Data Privacy pe sabka hai adhikar

As a data collection organization working in the development space for over a decade, there are “trends” we come across over the years.
From women remaining inside the house during surveys, to them sitting beside the male members in the courtyard as equal participants, good changes are hard to come by but they are surely on their way.
What (pleasantly) surprised our field team was the sense of awareness the respondents had during our field work in 2023

Pucho, magar dhyan se...!

Field work from a research perspective is often more complicated than one thinks. 

Appointment seeking, permission slips, mountains of paperwork, repeated enumerator training, coordination and so much more is also a major part of field work. However, it can all go to waste after one interaction. 

Outline India, while conducting a rather sensitive survey on information dissemination and its impact, conducted a  data collection in a remote town in Bihar. For the relevance of the study, the survey required information regarding the kind of content they consume in addition to knowledge of the local political parties, leaders, and coalitions in that area. 

After finishing a majority of the surveys, the team reached the last location. Upon looking at the questions, the individual became rather upset as to why the party they support had not been included in the study. They also accused us of trying to ‘change’ political ideologies of people to support another party’s agenda.

OI was puzzled since owing to the sensitivity of the subject, our tool mentioned all the names of the parties - keeping in mind regional ones too so as to not create unnecessary disturbance. 

Further questioning led us to realize that the person was actually a new tenant who had recently moved from another state. Due to the study's current focus on a specific area of Bihar, the political figures they supported in their home state were understandably left out of the tool. After helping them understand this, the individual calmed down but still seemed angry at the situation. 

Lesson: While the OI team takes into account the regional differences for every study, this was rather a new experience which helped the field team better understand ways to tackle sensitive matters and even accusations with utmost patience and empathy.

Kar ke dikhayenge, haan bhai haan

Outline India conducted a study aimed at assessing the foundational literacy (Reading, Writing) & numeracy skills (Arithmetic Operations, Addition, Subtraction) of children in primary school across a couple of states = The researchers assumed that owing to complex mathematical calculations, the assessment on one child might take longer.

Expecting to see children hesitating and taking time if not struggling with calculations, the researchers were pleasantly surprised when they witnessed that without a moment's hesitation, the young students answered the questions rather quickly, and some even without needing a sheet of paper,

While this assumption in no way hindered the study, it made us realize the bias of setting the bar so low for the students of rural areas than that of urban communities. It served as a reminder that every child, regardless of their background, has the ability to excel when provided with the right educational resources and opportunities. This heartwarming encounter with these eager young minds left the researchers with a renewed sense of purpose, committed to empowering these children.

Fear and Foe

Fearing strangers is a simple emotion to understand and sympathize with, but considering the same strangers as foe requires thinking deeply and assessing one’s actions.

There can be hostility on certain occasions and it can make one curious and uncomfortable at the same time. Our field team has experienced discomfort and unwelcoming stares from villages on many occasions but once the team explains their agenda and reasoning, their reservations are put to ease this was one such experience where we were practically rushed out of the village, almost on our hands and knees.

The village was, as is often the case, remote – 3 to 5 kilometers drive from the nearest road. Coming in we were met with stares, our guide, a local ASHA, told us that outsiders were rare. 

We did consider this odd and had our guards up. The villagers followed us around, tense, listening carefully to what we were saying in our unfamiliar accents.

Our study - based on sexual and reproductive health - was very sensitive and required us to talk to young adolescents in groups by themselves. This did not sit well with the villagers who made it very clear, despite prior permissions, support from ASHA workers, and the Mukhiya (the decision-maker, elected by the gram sabha or village government in India).

Our field teams have extensive experience in handling such situations and explaining the studies’ importance to parents while also being well-trained to talk about such sensitive issues with kids and adults alike. 

But no amount of persuasion helped our case. Our team eventually conducted a quick group discussion with a couple of adolescents of willing parents. As we saw a crowd, not out of inquisitiveness but rather some rage, gathered around us, we left the village with some people behind us to make sure we didn’t come back. 

“Why were we met with so much hostility?” We asked the ASHA, the Mukhiya, and a few friendly respondents. 

Turns out, there were cases of child kidnapping and rumors of outsiders luring children away from a neighboring village, and harvesting their organs. 

We as strangers and ‘outsiders’ wanting to speak with a group of young children, were walking red flags who had unknowingly triggered the villagers. 

For institutional review boards, the ethics are clear – you go to a village, you get informed consent, tell the respondent the risks and benefits, talk to the respondent privately so that they are not ostracized for their views and then you leave. We followed these best practices and more, going ahead and talking to the ASHA and Mukhiya, explaining our study, and gaining their support. But the backlash still happened. 

Lesson: It is important to build faith and take the localities in confidence to collect data from a place that is skeptical about strangers based on their experience.