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Environment and Urbanization
DOI: 10.1177/095624789901100220
1999; 11; 261Environment and Urbanization
Giulietta Fadda and Paola Jirón
Quality of life and gender: a methodology for urban research
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1. This paper is based on
research project No.1980865/98
financed by FONDECYT. A
large part of the bibliography
used to prepare this document
is based on both authors'
research and study at DPU,
University College London.
2. Rico, María Nieves (1993), "La
perspectiva de género en el
análisis medioambiental y del
desarrollo", paper presented at
Taller Sub-regional Mujer,
Ambiente y Sobrevivencia, Caracas
(Venezuela), 15-19 August.
3. Bartone, C. R., J. Bernstein
and J. Leitmann (1992),
"Managing the environmental
challenge of mega-regions",
paper presented at the
International Conference on
Managing the Mega-urban
Regions of ASEAN Countries:
Policy Challenges and
Responses, Asian Institute of
Technology, Bangkok.
Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999 261
Quality of life and gender:
a methodology for urban
research(1)
Giulietta Fadda and Paola Jirón
SUMMARY: This paper discusses how to undertake research on quality of life
from a gender perspective. It begins by discussing how the concept of quality of
life (which is concerned with people's sense of well-being) differs from environ-
mental quality and how both can be measured. It then discusses the methodolog-
ical basis for undertaking research on quality of life with a particular emphasis on
seeking a clear understanding of differences in the perceptions of women and men.
It ends with a description of how a questionnaire was developed to look in more
detail at these differences in two low-income settlements in Santiago, and how
group discussions and other measures helped to develop this questionnaire.
I. INTRODUCTION
AS IN THE rest of LatinAmerica, the Chilean urbanization process is char-
acterized by a high concentration of population and economic activities
and by an urban development pattern which has had a negative effect on
environmental conditions. Although cities are the main centres for
promoting economic development, the failure to manage the impacts of
rapid urbanization threatens, amongst other things, the environment,
human health, equity, urban productivity and thus the quality of life.
These costs impact more on those living in lower-income neighbourhoods,
affecting men and women, girls and boys in different ways.
Because men and women have different roles and different access to
and control of resources, they also have different needs. For this reason,
improving basic services in low-income urban areas may lead to more
gender equity and to a more egalitarian development strategy. This can
be achieved if potentials are maximized, participation is strengthened and
gender options and autonomy are broadened.(2) A study of the percep-
tions, practices and decision-making processes of men and women in low-
income urban settlements is a step towards this.
Some of the visible negative effects of urbanization include: segrega-
tion and isolation; overcrowding; deficient or misallocated facilities and
services; and poor quality of construction, housing design and infrastruc-
ture.All contribute to urban space that is inadequate for human life. Other
effects include: deficient foundations; inadequate urban transport plan-
ning; inadequate treatment of solid and liquid waste; air and water pollu-
tion; and risks of flooding and landslides. These are part of what has been
called the "Brown Agenda",(3) which is concerned with unsustainable
Dr. Giulietta Fadda is an
architect and urban planner
and a professor at the Urban
Planning Department of the
Faculty of Architecture at the
University of Valparaíso,
Chile.
Address: Av. Matta 40, Via del
Mar, Chile; fax (56-32) 621920;
e-mail jpc-gf@ctc-mundo.net
Paola Jirón is a professor at the
Housing Institute, Faculty of
Architecture and Urbanism,
University of Chile; e-mail:
pjiron@chilepac.net
 1999 Environment and Urbanization. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.
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development in our cities, in contrast to the "Green Agenda", which
concentrates on the global problems of the Earth. The poor environmen-
tal quality in low-income neighbourhoods has been acknowledged as one
of the most urgent and greatest problems of cities because of the risk it
represents to their inhabitants' health.(4)
Despite macro-economic improvements within Chile, habitat condi-
tions are becoming one of the most serious problems affecting the lives of
its urban population. In addition, various studies(5) have identified the
different impacts of these conditions on men and women, differences that
are often neglected in the planning of human settlements. In response, the
present government intends to implement policies that overcome poverty
and raise the quality of life in these social sectors. Given that urban plan-
ning and management can help improve the situation, the concept of
"quality of life" can be a useful tool in studying and evaluating the degree
of well-being and equity for men and women living in specific circum-
stances. It can also help set out urban planning goals that aim to overcome
such a critical situation.
