Leveraging RapidPro technology to improve real-time data collection and monitoring of SBCC initiatives in South Asia

Summary:

The increasing complexity of humanitarian and development challenges in contexts where UNICEF operates calls for innovation in order to accelerate results for children. Key to achieving this is revolutionizing how UNICEF collects, uses and feeds back data to manage programmatic outcomes as well as strengthen transparency and accountability to citizens through real-time information. In South Asia mobile coverage and internet connectivity are increasingly becoming accessible to many. This offers multiple channels to not only reach youth, communities and outreach workers across gender, location, age and other factors such as minority status, but also provides these groups a voice in programs which affect them allowing them to become active stakeholders in their own development. Interventions using RapidPro have shed light on how best to use the technology for optimal and sustained results including the importance of developing the surveys in collaboration with partners like government, to foster ownership. This abstract highlights how UNICEFs use of RapidPro/UReport an emerging innovation that uses real-time SMS and online information has improved monitoring of three key interventions in South Asia, i) A campaign to increase demand for immunization through robust real-time monitoring in Pakistan, ii) An initiative to measure the distribution of a child cash grant in Nepal and iii) Research to capture the aspirations, perceptions and attitudes of South Asian youth towards labour market integration across eight countries in the region.

Background/Objectives:

UNICEF has been using a mobile and online based platform RapidPro to conduct research and surveys of diverse development and humanitarian interventions. The technology has enabled UNICEF to support government and other partners in implementing real-time monitoring as well as provided a platform to engage with groups such as youth by providing them a voice to engage in matters concerning their development. This abstract seeks to demonstrate the successes as well as challenges adoption of new technology pose in enhancing development outcomes.

Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:

In Pakistan, UNICEF and the Governments Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) used Rapid Pro surveys to conduct real-time monitoring of outreach workers during a measles campaign and social media tools like SMS blasts and WhatsApp to encourage communities to vaccinate their children, reaching 37 million children from 31 million families. The surveys were used to conduct daily monitoring of vaccination workers and course correction was provided to improve their actions. In Nepal, UNICEF is supporting the Department of National ID and Civil Registration (DoNIDCR) to pilot the use of mobile-based technologies through RapidPro to provide real-time monitoring of a government-supported Child Cash Grants programme in three districts. Voice calls and texts were sent to grant recipients to gauge timely distribution, satisfaction levels of recipients as well as what they spent the money on. At the regional level, UNICEF, Ernst & Young and Viamo undertook research to identify the aspirations, perceptions

Results/Lessons Learned:

In Pakistan the data contributed towards strengthening the governments effectiveness of immunization monitoring mechanisms. Through campaign surveys, EPI was able to determine the availability of health services, monitor gaps and improve future actions. In Nepal, 25,211 messages were sent and 1,862 beneficiaries (7.4%) responded. The results demonstrated voice calls to be a much more efficient channel (28%) than SMS (3.7%). The findings showed delays in payments amongst other challenges, highlighting the importance of real-time data in project monitoring. The South Asia research on skills and employability - Voices of Youth - reached close to 33,000 respondents. Key findings were presented by youth at a Youth Skills Forum and country-level data disseminated for national level advocacy. UNICEF is capitalizing on the power of new modes of communication to transform young peoples engagement and how their voices are expressed.

Discussion/Implications for the Field:

Extensive mobile phone and technology penetration across South Asia has allowed for further reaching interactive engagement with youth and communities across gender, location and diverse age groups allowing for programmatic interventions to reach greater scale and maximize impact. The adaptable nature of the Rapid Pro system allows for flexibility to adapt to diverse humanitarian and development contexts and has proven potential value addition in improving SBCC programs. It is noteworthy that the emphasis is not on the technology itself rather on its ability to be integrated into functional systems that are able to make use of the data for evidence-based. 

Abstract submitted by:

Gloria  Lihemo - UNICEF
Ayesha  Durani - UNICEF
Veronica  Lee - UNICEF
Usha Hayes - UNICEF
Layla Saad - UNICEF