PROPELLING SOCIAL INCLUSION
•
237
rates among indigenous children) exists. In Peru, for example, interviews conducted as part of the RECURSO program found that indigenous women rejected formal health facilities for delivery because they found them “inappropriate” and not respectful of their cultural preferences and standards.4 The study accordingly recommended that health centers in indigenous areas imbue their staffs with greater sensitivity to the cultural preferences of women regarding how they would like to give birth (for example, allowing a family member to be present during birth, providing staff who can communicate in indigenous languages, facilitating the process of giving birth in a vertical position, and accommodating traditional preferences regarding the disposal of the placenta). Innovative methods such as using information and communication technology to solicit anonymous responses to questions have become increasingly popular. In Tanzania and South Sudan, for instance, two pilot initiatives referred to as “Listening to Africa” have been highly successful in collecting panel data through mobile phone interviews. Evaluations suggest that the method is cost-effective, with low attrition rates even after more than 30 rounds of interviews (Croke et al. 2012). In other cases, there may already be a strong body of research that can be synthesized and tailored to the issue at hand. Consultations are the cornerstone of diagnosing problems and building support for interventions. A consultation, as distinct from a dialogue, commits the provider to active listening and to carefully considering the comments, ideas, and recommendations of beneficiaries about what is bothering them and why. Building such consultations into projects and programs can help organizations frame key questions and identify the right channels for intervention. The key is to hold consultations early in the project cycle, so that findings can feed into project design. Consultations segregated by gender and other groups can also help project teams understand why group characteristics matter and how they can be addressed for good results. Step 2: Design Once the underlying reasons for exclusion are identified, interventions to address them can be designed accordingly. To go back to the example of high numbers of maternal deaths in India, the issue of too few female providers can be addressed by training local birth attendants from tribal communities (figure 7.4). Family restrictions on using a facility can be worked around through education and awareness campaigns using local languages and idioms. Tribal communities can be involved in the surveillance of health