This paper develops a theoretical framework around the concept of
quality of life and seeks to delimit its scope with the aim of deriving a
gender aware methodological instrument for research which could help to
improve the quality of life in urban settlements. In this case, the instru-
ment is applied to the Chilean context, recognizing that gender relations
are context specific as is the quality of life.
II. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
THE CONCEPT OF "quality of life" represents more than the private
"living standards" and refers to all the elements of the conditions in which
people live, that is, all their needs and requirements. This concept has been
developed by social scientists to measure and evaluate people's well-
being, satisfaction and happiness. It demands, amongst other things,
available and accessible social and public infrastructure to satisfy the
needs of those involved and affected by it as well as an environment
without serious deterioration or pollution. Such conditions are not gener-
ally met in our cities, since a large part of the inhabitants live in dwellings
and neighbourhoods lacking basic facilities and services.
Milbrath(6) states that "...if quality of life is defined as happiness or well-
being or satisfaction, it is necessarily subjective", thus, the objects which
we value as positive provide that value to our life quality. Rapoport(7)
points out that the evaluation we make of the environment involves more
than a detailed interpretation of it; it is a global and affective reaction
which is strongly influenced by ideal images that are of a subjective
nature. Although the concepts of quality of life and environmental quality
show considerable overlap, they are not identical: there are elements of
happiness that have their origin in the individual. There are people who
are able to feel happy even in the worst environmental conditions while
others cannot be happy even in the best environmental conditions.
Human beings perceive problems and possible solutions from differ-
ent viewpoints or according to their social roles (including reproductive,
productive, community based and political roles)(8) and define their basic
needs with different criteria. The same physical object or specific experi-
ence may be perceived differently by different persons. Thus, a house may
be perceived by some people as being of high quality whilst, for others, it
4. BID/NU (1990), Nuestra
propia agenda, Comisión de
Desarrollo y Medio Ambiente
de América Latina y el Caribe,
UN, NY.
5. Huaman, J. (1996), "Género en
la construcción de lo urbano",
Genero y Desarrollo, Pobreza
Urbana y Desarrollo Year 5,
No.11; also Moser, C. (1994),
"Women, gender and urban
development policy", paper
presented at the OECD
Conference on Women in the
City: Housing, Services and
Urban Environment, Paris
(France), October 4-6; and
UNCHS (1996), Gendered
Habitat: Working with Women and
Men in Human Settlements
Development. A Comprehensive
Policy Paper and Action Plan, UN
Centre for Human Settlements,
Nairobi.
6. Milbrath, L.W. (1978),
"Indicators of environmental
quality" in UNESCO,
"Indicators of environmental
quality and quality of life",
reports and papers in Social
Sciences No.38, pages 3-56.
7. Rapoport, A. (1978), Aspectos
humanos de la forma urbana. Hacia
una confrontación de las ciencias
sociales con el diseo de la forma
urbana, G. Gili, Barcelona.
8. For additional literature on
this, see Moser (1994) in
reference 5; also Beall, J. (1993),
"The gender dimensions of
urbanization and urban
poverty", paper presented at the
UN Division for the
Advancement of Women
Seminar on Women in Urban
Areas, Vienna, Austria, 8-12
November.
262 Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999
FEEDBACK
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may be of lower or no quality at all. For some social groups, one environ-
ment may seem ideal yet, for others, it may hardly be acceptable or even
definitively unacceptable. This means that a certain environmental quality
may imply contents, images, perceptions which vary for different people
depending, among other things, on their gender, age, culture, ethnicity
and religion.
