeting platform (if available).

Icebreaker activity

After introducing yourself and the purpose of the focus group, facilitate an icebreaker activity to help participants feel more comfortable communicating with each other, to energize the group, and to set-up the discussion. As a facilitator, the secret of a successful icebreaker activity is to keep it simple: design the activity with specific objectives in mind and make sure that the session is appropriate and comfortable for everyone involved.

Some examples of possible icebreaker activities and questions are provided below. You can use these, or come up with your own icebreaker that is more appropriate for the local context and participants. Keep timing in mind, and stick to ice breakers that can be completed in about 5 minutes.

In person

• If space allows, have the participants come together in a circle. Make sure they are not too far apart or close together.
  • Using a ball (or other small object), say your name and then throw the ball to someone else in the group.
  • The person who catches it says their name and throws it to another person, until everyone has gone.
  • As individuals introduce themselves, check off their names from your participant list (this is for your records; do not include this list in any final reports as this would violate participants’ confidentiality and anonymity).
• Explain the activity.
  • Explain that the goal of the activity is to “break the ice” and get to know one another a bit better.
  • Starting with whoever is holding the ball, have them answer a question about themselves, and then throw it to someone else in the group.
  • The person who catches it answers the question and throws it to another person, until everyone has gone.
  • If there is time, continue this activity for another round using a different question.
  • Some possible ideas for questions can include:
    • What is one subject that interests you or that you are passionate about?
    • Who was your role model as a child and why?
    • Who in your family or community inspires you and why?

Online

• Explain the activity.
  • The goal of the activity is to “break the ice” and get to know one another a bit better.
  • Provide participants with some questions to be used for getting to know each other. Tell participants they can add to the list of questions.
  • Starting by introducing yourself and responding to any of the questions listed below.
  • Then pick a participant to state their name and answer a question about themsel Whoever is speaking chooses the next person to introduce themselves by “passing the mic” and chooses a question for them to answer.
  • When a participant’s name is called (participant’s screen names should appear as text when using online meeting platforms) they say their name and answer the question that was posed to them.
  • As individuals introduce themselves, check off their names from your participant list (this is for your records; do not include this list in any final reports as this would violate participants’ confidentiality and anonymity).
  • If there is time, continue this activity for another round using a different question.
  • Some possible ideas for questions can include:
    • What is one subject that interests you or that you are passionate about?
    • Who was your role model as a child (say a few words about them)?
    • Who in your family or community inspires you (say a few words about them)?

Step 2: Revisiting the project activities and objectives

Time allotted: 5 minutes

Take a moment to remind participants of the project activities and objectives. Briefly describe what their participation in the project involved. Ask if there are any questions before proceeding.

Step 3: Discussion on “what does gender equality and empowerment look like?”

Time allotted: 15 minutes

Begin by explaining that you want to talk about the participants’ gender equality and empowerment journey during this project. Ask participants to think about “What gender equality and empowerment look like in their household or community?”

Depending on the setting and background of the participants, this question might be unclear and need to be modified or rephrased. Use your knowledge of the local context and participants to ask additional probing questions or frame the question in a more appropriate way. Some examples include:

• How would you describe an empowered woman?
• What does it mean for men and women to be equal?
  • How can they be equal at home?
  • How can they be equal in the community?
  • How can they be equal in business?
• What does it mean for women to have equal rights to men?
• In what ways are you currently empowered?
  • How are you currently empowered at home?
  • How are you currently empowered in your community?
  • How are you currently empowered in your business?

In-person

• Provide participants with post-it notes and pens or markers.
• Ask participants to draw pictures or write their ideas down on the post-it notes and place them in the appropriate section at the top of the GEM Tool poster/flipchart.
• Once everyone has placed their ideas on the poster or flipchart, categorize or group the post-it notes into key themes with the help of participants (see Figure 2).

Online

• Ask participants to share their ideas through the chat, or by raising their hands and being called on to speak.
• You may also collect responses via private chat (if this function is available) and share with the group; this can help address any unrecognized power dynamics within the group that could hinder full and safe participation.
• Depending on the platform you are using (such as Zoom), you may be able to “screen share” and type each response directly into the GEM Tool for participants to see, and so that you can keep track.

