Demistyfing equity-focused evaluations

[EFE]

Marco Segone, UNICEF Evaluation Office

Anne-Claire Luzot, M&E Regional Advisor, UNICEF CEECIS

EO is developing a resource package on EFE. This presentation is therefore a work in progress

Outline

1. What does Equity mean?2. Why does Equity matter? 3. What is an equity-focused evaluation?4. How to manage an Equity-focused evaluation?

What does equity means?

Defining Equity

• Equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop, and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism

• The disparities between population groups that are not driven by biology, are avoidable and unfair are termed inequities.

• Equity is therefore based on notions of fairness and social justice

All rights for all children everywhere, by prioritizing the most deprived

Graph 1: % of children (7-14 years old) out of school, by race/ethnicity

2000 Baseline and goals for national average, black and white children

2010 Goal: reduce by 50% the national average and the equity ratio between black and white children

5.5

2.8

3.8

2.2

6.9

3.1

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Equ

ity R

atio

: 1

,8

Equ

ity r

atio

: 1

,4

Black children

White children

National average

Drivers: Income

Source: DHS data. From NAGA pg. 27

UNICEF

Under-five mortality rate in Central Asian countries,by wealth of households

0

55

110

Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Tajikistan

per 1

000

Poorest 60% Richest 40%

Drivers: locations

District level Data - Nyanza ProvinceUNICEF UNICEF

Proportion of children aged 0-59 months living in households thatdo not provide adequate support for early learning and development, by

worst-off and best-off regions

0

20

40

60

Mo

nte

neg

ro

Mac

edo

nia

Ser

bia

Bel

aru

s

Geo

rgia

BiH

Alb

ania

Kaz

akh

stan

Uzb

ekis

tan

Kyr

gyz

stan

Taj

ikis

tan

Eastern Europe Central Asia

Best-off region Worst-off region

%

Drivers: education

UNICEF UNICEF

Proportion of children aged 0-59 months living in households thatdo not provide adequate support for early learning and development, by level of

education of mother/caretaker

0

25

50

Mo

nte

neg

ro

Mac

edo

nia

Ser

bia

Bel

aru

s

Geo

rgia

Bo

snia

an

dH

erze

go

vin

a

Alb

ania

Kaz

akh

stan

Uzb

ekis

tan

Kyr

gyz

stan

Taj

ikis

tan

Eastern Europe Central Asia

Basic or less Higher than basic

%

Drivers: Gender

The majority of out-of-school children continue to be girls (53%); achieving gender parity would mean 3.6 million more girls in primary school

Drivers: Disabilities

90% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school

Multiple Dimensions: Who is not learning? Disparity in learning

How is equity different from or similar to the Human Rights Based Approach and CRC?

• UNICEF’s foundation strategy of a human rights based approach underpins the equity agenda.

• Equity cannot be effectively pursued outside of a human rights framework, while human rights cannot be realised while inequity persists.

• Reaching the marginalized and excluded has always been integral to UNICEF’s work (Progress for Children 2010). We are doing it. But are we doing it sufficiently and everywhere?

12

Why does equity matter?

Why equity

 Equity has a significant positive impact in reducing povertyPoverty is very sensitive to income distribution changes, and small improvements in income distribution can have an important positive effect in reducing poverty.  Equity has a positive impact on economic growth

Equity and economic growth rates are directly related, with higher equity having a positive impact not only on poverty reduction but also on economic growth itself. Higher equity can therefore benefit the poor in two ways: by increasing the overall growth rate and average income, and by letting them share in that growth, since growth with less inequity benefits the poor more. 

Why equity

Equity has a positive impact in the construction of a socially fair and democratic societyUnequal opportunities of social groups in society is often a significant factor behind social unrest, which may lead to crime or even violent conflict, with negative effects for the social cohesion of a society. Prolonged inequity may lead to the “naturalization” of inequityThe long “stability” of inequity in several countries makes it something “natural”. When inequity is perceived as a natural phenomenon, society develops theoretical, political and ideological resistances to identify and fight inequity as a priority in public policies.

Inequity constitutes a violation of human rights and hampers the equitable achievements on Human Development and MDGs

What is an equity-focused

evaluation?

What is an equity-focused evaluation?

A judgment made of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of interventions on equitable development results.

Purposes of equity-focused evaluation

Accountability Organizational learning and improvement Evidence-based policy advocacy Contribute to Knowledge Management National Capacity development for equity-

focused M&E systems Empowerment of worst-off groups

Empowering worst-off groups, including children, through Equity-focused evaluation processes

• Involve worst-off groups:– To ensure relevance, effectiveness, ownership of

evaluation– Focus on Evaluation process use to empower

worst-off groups through the evaluation process– Including children

• Understanding the cultural, political economic and social context that influence inequity, including perception of, and attitudes to, equity

Why are equity-focused evaluation required?

