Country Context Analysis
Why do a country context analysis?
The purpose of a context analysis is to collect and analyse all the necessary information to gain a thorough understanding of the specific implementing environment including the (digital) challenges and opportunities, as well as the interests, needs and behaviours of young people.
A well conducted context analysis will ultimately inform the intervention design and can help to make an initial assessment of whether a digital platform is the most suitable channel to deliver the intended SRHR information and education to youth in a particular context.
IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH-CENTERED INTERVENTIONS
“While young people are often enthusiastic users of technology, it is not safe to assume that their health needs can be met using technology as well. Young people need to be reached through whichever methods they are already using and comfortable receiving health information, which may not always be through digital technology.”
Source: WHO, “Youth-centred digital health interventions, A Framework for Planning, Developing and Implementing Youth-Targeted Digital Health Interventions”, 2020
How to do a country context analysis for the digital youth SRHR sector?
Country context analysis, landscape analysis and needs assessment, and ecosystem analysis, are some of the terms that are often used interchangeably. Just like there are different terms, there are different approaches to carrying out these country context assessments, that can help inform the design of your intervention.
There are numerous resources and toolkits available, that vary in focus or approach, that can provide guidance on how to structure and conduct a country context assessment. Some relevant sources for digital-based interventions can be found in the course materials section of this module.
While there are different approaches to carrying out your country context analysis at this phase of your intervention’s design, the WHO has developed guiding principles that are important to consider throughout all programming phases. The three guiding principles support best practices for planning, developing and implementing digital health interventions for young people. In addition, the WHO details four cross-cutting actions that should be carried out at each programming phase. Throughout the modules, these principles are incorporated where relevant.
WHO GUIDING PRINCIPLES
According to the WHO’s “Framework for Planning, Developing and Implementing Youth-Targeted Digital Health Interventions”:
- Iteration
Be open to change, adaptations and factor in time to adjust and modify the intervention.
- Sustainability
Think through how the intervention will be able to stand on its own, beyond the initial development and implementation and beyond initial funding.
- Equity
Ensure fair and impartial access to the digital health intervention.
CROSS CUTTING ACTIONS
Key activities that should be executed in a thoughtful, responsible and meaningful way in the planning, developing and implementing of digital health interventions for young people are:
Engage young people
Involve the right people at the right time
Make decisions based on data and evidence
Promote safety, privacy and ethical standards
Source: WHO, “Youth-centred digital health interventions: A Framework for Planning, Developing and Implementing Youth-Targeted Digital Health Interventions”, 2020
In this module, we propose a simple 4 step process to collect the information needed for your country context analysis. These steps are divided into two groups:
- Scope of the analysis and the core questions (step 1);
- Finding valid answers to the core questions (step 2, 3, 4).
The four steps are:
- Step 1. Define core research questions: The main questions that need to be answered
- Step 2. Sources of information: Find the information in the best way
- Step 3. Information validation: Validate the information
- Step 4. Write report: Report on the answers found