Strengthening Research and Educational Competences of HEIs for Gender sensitive Urban (InfoRmal Settlement) Transformation

The presentation gives an overview of the outline for the Manual on Transdisciplinary Processes. It builds on the discussions and short courses about transdisciplinary methods. The manual will be designed for transdisciplinary processes in urban settings in Ethiopia and Mozambique. Relevant stakeholders include communities and women in informal settlements and slums, policy makers and representatives from (non-)governmental organizations.

During the project meeting in Addis Ababa in March 2024 three partner universities in GIRT were presenting their preliminary results of qualitative interviews with women in informal settlements and slums. The slides inform about first findings as well as challenges with interviewing in Addis Ababa, Mekelle (Ethiopia) and Nampula (Mozambique).

Following the transdisciplinary training needs assessment experienced team members led a workshop on transdisciplinary methods. In this peer to peer coaching six colleagues from three teams introduced us to six selected methods. This was part of the short courses on transdisciplinarity and facilitated knowledge sharing and exchange among the teams.

In preparation of the transdisciplinary research process a transdisciplinary training needs assessment has been conducted among all project team members. The presentation shows the state of knowledge and experiences of transdisciplinarity in general and of specific transdisciplinary methods. The report gives detailed information on the survey and the findings within the team.

Four virtual Short Courses on Qualitative Interviewing took place from December 2022 to January 2023. The documentation provides insights into the practical, methodological, technical and ethical aspects of interviewing women in informal settlements in Ethiopia and Mozambique.

Manuals for conducting research with women in informal settlements are provided here in local languages. Translations of essential questions and reflections into Amharic, Tigrinya, and Portuguese can be used for training students in the respective partner countries.

The videos present the informal settlements in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Mekelle and Nampula selected for research and the transdisciplinary process with relevant stakeholders. The presentations give a short overview of the location and the history of the settlement, the inhabitants, their livelihoods and current problems related to lack of infrastructure, environmental hazards and legal uncertainties.