Step 4: Documenting the project’s gender equality and empowerment results

Time allotted: 50 minutes

The GEM Tool uses different categories to determine how the project contributed to participants’ feelings and experiences of empowerment (positively or negatively). These categories aim to generate discussion on specific pathways for empowerment in the context of participants’ lives. They span five different domains or categories: economic, knowledge, physical security, self-confidence and social.

These categories are meant to serve as guides and should be modified to fit the socio-cultural context of the focus group participants and setting, as well as the specific project activities. See Box 2.2 for a description of these different categories, and for other possible names, concepts, definitions and examples that you can use in your discussion with participants.

Explain to participants that you will now be discussing how the project may or may not have contributed to their feelings and experiences of empowerment in different areas of their lives.  Start by introducing the first category of empowerment that you will be discussing. Provide the definition and some examples of impacts for this category that are appropriate for the local and project context. Ask participants to provide other examples of the types of impacts that might fit under this category.

Next, ask participants: “Has the project impacted your experiences of empowerment in this category (positively or negatively)? If so, can you provide an example?”.

In-person

• Have participants draw pictures or write down their reflections on post-it notes.
• Remind participants that it is acceptable to say that the project did not impact their empowerment in the area being discussed, or that it had a negative impact. Create space for participants to share both positive and negative impacts.
• Ask participants to share their reflections with the group (if they are comfortable) before placing their post-it note within the appropriate category on the GEM Tool poster/flipchart.
• Once everyone has placed their reflections on the poster/flipchart, categorize or group the post-it notes into key themes with the help of participants (see Figure 3).
• Repeat this process for all five categories.

Online

• Ask participants to share their reflections through the chat, or by raising their hands and being called on to speak.
• You may also collect responses via private chat (if this function is available) and share with the group.
• Remind participants that it is acceptable to say that the project did not impact their empowerment in the area being discussed, or that it had a negative impact. Create space for participants to share both positive and negative impacts.
• If available, “screen share” and type each response directly into the GEM Tool.
• Repeat this process for all five categories.

Additional probing questions

If participants are having trouble understanding any category, or if the discussion is lagging, consider posing some additional probing questions. Here are some examples of possible questions for each category, which should be modified and tailored for the local and project context.

Economic

• Has the project impacted your access to income, credit, land, or property (positively or negatively)?
• Do you have any more or less control or decision-making power over household spending as a result of the project? If so, share an example.
• Have you experienced new opportunities or challenges regarding child care due to the project? Has this had an impact on your empowerment?

Knowledge

• Did the project activities impact your education, training or skills (positively or negatively)? If so, share an example.
• If the project enhanced your education, training or skills, has this created any new opportunities for you?
• Did your new knowledge or training change the way people treat you? Can you share an example of a particular interaction?

Physical Security

• Do you have any more or less control or decision-making power over your own body as a result of the project?
  • For example, control over the number of children that you have, where you can travel to, or what you can wear?
• Did the project result in any new safety or security concerns for you?
• Were there more or less concerns for your safety since the start of the project?
  • For example, some projects may require participants to travel long distances or to new markets and using public transportation can be a safety concern. Other projects may provide women with money or credit which can make them vulnerable to theft or physical assault.

Self-Confidence

• Has your participation in the project changed how you see yourself? If so, how?
• Did the project impact your self-confidence or self-esteem (positively or negatively)? Share a story or example.
• If applicable, what impact does increased confidence have on your life? On your relationships with others? Share an example.

Social

• How did the project change your relationships and interactions with others, if at all (e.g. in your family, work, or community)?
• Did the project change how others see you or treat you (positively or negatively)?
• Did you encounter any negative attitudes or criticism from others related to your participation in the project? If so, how did you deal with those experiences?
  • For example, did you experience any jealousy or unsupportive comments from people in your household or community?

Identifying any additional empowerment categories

Some gender equality and empowerment impacts may not fit neatly within the five predetermined categories of the GEM Tool. Before moving on to the next step, ask participants:

• Are there additional impacts missing from the poster that you’ve thought about during this discussion but weren’t sure where to put them?
• Are there any other categories that we need to add to the poster?

If additional categories and/or examples are identified, add these to the GEM Tool.

For in-person discussion, write the name of any newly identified categories on a blank piece of flipchart paper and add it to the wall next to the other categories.

For online discussions, take detailed notes of any new categories or examples.

At the end of this step, allow participants to comment further through an open question: “Would anyone like to add anything else to this before we move on?” Add any final responses to the GEM Tool.

