Rapid Rural Appraisal, gender and health: alternative ways of listening to needs

RRA can be used as a tool for training development workers to address the issues of "gender and health at grassroots level". Four steps show how various RRA exercises were used for training purposes : 1. Analysis of Difference - trainees are asked to explain the differences in seasonal calendars drawn by separate groups of men and women in Sierra Leone. Their first response was to say the men's maps were simply "better". 2. Health versus Wealth - a problem priority matrix ranking exercise from Bangladesh shows how landless women were more concerned with income than health issues. 3. A Better Understanding - development workers learn to use RRA techniques to explore options in more depth with the community. 4. A Better Response - "the increased empathy with villagers" generated by these RRA activities has allowed workers to explore more sensitive health issues.