Data Collection Methods Training for Emerging Women Leaders

On 5 January, PODA Pakistan conducted an online Zoom training session from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Data Collection, Monitoring, and Evaluation as part of its week-long Leadership Skills Training for Young Women for emerging women leaders under the Rural Women’s Network for Civic Leadership and Participation Project, supported by NED. The session aimed to strengthen participants’ understanding of leadership, democratic engagement, and evidence-based project implementation. The session is attended by 80 women across Pakistan.

The training started with an introduction to PODA Pakistan by Ms. Sarwat Jahan Director Program, followed by Ms. Aiman Zahra, who shared an overview of the project and the training objectives. She explained that the objective of this week-long online training program is to equip emerging women leaders with basic leadership skills. The training supports participants in learning data collection techniques, monitoring the performance of elected representatives, improving public speaking and negotiation skills, understanding political party manifestos, developing development projects, and preparing budgets. The program aims to empower women to actively contribute to community development and democratic processes.

The first part of the session was conducted by Ms. Sarwat Jahan, who focused on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). She explained the basic concepts of monitoring and evaluation in simple terms, highlighting that monitoring is a continuous process used to track project activities and ensure progress according to the plan. She shared practical examples of monitoring tools such as Excel trackers, Google Drive sheets, and manual registers, especially useful in areas with limited access to internet or digital devices. She also explained different types of evaluation, including baseline, midline, and end-line assessments, and emphasized the importance of M&E for transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making.

The second part of the session was delivered by Ms. Parkha Khan, M& E Manager, PODA, who focused on Data Collection Tools. She explained the importance of data collection in effective project planning, decision-making, and performance measurement. She introduced qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, including interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, structured questionnaires, observation checklists, and secondary data sources. She also shared insights on digital and technology-based tools such as KoboToolbox, ODK, and MIS systems, highlighting their role in improving data accuracy and real-time monitoring.