Appendix B: Possible Adaptations to the Interview Guide

The following parts of the Interview Guide in Appendix A can be adapted to meet cultural, social and economic differences in your country:

A. Options of Persons or Organizations that the Interviewee might have Reported to (Questions 1.16, 2.16 and 3.16)

Different countries will have different types of people and organizations that receive complaints from people who have had their rights abused. The options set out in Questions 1.16, 2.16 and 3.16 of the Interview Guide and highlighted below, should be adapted to identify the five or six types of persons or organizations in your country that might are most likely to receive complaints about human rights abuses.

Note that there will always be a final ‘other’ option that will used if an interviewee says that he or she reported to a person or organization that is not on the list of the top five or six.

Here is question 1.16 of the Interview Guide, with the options that can be changed italicized:

• 1.16 Did you report the experience to anyone? Yes or no?
  • If you reported the experience, what kind of person / organization did you report it to?
    • government official / social worker
    • police officer
    • religious leader
    • human rights commission
    • disability organization (DPO)
    • other: (explain)
  • How did that person react?
  • What action was taken?
  • If you did not report the experience to anyone, why did you not report it?

Note: the sub-questions in Question 1.16 that are not italicized, do not have to be adapted.

Note: the same changes that are made to Question 1.16 should also be made to Questions 2.16 and 3.16.

B. Types of Schools (Question 4.5)

Different countries will have different names for the schools that people can attend. The options in Question 4.5 that are italicized below should be adapted to fit your country:

• 4.5 Did you go to school? Yes or no?
  • If yes, what kind of school? [interviewee should identify as many as apply]
  • Note: Elements of the following list may be changed to suit particular local circumstances. See more information in Appendix B.
    • nursery school
    • primary school
    • secondary school
    • vocational school
    • short course diploma
    • college
    • university

C. Types of Places to Live (Question 4.6)

Different countries can have different ways that people can hold and use property, including the places where they live. Also, homes can be made out of different types of materials. The options in Question 4.6 that are italicized below should be adapted to fit your country:

• 4.6 Is there a specific place where you live? Yes or no?
  • If yes, do you
  • Note: Elements of the following list may be changed to suit particular local circumstances. See more information in Appendix B.
    • own that place?
    • lease that place?
    • rent that place?
    • live with someone who owns, leases or rents the place?
  • Is the place in a permanent building? Yes or no?
    • If no, explain.
    • If yes, what is the building made of?
    • Note: Elements of the following list may be changed to suit particular local circumstances. See more information in Appendix B.
      • concrete
      • wood
      • other: (explain)

D. Other Indications of Standard of Living (Questions 4.10, 4.11, 4.12 & 4.13)

In some countries, how people cook their food (Question 4.10), how they get water (Question 4.11), whether they have indoor or outdoor toilets (Question 4.12) and what type of sewage system they have (Question 4.13), are good indicators of someone’s standard of living. If these are not good indicators in your country, they can be left out of the Interview Guide and replaced with one to four questions that are more appropriate.

E. Types of Health Care (Question 4.15)

Different types of health care and medicine are used in different places in the world. The options in Question 4.15 that are italicized below should be adapted to fit your country:

4.15 What type of care is offered by the health centre?

• primary care
• western medicine
• herbal medicine
• other (specify)

F. Other Background Information about Interviewees?

There may be other types of background information that is important to collect in your country about persons with disabilities and the conditions and situations in which they live that is not covered by the questions in Background Information section of the Interview Guide. For example, in some countries, it might be important to know whether an impairment was caused by a landmine or another weapon used in armed conflict. In that case, a question could be added to this section of the Interview Guide asking:

• Was your impairment caused by a landmine or another weapon used in armed conflict? Yes or no?

G. Changes to the Words and Expressions Used

In some countries, it may be necessary to change the wording or expressions used in questions in the Interview Guide to make them easy to understand. It may be that a certain term or phrase is not used in your country and should be replaced with another term. For example, Questions 1.15, 2.15 and 3.15 talk about being ‘labeled’ as follows:

• 1.15 Do you feel that people label you and then treat you differently because of the label?
  • If yes, what label do they use? How does this label affect you?

When someone is ‘labeled’, it means that they are put into a classification or category and often treated differently because of that classification or category. But, if the term ‘labeling’ is not used in your country, this question will not make sense to the interviewees and the wording should be changed.

It is important to review all of the questions in the Interview Guide to see whether there are any words or expressions that should be reworded so that the questions will be clearly understood.

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