This is where the gender perspective becomes useful, in evaluating how
the gender relations that occur in a particular context affect quality of life.(9)
In most of the literature relating to quality of life, "human beings",
"people", "communities" and "households" are treated as homogeneous
groups when, indeed, they contain a diversity of relations that cannot
necessarily be classified as having the same needs. Gender cuts across all
other social relations such as class, ethnicity, age and religion(10) and all
types and/or spheres of activity: productive, distributive, organizational,
political, technical and research.(11) It also cuts across all institutional struc-
tures, organizational procedures and practices in all social sectors such as
health, employment, education, transport, environment and housing.(12)
The analysis of quality of life from a gender and environmental perspec-
tive shows that perceptions may vary according to gender relations, needs
and roles, to access to resources and to decision-making processes within
the household. Moreover, based on Levi and Anderson's (13) concept of
quality of life, Iiguez and Pol(14) state that above a minimum living stan-
dard, a fundamental determinant of the individual life quality is the
adjustment or coincidence between the characteristics of the situation
(demands and opportunities) and the expectations, capacities and needs
of the individual as he/she perceives them. These concepts, as well as the
ones mentioned above, imply the need to evaluate how satisfied the differ-
ent users and those affected are with their habitat. This can provide crite-
ria to design instruments in order to obtain direct, subjective and objective
information.
Haramoto et al.(15) refer to "residential quality" as part of a wider
concept of quality of life, as a more specific way of assessing the distinc-
tive features of housing and its surroundings. Haramoto(16) states that
housing quality depends, on the one hand, on the characteristics and prop-
erties of the dwelling and, on the other, on the demands and valorizations
people make of it. Residential quality can be understood as the percep-
tion and the assessment made by different observers and participants of
the component factors of a human settlement in their interaction with each
other and with their environment. Here, they establish different hierar-
chies according to social, cultural, economic and political variables.(17)
According to Levy, these "hierarchies" or variables can also depend on
age, ethnicity, religion, class, etc. The factors in human settlements include
allocation, infrastructure, urbanization, physical, social and cultural envi-
ronmental factors, and design.
Although the concept of quality of life can be seen as all encompassing,
covering a large part of people's lives, it can also be delimited according
to the objectives of the research.(18) In our case, it will be restricted to the
disciplines dealing with the neighbourhood environment, that is, the
external habitat of a community settled in a public housing programme.
In order to develop a methodological tool, it is interesting to recall the
distinction Milbrath(19) makes between "environmental conditions" which
can be measured objectively and the "environmental quality" which is
measured based on subjective perceptions. Some examples of environ-
mental conditions include the levels of air and water quality, the number
9.Annas, J. (1996), "Las mujeres y la
calidad de vida: Dos normas o
una?" in Nussbaum, M. andA. Sen
(editors), La calidad de vida, Fondo
de Cultura Económica, Mexico D.F.
10. Levy, C. (1992), "Gender and the
environment: the challenge of cross-
cutting issues in development
policy and planning" in
Environment and Urbanization Vol.4,
No.1, pages 134-150.
11. Beall, J. (1992), "Integrating the
gender variable into urban develop-
ment: a conceptual and operational
framework for assistance to urban
areas", paper presented at the
Urban Development Meeting of the
DevelopmentAssistance Commit-
tee of OECD, Paris; also Levy, C.
(1991), "Critical issues in translating
gender concerns into planning
competence in the 1990s", based on
a paper presented at the jointACSP
andAESOP International Congress,
Development Planning Unit,
University College London.
12. See reference 11.
13. Levi, L. and L.Anderson (1980),
"La tensión psicosocial. Población,
ambiente y calidad de vida", El
Manual Moderno, Mexico.
14. Iiguez Rueda, L. and E. Pol y
Urrutia (1994), "Estrategias para la
transformación del medio
ambiente urbano: análisis desde la
psicología ambiental y social" in
Wiesenfeld, Esther (editor),
Contribuciones iberoamericanas a la
psicología ambiental, Universidad
Central de Venezuela, Caracas,
pages 279-306.
15. Haramoto, E., E. Moyano, Y.
Kliwadenko, R. Sepulveda, M.A.
Campos and P. Chiang (1991), "La
calidad residencial del entrono
inmediato de la vivienda social" in
INVI, II Jornada de Vivienda Social,
Santiago, pages 161-172.
16. Haramoto, E. (1994), "Incentivo
a la calidad de la vivienda social",
Boletín INVI No.20, Santiago, pages
16-22.
17. See reference 15.
18. Scheer, L. (1980), "Experience
with quality of life comparisons" in
Szalai,A. and F.M.Andrews
(editors), The Quality of Life, Sage
Studies in International Sociology,
Oxford, pages 145-155.
