Sexuality Research and Information Needs Assessment

Last October, HAIN conducted a research entitled, "Sexuality Research and Information Needs Assessment (SRINA)." SRINA was conceptualized to further enhance existing SSPRF and HAIN efforts in addressing research information needs, access and use. The main objective is to further understand the context of gender and sexuality as it affects health and other organizations for national policy and program development.

A total of eighteen organizations were visited in five Southeast Asia countries which include Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and the Philippines. The organizations were from the academe, government and non-government organizations. Some of them are involved in research, social marketing, interventions and information work.

The country visits looked at the research information needs of organizations working on gender and sexuality and related fields such as population and HIV and AIDS. It also looked at how and where these institutions access information related to gender and sexuality. The research identified the problems in accessing information by the different organizations. Priority research topics and skills training needs were also identified (i.e. on the use of Internet and other information technologies. One important point that was raised by the research is how to make information available, usable and accessible for others.

This project was funded by the Social Science and Philosophy Research Foundation (University of the Philippines) and the Ford Foundation.

For more information about the research, feel free to contact us at HAIN.