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Book Description:
This book is structured in four sections. Section 1 looks at the issues related to theoretical and methodological considerations. Chapter 1 to 5 deal with gaps in measuring effectiveness of development aid programs including issues related to evaluability assessment, outcome mapping and sustainability (Chapter 1), perspective in measuring effectiveness (chapter 2), the application of narrative and dialogue methods in defining and redefining effectiveness (chapter 3), the role of economic modelling in measuring the impact and effectiveness of aid programs (chapter 4) and the outline of how the effectiveness of HIV prevention is currently being measured at a global level, and the requirements at local and national levels (chapter 5)
Section 2 looks at principles and practice with some case studies. Chapter 6, selling humanitarian emergencies to the media, focuses on the relationship between journalists and aid workers and suggests practical strategies relief agencies can take to raise the media profile of neglected emergencies. This is followed by a discussion on the challenges of attribution in HIV prevention programs, using Laos as a case study (Chapter 7). The chapter also discusses challenges in evaluating behavior change and moves on to summarize knowledge related to outcome mapping approaches in HIV and AIDS programming. Given the large number of primary health care related projects in development aid and humanitarian programs, chapter 8 summarizes what works and what doesn’t. The chapter documents some successful Primary health care programs and highlights the important contribution of primary health care to the health and well-being of disadvantaged groups at the same time identifying deficiencies in practice and suggestions that need to be taken into account for future evaluations. The issue of whether effective fund raising translates into effective programming is extensively discussed in chapter 9; drawing from the tsunami experience and this is complemented by an analysis of the effectiveness of food aid programs, using Lesotho as a case study (chapter 10). Chapter 11 examines the relationship between HIV and AIDS and food insecurity through poverty lenses at the micro, meso and macro level, followed by a discussion on challenges of poverty focus in microfinance and micro-enterprise development programs (Chapter 12).
Section three looks at dilemmas and challenges in measuring effectiveness, starting with the ethical considerations in development aid and humanitarian programs (chapter 13), followed by a discussion of the challenges associated with the brain drain and its impact on achieving the Millennium Development Goals in sub-Saharan Africa (chapter 14) before concluding the section with an analysis of the importance of cultural competence in public health research and practice for development aid programs (chapter15). The last section proposes a way forward. In chapter 16 we stand back from the current confusion and conflicts that dominate the discussion on measuring effectiveness of development aid and humanitarian program and take a broad view of possibilities for the future. The chapter describes six models to explain the interface between research, policy and practice, a framework that should form the future for measuring effectiveness in development aid and humanitarian assistance. |
