Developing Culturally Relevant Indicators of Reintegration for Girls, Formerly Associated with Armed Groups, in Sierra Leone Using a Participative Ranking Methodology

This article describes a participative ranking methodology for identifying local understanding of reintegration and adjustment of potential value in programme planning and evaluation. It was applied in the specific context of girls formerly associated with fighting forces in Sierra Leone. Fourteen discussion groups, utilizing spontaneous listing and participative ranking activities, within a focus group framework, were conducted in 10 communities. Discussions served to identify family support, marriage, involvement in communal activities and income generating activities as locally seen as significant indicators of a girl’s successful reintegration after the war.This method offers a flexible approach to identifying culturally relevant indictors of reintegration that have the potential for wide use in programme planning and evaluation.