Tailored approaches to evaluation design in fragile settings
FURTHER READING
I
n fragile settings, including those affected by conflict and violence, the approach and methodology to design an evaluation needs to be tailored to specific local circumstances. Moreover, evaluation – like development aid itself – can unintentionally exacerbate tensions in ways that can negatively affect people and institutions if care is not taken in designing and approaching it with conflict sensitivity. This argument is at the centre of ‘Evaluation in Fragility, Conflict and Violence’, a book published by the International Development Evaluation Association, and prepared under the leadership of Hur Hassnain, Senior Evaluation Advisor at the European Commission. The book was launched during two live events, on June 29th and July 8th. Drawing on the insights and personal experiences of many evaluation professionals from around the globe, the book presents real time case examples and practical guidance that show a diversity of perspectives and experiences on sensitive issues when measuring change in unpredictable, complex, and violent situations. Mitigating these challenges can entail significant effort, and can sometimes require redefining the direction, purpose, or scope of the evaluation. Fabrizio Felloni, Deputy Director of IOE, provided introductory comments during the launch event on July 8th, alongside Gonzalo Hernández Licona, Director of the Multidimensional Poverty Network at the University of Oxford, and member of IOE’s Evaluation Advisory Panel. Mr. Felloni’s remarks centred on how the principles and approaches presented in the book could be applied in a real evaluation scenario in rural development, and what could be the challenges and the way to overcome them. Simona Somma, Evaluation Officer, who is among the co-authors of this volume, joined other evaluation experts for a panel discussion during the launch event on June 29th. To emphasize the importance of context-specific evaluation approaches, in the book Somma shared her experiences in designing, piloting and implementing surveys and focus group discussions in Yemen and in fragile areas of India and Mozambique. Somma also contributed to the discussion on the evaluation learning function, with special focus on the dissemination of evaluation results to beneficiaries.
14
