Section 3.2 - Writing a Systemic Monitoring Report
Reporting is important in making the findings of a study widely available. A report also makes it possible to measure how things change over time and if there is progress towards a society in which more people can exercise their rights. After all the systemic data has been compiled, organized, and analyzed – that is, when the template has been completed - the next step is for the monitoring team to produce a report.
To ensure that information can be compared among countries and over time, DRPI suggests the following way to format the systemic monitoring reports:
Introduction
This section should provide an answer to the following questions:
- Why is the report being writtern?
- Who conducted the research?
- What is covered in the report?
- Any other background information that could be important to the reader
Start by providing an overview of the general legal provisions governing persons with disabilities in the country
Providing a general picture of the situation in the beginning of a report gives readers an idea of the topics that will be discussed in the report.
Example - Constitutional Position
What is the constitutional position on disability in India? While the Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination per se, it does not explicitly prohibit discrimination on grounds of disability. However, a seven judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court of India in Indra Sawhney vs. Union of India held that the
spirit of Articles 14 [right to equality] 15(1) [right against discrimination] and 16 [right against discrimination in public employment]allowed for discrimination and affirmative actions for persons with disabilities. As a result of this decision, the Constitution may be read as explicitly prohibiting discrimination against persons with disabilities.(from DRPI India – Systemic Monitoring Report)
Address one human right at a time
Be clear and concise. Present the analysis of the human right that is being discussed in this section of the report. Ensure clarity by providing and quoting from the various sources used.
Identify:
- the trends
- the gaps
- the positive developments, if there are any.
Once this is complete, move to the next human right and present the analysis.
Example - Right To Education
The rights of children with disabilities are addressed primarily, if not exclusively, through the medium of universal education, Article 21A of the Constitution of India. Drawing on this the enunciation of the zero rejection policy by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and the special strategies in this programme to draw children with disabilities into the mainstream of education, are significant (Ministry of Human Resource Development). The SSA goal of the Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) necessarily meant that children with disabilities be included. One of SSA’s missions, therefore, is to ensure that every child with a disability is provided quality education in a learning environment best suited to his or her needs. SSA maintains an emphasis on including children with special needs in mainstream schooling whenever possible by providing pre-integration programmes when needed, as well as adequate in-school support.
However, an alternate report on the Education of Disabled Children and Youth (National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People) enumerates the failures of SSA to deliver these educational opportunities to children with special needs, and criticizes the
lack of clear vision at the policy level to meet the education needs of children with different impairments(from DRPI India – Systemic Monitoring Report)
Write a conclusion for the report
In this section of the report the monitoring team summarizes their findings by answering the question what does all this mean? In writing the conclusion, the monitoring team looks back at the initial purpose of the report and answers the issues or questions that were raised there. Include a clear summary of the main points and outline the findings of the research.
Make recommendations that come from the findings of the study
The purpose of monitoring is to promote social change and improve the lives of persons with disabilities. Making recommendations based on the findings is an important contribution to that process.
In writing this section remember that:
- Recommendations should come directly from the conclusions
- Recommendations should state what is to be done at legislative and policy level to improve the human rights situation of persons with disabilities
- Recommendations should state who is responsible for implementing the changes recommended
- Recommendations should state how and when changes need to happen