Browsing by Author "Blaser-Mapitsa, Caitlin"

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Investigating Non-Medical Ethics Committee Monitoring Approaches and its Effectiveness
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Schoeman, Shaun; Blaser-Mapitsa, Caitlin
Ethics committee monitoring aims to ensure that research participants are protected throughout the research process and to ensure that research is conducted ethically. This study investigates monitoring approaches used by non-medical ethics committees within South Africa in a climate of limited resources and the relationship with the governing guidelines. The study further investigates the current monitoring approaches that are used and how effective these are in relation to participant protection. The study found that the current monitoring approaches used by non-medical ethics committees are passive as opposed to active. Non-medical ethics committees face challenges such as limited resources, funding, training, and ineffective guidelines that hinder their ability to monitor more effectively. The governing monitoring guidelines for registered ethics committees are premised on medical ethics, which is not fit the purpose of non-medical ethics committee monitoring. The study proposes adjustments to these governing guidelines, taking limited resources and non-medical nuances into consideration. The study further suggests that passive monitoring be redefined to include more effective methods than just annual progress reporting. These methods include participant meetings or citizen monitoring to ensure that participants are protected, and that research is conducted ethically.
Monitoring and Evaluation Practise Contributions to Gendered Policies and Gender Mainstreaming at Wits University
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Moeno, Sharon; Blaser-Mapitsa, Caitlin
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) released a report in 2014 and 2015 on several South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This report made recommendations for these institutions, Wits University being one of them. These HEIs were advised to work on gendered transformation, empowerment, and gender equality and adopt the gender mainstreaming (GM) strategy to achieve these outcomes. However, information about GM in HEIs is limited. The perceived research gap in the lack of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of GM or gender policies and the indistinguishable impact of M&E practises on the achievement of GM results was identified; This research study sought to address this gap. A qualitative exploratory case study design with Wits University as the study site was used to investigate how M&E systems or practises contribute to the achievement of GM outcomes. Stratified purposive and convenience sampling were applied yielding 12 consenting participants with whom semi- structured interviews were conducted. According to the findings of the interviews, Wits does not have an internal M&E system or an official GM strategy, but elements of GM were recognised in policies and M&E practises. Factors such as resources and willpower were identified as contributing to achieving the GM outcomes. To improve the attainment of GM outcomes, it was proposed to establish an M&E system and an M&E unit
Policies for evidence: a comparative analysis of Africa’s national evaluation policy landscape
(Evidence &Policy, 2021-01-12) Dr Chirau, Takunda; Blaser-Mapitsa, Caitlin; Amisi, Matodzi