• Because “conventional” evaluations have some potential limitations in evaluating equity-focused interventions:

– going beyond conventional quantitative data to analyze behavioral change, complex social processes and attitudes, and collecting information on difficult-to-reach socially marginalized groups.

– In addition, conventional evaluation are often weak on process and contextual analysis.

Is equity-focused evaluation a completely new approach?

No. While some new analytical tools are introduced, most of the EFE data collection and analysis techniques are built on existing approaches

The emphasis is on refining and refocusing existing technics – and enhancing national capacities to use those technics

HOW to manageEquity-focused

evaluations?

Key Steps

1. Preparing for the EFE

1

2. Preparing the ToR of

an EFE

3. Designing the

evaluation

4. Collecting/analysing evidence

432

5. Findings, conclusion and

reccs

65

6. Utilizing the evaluation

MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS

Key Steps

1 432 65

MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS

1. Preparing for the EFE

. Preparing for the Equity-focused evaluation

• Determining the evaluability of the intervention’s equity dimensions

• Identifying evaluation stakeholders, including worst-off

• Identifying intended use by intended users• Identifying potential challenges in promoting and

implementing Equity-focused evaluations

Key Steps

1 432 65

1. Preparing for the EFE

2. Preparing the ToR of

an EFE

Preparing the ToR of an EFE

• Defining the scope and purpose of the evaluation• Framing evaluation questions focusing on equity• Selecting technically-strong and culturally-sensitive

evaluation team• Ensuring appropriate budget

Framing evaluation questions focusing on equity

DAC criteria adapted for EFE

•Relevance•Impact•Effectiveness•Efficiency•Sustainability

Key Steps

1 432 65

1. Preparing for the EFE

2. Preparing the ToR of

an EFE

3. Designing the

evaluation

Designing the evaluation

• Selecting the appropriate evaluation framework– Theory of Change– Bottleneck analysis

Bottleneck supply and demand framework: factors affecting use of services by vulnerable populations

31

Use of services by vulnerable population

Supply side factors

• Coverage •Budgets and available resources•Culturally acceptable services• Culturally sensitive staff

Demand side factors

• Knowledge,

Attitudes and Practice of vulnerable groups• Community ownership factors affecting access• distance• cost of travel and fees• available transport• cultural constraints• time poverty

Contextual factors• Economic• Political• Institutional• Legal and administrative• Environmental

Designing the evaluation

• Selecting the appropriate evaluation framework• Selecting the appropriate evaluation design

Selecting the appropriate evaluation design and tools

Use of services by vulnerable population

Supply side factors

• Coverage •Budgets and available resources•Culturally acceptable services• Culturally sensitive staff

Demand side factors

• Knowledge,

Attitudes and Practice of vulnerable groups• Community ownership factors affecting access• distance• cost of travel and fees• available transport• cultural constraints• time poverty

Contextual factors• Economic• Political• Institutional• Legal and administrative• Environmental

Mix-Methods

Designing the evaluation

• Selecting the appropriate evaluation framework• Selecting the appropriate evaluation design• Selecting the appropriate evaluation methods

Key Steps

1. Preparing for the EFE

1

2. Preparing the ToR of

an EFE

3. Designing the

evaluation

4. Collecting/analysing evidence

432 65

MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS

Selecting the appropriate evaluation methods

Approaches to be used to evaluate complex equity-focused policies and

programmes

• Systems approach to evaluation• Unpacking complex policies into components

that can more easily be evaluated• Pipeline designs• Policy gap analysis• Using other countries or sectors as the

comparison group• Concept mapping• Portfolio analysis

Key Steps

1. Preparing for the EFE

1

2. Preparing the ToR of

an EFE

3. Designing the

evaluation

4. Collecting/analysing evidence

432

5. Findings, conclusion and

reccs

65

MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS

Key Steps

1. Preparing for the EFE

1

2. Preparing the ToR of

an EFE

3. Designing the

evaluation

4. Collecting/analysing evidence

432

5. Findings, conclusion and

reccs

65

6. Utilizing the evaluation

MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS * MANAGE RISKS

Utilizing the evaluation

• Preparing the evaluation report and alternative forms of reporting

• Disseminating the evaluation and preparing a Management Response

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Remember

This is NOT what I was expecting!!!!!

Invest time/energy in designing a good quality ToR with all main intended users, and make sure consultants understand it

and are comfortable with it

Whose fault is it?

Thank you

. Group work

• Identifying potential challenges in promoting and implementing Equity-focused evaluations

• Identify possible way to address the challenges• What support would you need?