On December 20, 2024, ROLC delivered a capacity-building workshop to think tanks in Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka for its South Asian Consortium for Regional Responsibility (SACRR) project. Dr. Anu Chakravarty, ROLC Fellow and the founder of the Global Center for Youth Futures, presented on conducting qualitative research on sensitive issues or in restrictive environments. ROLC experts Jerome Hansen and Atif Choudhury served as the facilitators. During the workshop, Dr. Chakravarty covered a range of topics, including setting expectations, the research process, trust building, language issues, conducting interviews, research ethics, vulnerable populations, security protocols, and follow-up discussions. The presentation featured several case studies, including cautionary tales of flawed or misguided research activities. Participants shared their experiences conducting qualitative research for their research projects, as well as in their work more broadly. Participants were keenly interested in Dr. Chakravarty’s work and engaged with her on youth issues in their respective countries.

This was the third series of ROLC’s SACRR workshops, and the final workshop is scheduled for January 2025.