19. See reference 6.
Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999 263
GENDER IN RESEARCH
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of hospital beds per resident, mean temperature or rainfall for an area,
gross national product per capita, average level of education for a region
and average area of indoor housing space per person. Environmental
quality, on the other hand, deals with such aspects as the quality of
housing, waste management and urban infrastructure measured through
the user's perception. Such perception may be, and usually is, different
for the men and women expressing their opinions on the topic, according
to the variables expressed above.
Both environmental conditions and environmental quality become
crucial if urban planning and management aim towards sustainable devel-
opment. It is obviously important to have indicators of environmental
conditions that can measure the physical changes occurring in our envi-
ronment. They can alert us to the potential damage that harmful
substances (undetectable by human senses) can have on human health or
ecosystems. Planners and managers need a wide range of precise infor-
mation on environmental conditions to be able to fulfill their responsibil-
ities. Nevertheless, these objective indicators cannot measure
environmental quality even when they are positive as they do not neces-
sarily entail a good environmental quality. For instance, a person may
believe that his or her surroundings are good or bad, regardless of what
the objective indicators show. Thus, information on the subjective percep-
tion of environmental quality and its role in distributing resources and
trying to improve environmental quality is as important for planners as
objective information.(20) Despite some confusion about terminology, there
is agreement amongst authors that indicators of quality of life must take
into account qualitative as well as quantitative aspects.(21) Table 1 presents
a scheme which we believe is useful as an indicative pattern in data collec-
tion regarding quality of life.(22)
Moreover, Milbrath(23) conceives the environment as a collection of
elements or stimuli that impact on the individual. The author proposes a
scheme with approximately 130 specific elements to be included in the
definition of environment. For each of these, it is possible to make a diag-
nosis of the conditions as well as an evaluation of the quality. We plan to
20. See reference 6.
21. Allardt, E. (1993), "Having,
loving, being: an alternative to
the Swedish model of welfare
research" in Nussbaum, M. and
A. Sen (editors), The Quality of
Life, Clarendon Press, Oxford,
pages 88-94; also Bestuzev-
Lada, I. (1980), "Way of life and
related concepts as part of a
system of social indicators" in
Szalai and Andrews (1980), see
reference 18, pages 159-170; see
reference 6, pages 3-56; and
UNESCO (1978), "Final report.
Expert meeting on indicators of
environmental quality and
quality of life", reports and
papers in Social Sciences No.38,
pages 89-96.
22. See reference 21, UNESCO
(1978), page 91.
23. See reference 6.
264 Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999
FEEDBACK
Types of Facts and Data
Type of facts
Type of data
Direct observation by the researcher
Verbal reports of people
Objective facts on material things
Counting, measuring or illustrations
of physical things
(CLEARLY OBJECTIVE)
Verbal reports about things
Things people do, say or believe
Observation of behaviour
Answers to questionnaires
Content analysis
Discussion
(CLEARLY SUBJECTIVE)
Table 1
SOURCE: UNESCO (1978), "Final report. Expert meeting on indicators of environmental quality and quality of life",
Reports and Papers in the Social Sciences No.38, page 91.
 1999 Environment and Urbanization. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.
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use this scheme as a way of complementing the list with the UNESCO
methodology described above. For fieldwork purposes, the author advises
shortening the list by selecting categories according to the desired objec-
tives. Solomon et al.(24) distinguish several levels of analysis for the design
of an investigation on quality of life, including individuals, groups, strata,
community, regional, global and cultural-transversal. Here, we will work
at a community level with a poor urban neighbourhood(25) and, following
Iiguez and Pol,(26) people's participation will be a fundamental element.
Studies of quality of life imply comparisons between the ways of life
of different groups. In our case, the comparison is between men and
women in the community. According to their needs, they will perceive
and be affected by their neighbourhood habitat in different ways. A
second, less explicit, comparison is that of real quality of life of the resi-
dents with respect to the desirable acceptable levels.
It is also important to consider the role of the state in environmental
institutions because the persistence of many environmental problems is
related to unsatisfactory management by different government institu-
tions. This institutional framework must be taken into account in any
research on quality of life. Levy(27) proposes the "web of institutionaliza-
tion" framework whereby institutions account for the practices of organ-
izations in all sectors and at all levels of society. The concepts of "room for
manoeuvre" and of "sustained change" challenge the idea of institution-
alization as static. To determine the scenario where institutionalization as
a process takes place, Levy developed a diagnostic tool to identify
elements of power in social relations and to analyze them according to
gender roles, resources and needs.(28) This and the interrelation between
the elements generate a hierarchy of problems and potentials to enable the
definition of action areas. In our case, the different elements of the context
will be examined using the gender/environment duality.
