Pre-Proposal for a Study on Episodic Violence and Women’s Mental Health in Selected

Nigerian Communities

Background
The proposed study will be carried in selected communities in four states across Nigeria. The
choice of the selected communities have been informed by the spate and protraction of
insurgency (Adamawa State), gang violence (Rivers State), violent exchanges between crop
farmers and herdsmen (Benue/Nasarawa) and a protracted and intractable conflation of identity
and resource-based violent conflict (Kaduna). The proposed study is meant to achieve the
following specific objectives across the country:

1. To document the types of violence in the selected communities from the perspectives of
women
2. To assess the socio-economic effects of specific episodes of violent conflicts on women
in the selected communities.
3. To determine the psychological effects of the conflict on women in the selected
communities.
4. To assess the nature of trauma suffered by women in the affected communities
5. To contextualize the locals’ (women’s) narratives of the effects of the conflict in the
selected communities
6. To assess post-traumatic growth in the women affected by violent episodes of conflicts in
the selected communities

The protraction, intensity, frequency and impact of violent conflicts in the selected states of
the country on women and children combined to inform interest in them. Also, in many of these
States, violence is experienced in part as a fall out of the on-going war against terrorism that puts
women and children in the middle of violent exchanges between the State and insurgents. In
other communities, protracted inter-group violence evident in negative reciprocities between
armed groups also has women and children trapped helplessly in the middle of such
monstrosities.
Rationale
Despite the attendant implication of violence for mental health, nothing has been done to
address this in the selected communities. While stakeholders ranging from government and not-
for-profit organizations provide palliatives to cushion the effects of violence; no focal
engagements of the impact of violence on women in the communities is known to have taken

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place. Therefore, as a first step in addressing the mental health needs arising from the episodes of
violence that these women have suffered, the study being proposed will provide informed and
reliable background upon which action can be taken.
Proposed Methods
Survey Designs
We are proposing a mixed method approach that combines qualitative and quantitative
approaches. The first step is the garnering of information and review of news reports,
interactions with security agencies, health-care providers and community-based social workers to
identify the most affected communities and women in such communities. This will be followed
by a refining of the instruments (questionnaire and interview guide) taking into consideration the
accessibility and willingness of the women to participate in the study.
Sampling process
Given the fact that one of the immediate responses to violence especially by the
vulnerable is flight, we are mindful that some of the affected women might have moved or been
forced out of the communities. Based on the already stratified nature of the study and its focus on
women who have suffered direct and indirect losses and pains bodily, socio-economically,
psychologically and spatially (dislocation) as a result of violent conflicts, insurgency and gang
violence in which they are not participants; a purposive snowball sampling for the conduct of
interviews and administration of the structured copies of the study questionnaire would be used.
Pilot Test
The research instruments will be pre-tested in communities that have experienced trauma
from violence such as Offa and Shaare both in Kwara State. This will enable us to fine-tune the
instruments for suitability and time management in their administration. It will also afford
closely observe the research assistants.
Data Generation and Survey team
A period of ten days (10) will be spent in each state to cover the selected communities.
Therefore, to cover the four states, a total of forty (40 days) will be spent on generation of data
across the four states. This will be preceded by pre-field activities of one week (7days) as shown
in timeline below (table 1).
Four (4) research assistants will be employed to carry out desk reviews on each state
working for 8 man-hours per day for seven (7) days and a total of two hundred and twenty-four

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(224) hours. Four (4) community-based key-informants working for 8 man-hours per day over a
period fifteen (15) days covering five (5) days before actual field work and ten (10) days of the
field work totaling four hundred and eighty hours (480) will be employed based on their local
knowledge of the issues, actors and patterns of violence in the community as well as the local
cultural and religious sensibilities.
Two (2) data entrants will be employed with one working as a transcriber to transcribe
the interviews and FGDs and the other working on the quantitative data with an estimated 8 man-
hours each for seven (7) days totaling one hundred and twelve (112) hours.
A total of four (4) interpreters/translators, who will sit with us during the interactions
with each respondent, will be employed for a period of ten (10) days and working 8 man-hours
per day in each of the states covered working for three hundred and twenty (320) hours.
Drs Gbemisola Animasawun and Olubunmi Buhari from the Center for Peace & Strategic
Studies and the Department of Behavioural Science and Mr. Ade Bodunde will direct and
participate in all aspects of field survey and data entry. In addition, they will interpret the data
and write the project report.
Budget
A total of $27,265.90 excluding the ethical approval fee is required for the entire survey.
The detail budget is shown in table 3 below:

Table1: Timeline for the field survey

S/N WK 1 WK 2 WK WK 4 WK 5 WK WK WK
3 6 7 8
1 Preparation activities: literature review,
tools development, meetings, reviews
2 On site pre-field activities: recruitment
of teams, training of teams,
mobilization for field
4 Field activities: community diagnosis
and locale-specific conflict analysis,
desk review, refinement of instruments
& generation of data
5 Data management: Data entry, Data
analysis
6 Report Writing: Report writing and
presentation

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Proposed team composition, responsibilities and hours of work
Cadre Number Job descriptions Man
proposed hour/person
Desk reviewers 4 Generate data from the records of both the private 56
and public records/libraries and reports on violence
in the selected states and underpinning including
the proximate and structural factors
Community-based key- 4 To provide background information on the causes 120
informants and patterns of violence in each community in a
way that clarifies grey areas in studies and reports,
facilitates accessibility to study sites and
respondents
Translators/Interpreters 4 To be present during the conduct of interviews and 80
interactions with respondents
Data entrants 2 Transcribing of interviews and analysis of 56
quantitative data
Drs. Animasawun and Buhari & 3 Supervises the field data collection and data entry. 139
Mr. Bodunde Also involves in pre-field activities
Drs. Animasawun, Buhari & Mr 3 Develop the tools, directs and supervises all the 139
Bodunde aspect of the survey, provides all the survey
logistics, writes and presents the survey report.

Table 3: Budget (Prevailing exchange rate 306.5NGN = 1$)

ITEMS QUANTITY/DAYS TOTAL JUSTIFICATION
COST ($)
Personnel cost
Desk reviewers (4) Seven (7) days and a 2240.00 To cover for their cost of buying data and ensuring
total of two hundred uninterrupted power supply as well as man hour put I
and twenty-four at $10 per man-hour for four (4) personnel working
(224) hours for a total of 224 hours
Community-based key- 8 man-hours per day 4800.00 They provide rare but instructive information on the
informants (4) for fifteen (15) days communities, actors, issues, trends and patterns not
totaling four covered in the literature. They also ensure the
hundred and eighty community cooperation and trust. Stipend at $10 per
(480) hours man-hour for 480 hours

Translators/Interpreters Working for ten (10) 3200.00 They will enable an adequate understanding of the
(4) days at 8 man-hours insiders (local) perspective, emotions and experience
per day in four all of which constitute invaluable data for the study.
communities Stipend at $10 per man-hour for 320 hours
totaling 320 hours
Two (2) Data entrants 8 man-hours each 1680.00 Given the enormity of responses from in-depth
for seven (7) days interviews and FGDs as well as quantitative data, a
totaling one hundred stipend of $15 per hour is proposed
and twelve (112)
hours.
Transportation/Logistics

Drs Animasawun & 1,200. Air trips from Ilorin to Kaduna State, from Kaduna
Buhari and Mr. Bodunde Based on State to Adamawa, Adamawa to Benue, Benue to
400.00 per Rivers, Rivers to Ilorin
person X
5 Trips
Drs Animasawun & 2,100 Chartering vehicles for local trips in 4 States

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Buhari and Mr. Bodunde
Accommodation & DSA
Drs Animasawun & 12,000.00 DSA for 40 days including local hotel accommodation
Buhari and Mr. Bodunde before and during field survey & feeding for a
maximum of 40 days at $100 per day = $12,000
Printing and 1 200.00 Printer and photocopy for paper works and secretariat
photocopying work at $200
Training & Refreshments 320.00 • Halls will be required for trainings in this project.
The breakdown of the costs is highlighted below;
Venue rentals at $100 per day for 4 training days =
$320
600.00 • Training refreshment, meals and logistics: Meals and
refreshment will be provided for the participants
during training sessions as shown below;
15 participants at $10 per day for 4 days = $600
Production of survey tools 300.00 Questionnaires and other data collection tools
Dissemination through a 1,000.00 Hiring of hall, constituting a secretariat and
round table with production of report to be disseminated
stakeholders
Total 29,640.00