Take a Break

Take a 10 minute break to allow participants to attend to any personal matters or to have refreshments.

Step 5: Rating the gender impact for each category of empowerment

Time allotted: 20 minutes

Start by reminding the participants of your discussions before the break about the different categories of empowerment and explain that they are about to be asked to rate how impactful the project was for each category.

Explain that projects might have led to no gender impacts, negative gender impacts, mixed gender impacts, or positive gender impacts in their own lives; and that these are the ratings from which they will choose (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Gender Impact Rating Options

Explain the rating scale and what the different colours mean using the following definitions, and by providing examples where possible from earlier discussions (for additional examples see Box 2.3):

• No gender impacts: no changes to participants’ individual empowerment or gender relations in this category.
• Negative gender impacts: negative or harmful impacts for participants’ individual empowerment and gender relations in this category.
• Mixed gender impacts: some positive and some negative changes to participants’ individual empowerment and gender relations in this category.
• Positive gender impacts: positive or beneficial changes to participants’ individual empowerment and gender relations in this category.

Confirm that participants understand the difference between these different ratings and ask if there are any questions before proceeding.

In person

• Provide participants with coloured stickers or markers.
• One category at a time, ask participants to provide their ratings by placing the appropriately coloured dot in the corresponding column on the poster (see Figure 5).
• After the ratings are in for each category, ask one or two participants to share why they chose the rating that they did.

Online

• One category at a time, ask participants to provide their rating through the chat, or by raising their hands and being called on to speak.
• You may also collect responses via private chat (if this function is available) and share with the group.
• If available, “screen share” and input each rating directly into the GEM Tool.

Step 6: Identifying barriers and supports for empowerment

Time allotted: 15 minutes

In this step, you will have an open discussion with participants to identify barriers and support for their empowerment in the project environment. Even in the context of a development project, changes to participants’ feelings and experiences of empowerment do not happen in a vacuum. There are external factors operating at the individual, household, community and structural levels that can either hinder or contribute to those changes.

Start by discussing supportive elements in the project environment that contributed to participants' feelings or experiences of empowerment. Some supportive elements may have been highlighted in the previous activity so you can remind participants of those examples before turning to these possible discussion questions:

Individual-level supports

• What were the key changes in your life that may have enabled your feelings of empowerment in this project?

Household-level supports

• Did you receive any support from your family members (e.g. parents, siblings or spouse)?

Community-level supports

• Did you receive support from other women in the community?
• Did you receive support from men in the community?

Structural supports

• Were there any changes to laws or policies that allowed you to better access your rights?
• Were there any shifts in social or cultural norms that gave you more control over your life and decision making?
• Were there discussions taking place in the news or the media that helped to shift perceptions on women’s rights or gender equality?

Wrap-up question (on intersectionality)

• Were there other project participants who did not have access to the same supports as you due to their status or position in the community (e.g. due to their age, marital status, religion, disability, etc.), and who may not have experienced the same level of empowerment?

In-person

• Ask participants to draw pictures or write their responses down on post-it notes and place them in the appropriate section at the bottom of the GEM Tool poster/flipchart.
• Once everyone has placed their ideas on the poster/flipchart, categorize or group the post-it notes into key themes with the help of participants (i.e., would these be considered individual, household, community or structural forms of support?) (see Figure 6).

Online

• Ask participants to share their responses through the chat, or by raising their hands and being called on to speak.
• You may also collect responses via private chat (if this function is available) and share with the group.
• If available, “screen share” and type each response directly into the GEM Tool.

Next, ask about barriers to empowerment in the project environment. Some barriers or challenges may have been highlighted in the previous activity so you can remind participants of those examples before turning to these possible discussion questions:

Individual-level barriers

• What barriers or challenges did you encounter during the project? Were you able to overcome these barriers, and if so how? What still needs to change to reduce these barriers for other women in the future?
• Did you face any unique barriers due to, for example, your age, marital status, or where you live in the community, etc.?

Household-level barriers

• Did you encounter any challenges from family members during your participation in the project (e.g. parents, siblings or spouse)?

Community-level barriers

• Did you encounter any challenges from women or men in your community?
• Did you encounter any unique challenges due to your position or social status in the community?

Structural barriers

• Did any laws or policies prevent you from taking action in your life or work?
• Did you encounter any negative attitudes, beliefs or stereotypes about women?
• Did any social or cultural norms prevent you from making decisions about your life or your work?