III. METHODOLOGY
THE CONCEPT OF quality of life is understood as a construct,(29) that is,
a social construction or a constructed object which does not exist except
through the observer and her or his own experience. It is not a set of mate-
rial conditions. It is not the mere satisfaction experienced by an individual
but, rather, a dialectic between what is being observed by two actors: one
who observes the observations of the one who observes her/his experi-
ence. The purpose of the study is to observe the observations of those who
observe their own experience.
From the theoretical discussion, a number of theses were developed
which, together, form the methodological instrument to be used in quality
of life research. They are as follows:
The nature of the knowledge about quality of life is interdisciplinary
by nature since it includes all aspects of life. Some authors recommend
carrying out sectoral research(30) using an interdisciplinary approach.
Following this criterion, our research is restricted to the urban environ-
ment, specifically the neighbourhood habitat.
In order to achieve better and more equitable living standards for the
poor and to give priority to the problems described in the Brown Agenda,
we focus on environmental problems in poor settlements including serv-
ices, infrastructure, quality of housing construction and equipment, use
of spaces unsuited to human life, good quality foundations, waste
24. Solomon, E., N. Bouchouchi,
V. Denisov, E. Hankiss, C.
Allmann and L. Milbrath (1980),
"UNESCO policy-relevant
quality of life research
programme" in Szalai and
Andrews (1980), see reference
18, pages 223-233.
25. However, given the gender
emphasis in the research
methodology, the case study
group will be differentiated by
sex, age and any other
significant differences we may
encounter.
26. See reference 14.
27. Levy, C. (1995), "The process
of institutionalizing gender in
policy planning. The web of
institutionalization", DPU
working paper No.74,
Development Planning Unit,
University College, London.
28. Including: the elaboration of
theory and knowledge;
research; methodology;
implementation of programmes
and projects; technical and
professional development;
procedures; localization of
responsibility to promote
gender perspective; policies and
planning; resources; political
will and compromise;
representative political
structures; political pressure
from grassroots; and experience
and interpretation of reality
from men and women.
29. The term is frequently used
in sociological discourse when
referring to the logical
construction used to indicate
entities whose existence is
believed to be confirmed by the
hypothesis or linguistic systems
to which they refer but that are
never directly observable or
directly inferred from
observable facts - see
Abbagnano, N. (1987),
Dizionario di filosofia, Torino,
page 230.
30. See reference 18.
Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999 265
GENDER IN RESEARCH
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management, air and water pollution, runoffs and risk of floods.
As part of the data collection and as a way of gaining an overall view
of the national reality, a diagnosis of the institutional situation is made.
This is based on gender planning instruments,(31) more specifically on
Levy's(32) "web of institutionalization" which can be used to review poli-
cies, programmes and projects which affect the quality of life in urban
areas in Chile.
Quality of life research implies comparisons between different groups.
In our case, we have two types of comparison: an implicit one between
the objective quality of life of the inhabitants with regard to desirable
and/or acceptable levels and a second, explicit, one between different
effects and perceptions of quality of life by men and women.
Acase study method is used to allow for in-depth observation, and case
selection is based on the objectives of the research. Eventually, the method-
ology applied in the first case study, with the corresponding adjustments,
can be used as a model experience to be repeated in future research in
order to have a more representative sampling and more general conclu-
sions.
A participatory research approach is used to allow for observing the
observations of those who observe their own experience (adapted from
PRA, Participatory Rural Appraisal). This is a family of methods used to
enable persons to present, share and analyze their knowledge, experience
of life and conditions,(33) and which generally differs from that of "experts".
This method was chosen for its flexibility and adaptability. The tools used
are the analysis of secondary sources, direct observation, conversations
and interviews with key informants, meetings and group workshops, and
a survey.
