ABSTRACT
This chapter presents lessons the authors learned from evaluating sexual and reproductive health programmes using the Rapid Participatory Ethnographic Evaluation and Research (Rapid PEER) method. It discusses the benefits and challenges of this qualitative approach using two case studies in Papua New Guinea and the UK. These two case studies provide clearer insight into both the strengths and limitations of the Rapid PEER approach. The first concerns an evaluation of a marital training programme' for the reduction of HIV and concurrent sexual relationships in Papua New Guinea. The second highlights experiences from base and endline studies on the practice of female genital mutilation in the UK, conducted within groups where this practice is known to be highly prevalent in countries of origin. The case studies demonstrate how an interpretive approach utilising ethnographic principles can enable the rapid collection of data on sensitive issues and from highly marginalised or vulnerable groups.
