Governance & Stabilisation
Altai Consulting has developed innovative research tools to analyse local governance systems, map out tribal dynamics, measure expectations, perceptions and accountability at the local level, and assess the impact of development activities in the fields of governance and stabilisation in the most complex environments. Along the past fifteen years, we developed networks of national researchers and international experts that allowed us to support the design and monitoring of large scale programs in fragile areas of Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya and the Sahel region.
Flexible Research and Analysis Platform (FRAP) – Libya Transition Initiative USAID / Chemonics
Altai Consulting provided a Flexible Research and Analysis Platform (FRAP) during two major phases of the development of the USAID-OTI Libya Transition Initiative. Through the FRAP, Altai provided OTI Libya with a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research capabilities designed to improve USAID/OTI’s understanding of Libyan social, political and economic conditions, and support Chemonics’ ability to plan, implement and assess evidence-based programming across Libya. This involved implementing methodologically rigorous qualitative and qualitative primary data collection across all of Libya’s populated regions (as well in border areas of Tunisia and Niger in the case of cross-border issues), and conducting in-depth and tailored analyses, often involving advanced statistical methods, to produce a variety of targeted, effective reports that informed LTI’s programming and decision-making, and that could be shared with Libyan partners, and distributed within OTI and the wider US government and development community.
Rapid Research and Analysis: Al Shabaab (AS) Influence and Support in and Around Daynile and Kahda Districts of Somalia – USAID DT Global
The Somalia TIS+ project is a USAID program implemented by DT Global in Somalia and Kenya. The programme has the strategic aim of promoting peace and stability in Somalia by reducing the conditions that allow Al Shabaab (AS) to thrive. As part of project activities, TIS+ required rapid research and analysis services in Somalia to both improve contextual understanding of key community-level conditions that may impact programme objectives and implementation, and to assess the programme’s progress towards its objectives along with quality and efficacy of its work. Altai was commissioned to conduct a Rapid Research and Analysis in Daynile and Kahda districts in order to gain a greater understanding of the political and social dynamics that contribute to support for AS in these areas and the Mogadishu ‘external bubble’. Specifically, the research looked into relationships between local stakeholders and AS, examined AS taxation and tactics, support base, services and geographic presence – particularly related to the IDP community – and identified potential sources of resilience to AS. The findings from the study assisted TIS+ and DT Global in tailoring programme approaches to these areas in Mogadishu and helped determine wider TIS+ and US government policy towards the Mogadishu ‘external bubble’.
Somali High Frequency Survey – World Bank
The Somali High Frequency Survey (SHFS) aims at collecting high frequency socio-economic data from Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs) and residents of Somalia and Somaliland, citizen perception, and market data, to inform the design of economic development plans and policies, and to enable the government and the international community to have a clear picture of emerging developments and trends on the ground.
The project is based on the constitution of a statistically representative sample. Data is collected on consumption, economic conditions, education, employment, access to services, security and perceptions, using electronic data collection devices through face-to-face interviews, and uploaded on almost real-time on a secured web-based interface for stakeholders to access both automatic and customized analytics.
While the first wave of the SHFS covered 9 regions within Somalia’s pre-war borders, the second wave had an extended geographical scope and collected data in 17 pre-war regions. It featured enhanced data collection instruments and data quality monitoring systems, the integration of complex data pipelines for real-time analysis, as well as a specific nomadic population tracking study.
The project was summarized by Jim Yum Kim, the President of the World Bank here
More information on the project is available here
Somalia Accountability Survey - Implementation and Analysis in Action of Accountability Programme – FCDO / Mott MacDonald Somalia
Altai was commissioned to implement a statistically generalisable accountability perception survey in selected locations throughout Somalia and Somaliland. The survey included measures associated with exposure to FCDO’s IAAAP (Implementation and Analysis in Action of Accountability Programme)-supported interventions.
The survey was intended to provide data that can be compared over time in the same areas and that should be qualitatively indicative of the broader situation and trends in Somalia and Somaliland. 180 enumerations areas were randomly selected in 16 IAAAP project locations. Enumerators used a 45-minutes digitalized questionnaire, broken down into the following topics: (i) Knowledge and participation, (ii) Lived experience of accountability, (iii) Changing the accountability environment and (iv) Broader issues of power and accountability.
The team presented preliminary results at a workshop in Nairobi at the beginning of February 2018. The final report included an analysis of the current state of accountability in Somalia and of accountability trends, and presents recommendations for future accountability planning.
Community Policing Program Evaluation – IOM Iraq
Altai Consulting conducted the final evaluation of one of the waves of programming of IOM in the field of community policing in Iraq (with German funding). In order to perform this evaluation, Altai conducted in-depths interviews with IOM staff in charge of the project, interactive workshops with the relevant Iraqi stakeholders (Ministry of Interior, local Community Policing Forums, etc.), and extensive qualitative research in 6 governorates, including Focus Group Discussions with women and men, and in-depth interviews with community members, Community Police officers, and members of the local Community Policing Forums.
Rule of Law Perception Survey – UNDP Somalia
Altai Consulting in partnership with Tana Copenhagen was contracted by UNDP Somalia to conduct a Baseline perception survey of the Justice, Corrections and Police Sector and Federalisation processes. The survey was implemented across urban areas of Somaliland, Puntland and South-Central Somalia. In total 1,840 households were interviewed following a multi-staged cluster sampling design.
The survey aimed at collecting statistically representative data on the following dimensions: (i) Perceptions and knowledge of the presence and quality of national services under Rule of Law; (ii) Current levels of accessibility to a wide range of services and primary barriers to accessibility; (iii) Needs, priorities of end users to enable more efficient and targeted programming and resource allocation; (iv) Achievement of program outputs and developments.
The survey was designed in close cooperation with government partners to ensure relevance to context and possibility to later integrate the surveys design as part of a ministerial M&E system. The baseline was implemented across Somalia and Somaliland and shall serve as a basis for a series of federal consultations on rule of law and access to justice.
District Level Representative Bodies Assessment – FCO
The District-Level Representative Body Assessment was commissioned to Altai by the British FCO. The study provided an analysis of the legal, technical, political and social dimensions of the governance and service delivery actors at the district level in Afghanistan, specifically of District Development Assemblies (DDAs) and ASOP District Councils (DCs). This analysis was carried out in 8 Afghan Provinces / 24 Districts, with a view to inform Afghan and international decision-makers in the formation of singular, district-level representative bodies known as District Coordination Councils (DCCs).
Evaluation of Stabilisation Programmes
The Nordic International Support Foundation has contracted Altai Consulting to supervise the baseline and endline assessment of its Stadium Reconstruction Programme in Kismayo to understand the outcomes of the programme in terms of social cohesion, economic growth, security and perceptions of the government in order to capture its broader impact on the stability of Kismayo. Altai’s support to building M&E processes and local research capabilities in the field of stabilisation was then expanded to other projects in Lower Juba, Hiran, Middle Shabelle and Benadir and included a full review of the organisation last phase of programming and a series of training programmes for local research organisations and NIS staff.
Real Time Monitoring of USAID OTI Stabilisation Programmes in Sensitive Areas
Altai Consulting was mandated by the USAID Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) to design, pilot and implement a comprehensive M&E methodology adapted to unstable areas of Southern Afghanistan. This entailed a combination of quantitative and qualitative research with innovative tools such as Delphi panel, storytelling and community case studies deployed in remote districts of Afghanistan over a two-year period.