An important aspect of the approach is discussing the collected infor-
mation with the community, which involves a participatory analysis of
the data in the field. Triangulation, that is, the use of different sources and
methods for obtaining information, is one of the most important aspects
of the analysis. When it reveals an inconsistency in information, this
should be examined more closely and possibly linked directly to problems
and opportunities. This information can also be useful in monitoring and
evaluating activities and services.
The global evaluation of quality of life is based on both objective-quan-
titative aspects (environmental conditions) and subjective-qualitative
aspects (environmental quality). The scheme proposed by UNESCO (see
Table 1) shows direct observations and verbal reports of the inhabitants
as the two ways of collecting objective information (column 2) as well as
subjective information (column 3).
In order to select and evaluate meaningful environmental elements
included in the UNESCO chart, the factors pointed out by Haramoto et
al.(34) as well as the checklist proposed by Milbrath,(35) can be taken into
account. The elements selected for the research are shown in the synoptic
chart in Table 2.
The synoptic chart shown in Table 2 is the synthesis of the proposed
methodology and describes the main topics of investigation. It is designed
for the Chilean reality but we believe it can be adapted to other local
contexts.
The first column corresponds to the environmental elements selected as
most significant at the neighbourhood level. Columns two and three corre-
spond, respectively, to the environmental conditions and quality of the
case study. Information was gathered for each of these using objective and
31. DPU Gender Policy and
Planning Team (1997), "Gender
policy and planning material",
training material, University
College London.
32. See reference 27.
33. For further details on this
methodology, see IDS (1997),
Some Readings and Critical
Reflections on Participatory
Approaches to Development,
Institute of Development
Studies, Sussex.
34. See reference 15.
35. See reference 6.
266 Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999
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Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999 267
GENDER IN RESEARCH
Table 2 Synoptic Chart
2. Objective indicators
(counting, measuring, illustrations
and reports; environmental
conditions and facts)
Environmental elements of quality of life
I. Physical environment
Topography
Air quality
Water quality
Noise levels
Soils
II. Built environment
Roads
Vehicles
Public transport
Housing
Construction quality
Comfort
Privacy
Security
Spaciousness
Noise levels
Location
III. Activity environments
Schools
Recreation sites
Shopping sites
IV. Overall community environment
Health services
Security systems
Recreational systems
Green areas
Communication systems
Utilities
Electricity
Gas
Water
Sewage
Solid waste management
Friendliness
Sense of identity and belonging
Physical barriers
Levels of environmental protection
3. Subjective indicators
(observation, questionnaires and
discussions)
SOURCE: Synthesis of Milbrath and UNESCO (1978), see reference 6, and other authors mentioned in the theoretical
background.
Women Men
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subjective methods of measurement. In the latter, the perceptions of
women and men were disaggregated.
Criteria for selecting the neighbourhood studied included: a concen-
tration of low-income population within the metropolitan region; the
presence of a government housing programme, given the impact which
public policy has on the construction of the surroundings and thus on the
quality of life of the population; a consolidated level of social organiza-
tion in the neighbourhood, built within the first democratic transition
period (1990-1994); and the existence of community based organizations.
After analyzing statistical information from the National Statistics Bureau,
the Ministry of Housing and other institutions, the team selected two
neighbourhoods, namely, the poblaciones Estrella Sur and Roberto Matta
in the district of Pudahuel in Santiago.
Interviews were held with municipal staff on the socio-economic, envi-
ronmental, housing and organizational situation of the selected commu-
nities. The objectives of the research were explained to them through the
interviews, joint field visits and group discussions.Also, given the novelty
of the subject to be studied and the benefits to local government in terms
of future planning, different forms and dialogues were set to share the
findings, including formulating indicators of quality of life. Akey to good
local planning is to have well-defined objective as well as subjective indi-
cators. Table 3 shows the main types of information and the sources.
Using this information as reference, group discussions were held. Three
workshops took place to identify the main elements which residents of
the poblaciones considered important to their quality of life. Notification of
these workshops was made first by contacting the neighbourhood leaders,
sport clubs, active youth, mothers' clubs, elderly groups, parents, owners
of shops, etc. A great diversity of people was invited in order to collect
information on different points of view from men and women of different
ages. The workshops were carried out on two Saturdays in a neighbour-
hood club close to both poblaciones, after agreeing on the best time and date
with most of the participants. The interventions were registered using tape
recorders, photography and video, with the researchers acting as facilita-
tors and observers.
