W HO WE ARE SERV I N G A N D W HY PROJECT PLANNING SHOULD ASSESS THE ROLE OF POVERTY AND DISCRIMINATION IN THE PROBLEMS YOU SEEK TO ADDRESS. THE BEST Needs assessment activities, such as discussion groups or door-to-door interviews, are unlikely to reach the entirety of an affected community, for practical reasons. However, even if serving the entire affected population is not possible, it is useful to understand how widespread an issue is when deciding which areas to cover, budgeting for activities, establishing triage protocols when faced with overwhelming need, seeking funding, or conducting advocacy work. DIFFERENCES EXIST Identifying a population with documentation and nationality difficulties does not require a survey of every affected individual. Besides being impractical and expensive, such a survey may have negative consequences. Combining existing data with smaller-scale targeted surveys or focus groups can provide an estimate of those affected and a better understanding of their justice needs. Local leaders who are in favor of your project may have insight into needs and priorities. BETWEEN THE MAJORITY If a survey or focus group is warranted, sample questions to ask include: WAY TO DO THIS IS USING COMPARATIVE DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AND THE AFFECTED GROUP. •H  ave you, or people you know, had trouble getting your birth certificates, ID cards, consular cards, passports, or other proof of nationality? This question can be changed to include any documents that prove nationality in the country where you provide services. • If so, what is the reason for these difficulties? Answers might include distance to the office where they issue documents, cost, behavior of officials, and the need to provide documents that are difficult to get. •C  an you access basic rights and services as easily as other people in the country where you live? These include water, electricity, education, healthcare, shelter, or land registered in your name, food, safe and dignified employment that pays enough to survive, access to a bank, and voter registration. — If not, what makes it difficult or impossible to access these basic rights and services? —W  hat strategies do you use to access these services when you face difficulties? RELATED RESOURCE ID4D, Incentives for Improving Birth Registration Coverage: A Review of the Literature •C  an you travel and move around freely? Do you or others you know feel at risk of being harassed or detained when you leave your home or community? •D  o you feel that government authorities treat you or your community differently from others? Why? •D  o you require legal identity documents in daily life? If yes, what for, and what happens if you do not have them? How easy is it to access the documents you need? • If documentation is a problem, what have you or anyone else done to solve the problem? What happened? Additional resources related to needs assessments:  ee 5. Planning, Monitoring, and Learning for Success for more on S defining and measuring success, and 5.3 Collecting, Managing, and 20 | A C O M M U N I T Y- B A S E D P R A C T I T I O N E R ’ S G U I D E : D O C U M E N T I N G C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D OT H E R F O R M S O F L E G A L I D E N T I T Y