QUICK GUIDE 4 - KEY QUALITATIVE METHODS QUICK GUIDE 4 - KEY QUALITATIVE METHODS community leader in trying to address statelessness in your community? What has been the impact of your efforts? Below are some general questions which can be tailored to the specific circumstances to gather information on statelessness situations from key informants: • Key Informant 1: Community leader/local authority • What are your responsibilities as a community leader? • Who would you consider to be a member of your community? • Do you understand what it means to be stateless? • What is the history of your community (migratory history in particular)? • Are there members of your community who are stateless or at risk of statelessness? Do you know or can you estimate how many are affected? • • • For how long have they been stateless? • • • What are the main impacts on members of your community who are stateless or at risk of statelessness? What has your community tried to do to address their statelessness? What is the impact of their efforts? • What are the main obstacles that your community faces in trying to resolve their situation of statelessness? • 34 How are members of your community, including those who are stateless or at risk of statelessness, perceived by nationals of the country? Do they experience discrimination or harassment? How does this manifest itself? • What are the causes of statelessness in your community? Does statelessness affect particular members of your community more than others? Why? Do members of your community experience issues with acquiring documents such as birth certificates or nationality documentation? Has this always been the case? What role have you played as a U N H C R > R E S E A R C H I N G S TAT E L E S S N E S S - Q U I C K G U I D E S • • Are there any organizations that are trying to help your community address issues of statelessness? Are they successful? What obstacles do they face? In your opinion, what needs to be done to address statelessness in your community and who do you think can assist? of statelessness that would be willing to be interviewed about their situation and experiences? • Can you assist us in contacting these individuals? • Can you assist us in explaining to your community why we want to collect this information and what we intend to do with it? • Can you help us to find a safe, quiet place in the community to conduct interviews? Can you identify members of your community that are stateless or at risk Key Informant 2: Relevant Government authority • What is your role in the Government department? • Do you know or can you estimate how many are affected? • For how long have you been working in this role? • For how long have they been stateless or at risk? • [Explain what statelessness is and then ask] Are there particular communities in your country that you know are stateless or that are at risk of statelessness? • What are the main reasons for their statelessness? • Are you aware of what the impacts are of those who are stateless or at risk? U N H C R > R E S E A R C H I N G S TAT E L E S S N E S S - Q U I C K G U I D E S 35