Wrap-up question (on recommendations)

• How might this project be improved to provide more benefits to women participants like yourself, or to benefit other women in the community? What would help you to be more empowered in the future?

In-person

• Ask participants to draw pictures or write their responses down on post-it notes and place them in the appropriate section at the bottom of the GEM Tool poster/flipchart.
• Once everyone has placed their ideas on the poster/flipchart, categorize or group the post-it notes into key themes with the help of participants (i.e., individual, household, community or structural barriers) (see Figure 7)

Online

• Ask participants to share their responses through the chat, or by raising their hands and being called on to speak.
• You may also collect responses via private chat (if this function is available) and share with the group.
• If available, “screen share” and type each response directly into the GEM Tool.

Step 7: Validating the findings with participants

Time allotted: 10 minutes

Validating your findings with the participants serves three valuable roles:

1. It confirms what participants have said and that their perspectives and experiences  have been captured accurately.
2. It ensures that participants are actively engaged in the process of identifying broader themes and insights emerging from the discussion.
3. It recognizes the value of participants’ contributions to shaping and strengthening development programming in the region.

One way of validating findings with participants is to share what you heard from the discussion, highlighting some of the main points, examples and takeaways, and asking if your observations are accurate or not, and if others wish to add anything. This approach is especially useful if you are short on time.

Another way of validating findings is to facilitate group reflection on the broader themes emerging from the discussion. Ask participants to reflect on the discussion that has taken place and what they see represented on the GEM Tool poster/flipchart. Some guiding questions can include:

• What categories of empowerment were most positively impacted by the project? Why do you think that is?
• What categories of empowerment were most negatively impacted by the project? Why do you think that is? What could have been done differently?
• Are there any common examples or experiences that came up repeatedly in the discussion that should be highlighted in a report about this project?
• What information or experiences stand out to you as being the most important to include in a report about this project?
• Is anything missing from the discussion? Is there anything that you would like to add before we close?

Online

• Ask participants to share their responses through the chat, or by raising their hands and being called on to speak.
• You may also collect responses via private chat (if this function is available) and share with the group.
• Take detailed notes of these responses for your records.

Step 8: Thanking participants and closing the discussion

Time allotted: 5 minutes

Thank the participants for their contributions to the focus group discussion. If you are offering any vouchers for transportation or stipends for participation, let participants know how they can collect them.

If you will be sending a copy of the final report to interested participants, collect any information that you need in order to do so (e.g., email address, physical mailing address).

In person

• Turn off the audio recorder and save the file.
• Take photos of data generated (such as the poster, sticky notes, or any other information that will help you finalize your report).
• Keep the participant list for your records.
• Roll-up the poster/flipcharts to take with you so you can use it again for data collection for other projects.
• Jot down and final observations or notes about the discussion while they are fresh in your mind.

Online

• Download and save the recording of the meeting.
• Input any final responses into the GEM Tool that you did not have a chance to add earlier.
• Save a copy of the GEM Tool file with all of your typed additions and responses from the session.
• Jot down any final observations or notes about the discussion while they are fresh in your mind

After the focus group discussion

Write-up your findings

Transfer the information that you have gathered from the focus group discussions into a final report. You can use the outline provided to you in Part 3: Reporting Guide as a template or for inspiration.

Additional data collection activity

Interviews with local project partners

After the focus group discussions, you may have the opportunity to conduct interviews with local project partners (e.g. implementing partner staff, project managers, etc.). The goal of these interviews is to gain additional information, insight and/or clarification about a project’s gender equality and empowerment results. These interviews can also be used to identify barriers and support for those results in the project environment, as well as opportunities or lessons learned for promoting gender equality and empowerment goals.

You can download and modify a copy of the partner staff interview guide (below), or create your own using this one as a guide.

Related Tools

Gender equality and empowerment measurement tool informed consent script

Thank you for being here today. I would like to take a few minutes to ensure that you understand the purpose of this focus group session, what your participation involves, and how we will use the information that you provide today. If you do not understand something, please raise your hand at any point. I welcome all questions.

Your participation today will involve a group discussion lasting two and a half hours. The purpose of this discussion is to learn about your gender equality and empowerment journey during this project, and to understand how [organization] can improve its work promoting gender equality and empowerment in this region.

