Resources

In order to obtain detailed information about project participants's daily tasks, particularly in a gender context, 139 calenders were constructed for one specific day. The timeline focused on all the activities undertaken during that day, including agricultural work. Men did more agricultural work than women, although women worked harder overall. Of the 103 agricultural workers surveyed, the men spent more time with livestock, both were involved in nursery work, and men carried out slightly more work in the fields. The other projects studied were water and santitation, women's income generating projects and education. The gender difference in perception of agricultural tasks is noted, which relates closely to time spent talking, resting and in 'reproductive' chores.

Ten focus group sessions were held in Imo State Nigeria to explain the under-utilization of public sector health services. Groups consisted of village women, village men, elementary school teachers, traditional medical practitioners, male civil servants, female civil servants and nursing staff. Rural and urban sites were selected in major sub-cultural zones. Focus groups revealed under-utilization had several causes: limited accessibility of services; high user costs; lack of supplies; uncaring attitudes of staff; nepotism and financial misappropriation. Implications for government action are suggested: strategies for reducing costs; making health care more accessible; improving the quality of services and educating the consumer. The role of the state in health care may need clarification to ensure it complements non-state health care provision. Suggestions are made for further research in which focus group studies can be used throughout.

Divided into 4 regional and one worldwide section, this bibliography includes a wealth of material on all aspects of PRA. The first section, on Nepal, includes a number of titles in Nepali and includes publications by local organisations and Nepalese branches of international ones, as well as work within Nepal carried out by other agencies and individuals. For Nepal, there is a focus on forestry issues. In all sections, the subject matter covered ranges from forestry, agriculture, methodology, health, training, gender, women, evaluation, etc. The titles within each regional section are not ordered, but each item is described systematically. Articles are defined as thoeretical or practical, by region, by subject matter, classification, tools, a summary and key words.