How does socioeconomic and socio demographic status affect women’s group attendance and participation? Women’s group attenders and non-attenders and key informants discussed the factors affecting attendance in women’s groups. This data collection is the first out of four collections, representing Phase A. The other 3 collections are linked below in ‘Related resources’. Our qualitative data collection was done in two phases. In Phase A of the project, we sought to understand how socioeconomic and sociodemographic status of women affects women’s group attendance. Phase A of the project was conducted in all trial sites. The data are reported under ‘part 1’. In Phase B of the project, we primarily sought to explain our quantitative findings relating to the equity impact of the women’s groups intervention on neonatal mortality and health behaviours. This was done only in those sites where the trials had shown a substantial and statistically significant impact on neonatal mortality (rural India, Nepal-Makwanpur, Bangladesh, and Malawi). The data are reported under ‘part 3’. We conducted other, smaller, studies as part of Phase B of our project in the sites where the trial findings where either not yet published at the time of our study (Nepal-Dhanusha) or where the trial showed no impact on neonatal mortality (urban India). The data for these smaller, site-specific studies, are reported under ‘part 2’ (Nepal-Dhanusha) and ‘part 4’ (urban India). Progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been uneven. Poor and otherwise disadvantaged groups lag behind their more fortunate compatriots for most MDGs. To make things worse, effective interventions are known, but rarely reach those who need them most. Unfortunately, little is known about how to effectively reach poor and otherwise disadvantaged groups, and how to address socio-economic inequalities in mortality. The project aims to fill these gaps by generating evidence on: (1) how socio-economic inequalities translate into inequalities in newborn and maternal mortality; (2) how to address the exclusion of poor and otherwise disadvantaged groups from efforts to achieve the MDGs; (3) how to reduce socio-economic inequalities in maternal and newborn mortality. Data from 6 surveillance sites in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Malawi are used (combined population > 2 million); Information on birth outcomes; socio-economic position, health care use and home care practices are used to describe and explain mortality inequalities. Data from randomized controlled trials of women’s group interventions are used to evaluate the equity impact of community mobilization. The project actively engages with and learns from stakeholders, drawing on their experiences regarding what works to ensure an equitable improvement in newborn and maternal health. We used existing quantitative data from randomised controlled trials of participatory women’s groups to reduce neonatal mortality. The intervention consisted of women’s groups, facilitated by a local woman. The facilitator led the groups through a participatory action cycle, in which they identified and prioritised maternal and newborn health problems in the community, collectively selected relevant strategies to address them, implemented the strategies, and evaluated the results. These trials were conducted in six large demographic surveillance sites, in India (Mumbai and Orissa & Jharkhand), rural Nepal (Dhanusha, and Makwanpur districts), rural Bangladesh and rural Malawi. The data were collected through interviews with women that have given birth in the study sites. In addition, our project collected new qualitative data in the trial sites, using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, to help understand our quantitative findings. The data deposited in this archive, pertain to this qualitative data collection.

Purposive sampling informed by quantitative analysis Focus group discussions with attenders and non attenders based on parity, education, socioeconomic position, and age Semi structured interviews with community key informants Focus group discussions with family decision makers, and facilitators of women’s groups Data were transcribed, and analysed using framework approach, according to predefined categories