I am working with [organization] to collect this information. A final report based on this discussion will be developed and shared with [audience]. You will also be provided with a copy of the findings of this report. It will be shared with you by [outline the process]. The information collected will not be used to make decisions about future funding or to determine whether this project should continue.

The information that you share will be kept confidential and your name will not appear in any report or publication produced from this discussion. However, please keep in mind when considering your responses that the other participants in the focus group will know what you have said during the discussion. Similarly, given the group format of this session, I ask that you respect each other’s right to privacy by not discussing what is talked about here with people outside of the focus group.

If audio recording

Our discussion today will be audio recorded for accuracy and analysis purposes. I will also take notes, but I will not put names next to comments provided. The recording and any notes that are taken during the session will be kept in a secure location that only I have access to. I will let you know when I start to record.

For online discussions

Our discussion today on (Teams, Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, etc.) is a new way of holding conversations of this kind. Please know that I will do everything I can to protect your privacy using this technology. Our discussion will be audio recorded for accuracy and analysis purposes.  I will also take notes, but I will not attribute names to any comments. The recording and any notes that are taken during the session will be kept in a secure location that only I have access to. I will let you know when I start to record.

Your participation in this discussion is entirely voluntary. If you feel uncomfortable at any point, please feel free to step outside and take a break, or to withdraw from the session entirely by communicating this to me or one of my team members here today. If you withdraw, we will not include your responses in the report. You can also choose not to respond to any question that you prefer not to answer. Your decision to not answer some questions or to withdraw from the session, for any reason, will have no negative consequences.

If providing a stipend or a voucher

You will receive [amount] for participating in today’s session, to help cover any expenses associated with being here today. You will receive this amount even if you choose to leave the session at any point. 

Are there any questions?

Based on this information, do you agree to participate in this discussion? If so, please raise your hand.

If anyone wishes not to participate, I invite you to leave at this time, and you will not be judged for this.

If audio recording

I will now start to record the discussion.

Gender equality and empowerment measurement tool project partner interview guide

If you are conducting interviews with local project partners, you can use the questions below as a guide or for inspiration to develop your own list of questions that suit the project context and setting.

The suggested length for these interviews, based on the list of questions below, is approximately one hour.

Interview Guide

Introduction

Thank you for meeting with me today. The objective of this interview is to better understand the women’s empowerment and gender equality results of this project, including the associated opportunities and challenges for ensuring long-term gender-transformative impacts. I have some questions for you along these lines. 

Informed consent

Before we begin. Can I audio record our conversation solely for note taking purposes?

Do you have any questions for me?

Do you agree to participate in this interview?

Questions

1. Can you start by telling me briefly about your position at [organization] and your role in this project?

Defining women’s empowerment and gender equality

2. What are some of the forms of gender inequality that are prevalent in this region?

3. Can you describe some of the challenges of working to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality in this context?

Women’s empowerment and gender equality project results

4. Can you describe whether and how women’s empowerment and gender equality goals have been integrated into this project?

5. To what extent were intersectional considerations such as age, ethnicity, religion, etc. incorporated into the project's design and implementation?

6. What have been the most noteworthy women’s empowerment and gender equality results of this project? Could you provide examples?

7. Which elements of the project were the most important for achieving these results and why?

8. In your opinion, how sustainable are these results?

9. Did this project have any unintended negative impacts for women’s empowerment and gender equality? Could you provide examples? What lessons can be learned from these instances?

Validating and clarifying focus group information

10. Use this question to gather additional insights about what you heard during the focus groups with project participants, and to seek clarification on any aspects of the project that remain unclear.

Conclusion

Is there anything else that you would like to add before we end our conversation?

Thank you for your time.

I will be sure to share a copy of the final report with you once it is available. (confirm email address or preferred delivery method)

After the interview is complete

• Prepare written notes from the interview, using the list of interview questions as a guide.
• Write succinctly and clearly, using point-form notes, to summarize your main observations and findings from the interview.
• Write-up your notes as soon as possible after the interview to optimize recall of the information and to not confuse comments from this individual with other interviewees.
• Be sure to note any useful insights and recommendations provided by the interviewee for improving the project and for supporting gender equality and empowerment in the region.
• You may choose to include a one-page summary of any partner staff interviews as an appendix in your final project report.

Related links

• Gender equality and empowerment measurement tool
• Gender equality and empowerment measurement tool part 1: Training guide
• Gender equality and empowerment measurement tool Part 3: Reporting guide