Posted by 
The following article is a personal reflection on two interviews conducted for a research assignment, stemming from the previous post about the gender gap in humanitarian leadership roles. I explain how first contact was made, what the rapport was during the interviews, the differences between the two, and what learning outcomes were achieved as part of Mälmo University´s Communication for Development programme.
The existing gender gap in leadership positions- especially relevant in today´s global political climate- remains a pressing issue globally, including in the humanitarian sector. Despite the growing demand for gender equality and equal representation, women continue to face multiple barriers in their ascent towards higher ranks. To gain insight into how women in this sector perceive these challenges and what strategies they employ for career advancement, I conducted two interviews with women in leadership roles within NGO´s, whose personal journeys and general perspectives on the matter proved very valuable.
In order to find them, I utilized my personal connections and research capabilities. For the first, I asked around and was provided with the contact for a friend´s grandmother, who has been running her own NGO for 30 years. For the second, I went online to identify local humanitarian organisations and their contact information, sending emails first -without success- and calling them a few days later, this time getting through to a couple of prospective interviewees, one of whom immediately offered me a date for a meeting. Both women seemed enthusiastic about helping and interested in the subject matter, setting a positive tone for the following conversations.
After writing an introductory article, I prepared three structured questions I believed would be relevant to the subject matter, with sub-questions to be included if the interviews lead there, allowing for a more natural dynamic. The pillar questions that made up the interviews were:
- Can you share your journey in the humanitarian sector and any challenges you’ve faced as a woman trying to advance in your career?
- In your opinion, does gender diversity in leadership roles impact the methods or effectiveness of humanitarian responses, especially concerning issues that disproportionately affect women and girls?
- What strategies or changes do you believe could help improve female representation in leadership positions within humanitarian organizations?
Due to the interviewee´s remote location (Mallorca), the first encounter took place virtually, via Google Meet. This allowed for more flexibility in scheduling, an advantage greatly appreciated due to the restrictions presented by different time zones. Nevertheless, I found it harder to establish the same level of rapport as in the in-person interview, as reading non-verbal cues was more difficult in this setting. The interviewee was engaging and became more comfortable as time progressed, expressing initial anxiety about giving me “helpful” answers. I reassured her that any answer she gave would be valid, as the objective was to learn about her personal views and experiences as a woman in her professional position. This seemed to put her at ease, and she became more open about her points of view, at which point I made a point to remind her of the confidentiality of the interview. Although she initially consented to having the conversation recorded, technical difficulties complicated this and we decided to go ahead without it.
For the second encounter, I traveled to the interviewee´s workplace to meet her. On this occasion, there was an opportunity to speak more before I began with the questions, which led to an increased feeling of familiarity. I had been asked to email her the questions beforehand so she could reflect on them, and this showed in her answers, thought-out and well-versed, without being stale. Her attitude motivated me to finish by asking if she had any thoughts on the issue she wanted to add, and sure enough, she was happy to share more of her frustrations about working in the humanitarian sector. On this occasion, I also chose not to record so as not to interrupt the flow of the conversation.
As for the content of the interviews, there was a stark contrast of opinions, with one interviewee recognizing the gender gap as a pressing issue that requires attention and the other dismissing it altogether, arguing sufficient progress has been made, though admitting this opinion may stem from her more advanced age. These differing views illustrate how research on gender equality in organizations – already scarce in relation to the humanitarian sector- must take into account a diversity of views and experiences, particularly as they relate to cultural and generational factors. It´s clear the challenges women face in achieving leadership positions are not uniform across the sector, and as such, these different perspectives should be accounted for in order to create more inclusive policies and interventions.
Conducting these interviews taught me the importance of adaptability in qualitative research. For the purpose of these encounters, I realized the value lay not just in the specific words shared but in the broader themes and personal reflections that emerged. The choice not to record wasn´t pre-meditated but seemed the right one, given the more informal direction the meetings took, which I believe helped the interviewees feel more comfortable about sharing their opinions, even when they disagreed with the main premise of the questions. This pushed me to reflect on the importance of being open to a diversity of opinions, and explore what role personal experiences have in shaping them. This experience will inform my future research, and better equip me for future interviews.
Natasha Cooper