One of the outcomes of the recently completed GIRT Project is now available online as an open-access resource: the Manual for Interviewing Women in Urban Informal Settlements and Slums.
The manual is rooted in the interdisciplinary research project GIRT: Strengthening Research and Educational Competences of HEIs for Gender-Sensitive Urban (Informal Settlement) Transformation. Qualitative research was carried out through a joint collaboration between three partner universities in Ethiopia and one partner university in Mozambique. A distinctive feature of the GIRT project was the exclusive involvement of local academics in the empirical research process. The Austrian project coordinators were responsible for facilitating exchange and collaborative learning, as well as overseeing the overall project management.
The manual is designed to support researchers in planning, conducting, and documenting interviews in ways that are culturally sensitive, gender-responsive, and ethically sound. It addresses key aspects such as community engagement, informed consent in low-literacy contexts, safeguarding and confidentiality, power relations between researchers and participants, and approaches to building trust. In addition, it provides practical guidance on adapting interview techniques to diverse settings, including multilingual and subcultural environments.
