Goswami, Sathyasree
Pinto, Edward Premdas
Article History
Accepted: 20 October 2022
First Online: 21 November 2022
Declarations
:
: The research is not submited for approval to any ehtics committees. However, a deliberated and serious protocol is followed to safeguard the organization from any intended or unintended risks and to get their explicit informed consent to participate in the study. This included: (1) Before undertaking the process of writing this paper, the authors discussed the issue of writing on JMS’ social accountability campaign experiences. Only with their consent the research process was undertaken; (2) A separate and formal discussion was held with the JMS leadership <i>(sanchalana samiti)</i> to explain to them the purpose of writing the paper, and the need for their formal consent to participate as well as their explicit consent to allow the authors to access JMS archives and an explicit consent to publish; (3) The key components of confidentiality and right to participate was explained to them in their mother tongue, i.e. Kannada language, in a way that they can understood. It was made clear that their confidentiality would be absolutely maintained by anonymising their identity, and that the authors would do their best in not revealing their identity in any form. In addition, authors made it clear to them that they as an organization or as individual participants, reserved the right to withdraw from this intended paper at any point in time. Authors also asked upfront if the names of villages, PHCs and the organization could be used. The organization gave explcit and written consent to this; (4) Their response was formulated in Kannada. It was translated to English and was explained to them again to see if it was equivalent to what they meant. Both the documents are submitted along with this manuscript in the official letter-head of the organisation, signed by the president of JMS; (5) Individual written consent is taken from participants/respondents who are not part of the JMS leadership; (6) Authors made it explicit that there is no financial incentive of any kind involved in writing this paper either for the authors or for the organization. It was also assued that, as part of the ongoing mentoring the authors do in good will, once published, they would strive to disseminate this paper for the benefit of the organization.
: This was explicitly discussed with Dalit women’s organization leaders as part of the consent to participate in the study. Subject to the conditions of safeguarding their personal identity, the organization has consented to publish the study. A scanned copy of the consent from the organization to participate in the study, to access their archives and to publish the study is attached. For any clarification, the president of JMS, can be contacted at the email id given on the consent letter.
: The authors provide a pro-bono mentoring to the organization in the form of professional guidance in their health-related programmes when requested for, and hence share a outsider-insider relationship with the organization that is central to this study. However, the authors declare that they are not part of any decision-making bodies or processes in the organization nor share any financial relationship with the organization. The writing of the paper was conceived with an interest to disseminate the learnings of the organization’s social accountability campaigns to the benefit of the practitioners and researchers in accountability.