In 2009, UNICEF and Save the Children, with the agreement of the government of Iraq, decided to undertake a national study on violence against children (VAC) in Iraq. The study was designed to follow the priority settings, definitions, and structure of the global UN Study on VAC, including consultations with children and other key stakeholders and engaging the government. It was agreed that this should be a nationwide study and data was gathered from each of the 18 governorates of Iraq.
A detailed methodology of the study and tools for the field data collection were developed and presented to an ethical review board before starting the field work which involved children, parents, influential community members, professionals and representatives of key governmental bodies and civil society organizations.
The methodology combined a series of methods to ensure the objectives of the Study are met:
· A desk review of relevant sources and materials on VAC issues in Iraq as well as in the region and worldwide to provide comparison points;
· Quantitative data collection: Revised ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool (ICAST-CH) adapted to the context of Iraq and to the goals of the Study;
· Qualitative data collection: Focus Group discussions, In Depth Interviews (IDI) and, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)
ICAST TOOLS
1.) Child questionnaire (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
2.) Child questionnaire - Institutions (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
3.) Parents' questionnaire - Punishment, Discipline and Violence in the Home (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS
1.) Guidelines for Documentation of Focus Group Discussions (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
2.) Guidelines for Focus Group Discussions with Children (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
3.) Guidelines for Focus Group Discussions with Adults (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
IN DEPTH INTERVIEWS (IDIs)
1.) Guidelines for In Depth Interviews (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS (KIIs)
1.) Guidelines for Key Informant Interviews (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)
2.) Self-administrered Key Informant Interviews (English/ Arabic/ Kurdish)