In the first workshop, two activities were held. First, "cognitive maps"
were made and the participants were separated into two groups: men and
women. The maps were used to identify, analyze and discuss the places
where the residents frequently went, to classify how they influenced their
daily lives and the quality of their lives, and to discuss the problems and
conflicts in relation to space.
The second activity, the "organization game", was conducted with
men-only and women-only groups. The aim of the game was to define the
neighbourhood's historical and cultural identity through the personal
experiences and knowledge of the participants. Discussion issues included
the origins of the neighbourhood's name, what was most liked about the
neighbourhood, what the community was like at the beginning, what are
the main celebrations and how do people participate.
In a second meeting, and after systematizing the information gained
from the first, "organization roulette" was played. Men and women were
divided into three groups and the objective of the game was to identify
situations which the participants considered relevant to their quality of
life, for example, analyzing the problems which affected the neighbour-
hood and seeking possible causes. Using a board, dice and cards with
statements about their quality of life, the groups discussed whether these
268 Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999
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were true or false, then prioritized the elements they considered most
important. Based on these elements, a survey was designed to measure
their relation to the quality of life of the residents. The sample of 220
respondents was determined using data from the population census,
where men and women are distributed according to sex and age.
The questionnaire focused on the perception of quality of life and on
the different needs and requirements of men and women of different
ages. The questions had to be set specifically, to evaluate the level of satis-
faction, happiness, etc. with regard to their habitat. Enquiries included:
socio-demographic characteristics; previous housing; characteristics and
perception of current housing; perception of the housing unit and the
neighbourhood environment (location, infrastructure and services);
community environment (protection, participation, social environment);
final balance (possibilities of election, identity, advantages, problems and
Environment&Urbanization Vol 11 No 2 October 1999 269
GENDER IN RESEARCH
Table 3 Objective Information to Collect
SECONDARY
SOURCES
INFORMATION
PRIMARY
SOURCES
1 Socio-economic: population, demography, income, employment, Municipality,
services and municipal spending national census
2 Housing conditions: property tenure, basic services, size, and Municipality, Survey
marginal units Ministry of Housing
3 Health conditions: basic information, mortality rates Health services Survey
4 Natural environment: location, type of ecosystem, meteorological inform- Municipality, Survey
-ation, drainage conditions, topography, and environmental dangers meteorological
service
5 Land use: urban land use, land ownership, land use law, and land value Municipality
6 Urban transport: basic information, automobile ownership, type of Transport and
motorized trips, emissions, accidents, private transport restriction Infrastructure
(flows, stops, scheduling) Ministry, police
7 Energy use: gross annual energy consumption, combustion emissions, Electric company
interconnected electric network, electric energy provision, municipality,
self-generated urban electricity, domestic usage, and energy prices health service
8 Air contamination: air pollutant concentrations, emission control Health services Survey
policies, quality of air, environmental monitoring, environmental health and municipality
9 Noise pollution: noise levels, noise pollution control. Health services Survey
10 Water and sanitation: water resources, underground water extraction, Health services, Survey
future water resources, supply and provision, domestic sanitary municipality,
installations, sewerage system, industrial waste, water related water company
contamination policies, water quality monitoring, cost, drainage
11 Solid waste: total solid waste generated, municipal waste, removal, Health services Survey
municipal expenditure on waste management, waste deposits, and municipality
infrastructure for dangerous waste treatment, waste management policies
SOURCE: Adapted from World Bank/UNDP in ICLEI/PNUMA (1996), Manual de planificación para la Agenda 21 Local.
Una introducción a la planificación para el desarrollo sostenible, pages 69-73.
 1999 Environment and Urbanization. All rights reserved. Not for commercial use or unauthorized distribution.
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priorities); and income. A full analysis of this survey is programmed for
the second stage of the research and will be undertaken with the commu-
nity.
To sum up, the synoptic chart will provide a general view of the situa-
tion and will enable us to draw conclusions and evaluate the quality of
life of men and women under the urban aspects selected according to
specific objectives. We believe that it is important to seek some kind of
feedback from the community involved as well as from some level of
policy makers, so that they can be taken into account as part of future
community development plans. We also believe that this instrument is
applicable to other research on the quality of life, as long as context speci-
ficities are considered.
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