The effect of political values and Expectations on Evaluation Challenges promoting equity-focused evaluation in different political and cultural contexts Michael Bamberger Thursday November 3, 2011

What is equity and equity-focused evaluation? Equity-focused development, actively promoted by UNICEF, and other UN ages, seeks to ensure that the benefits of development reach all of the most disadvantaged sectors of society Equity-focused evaluation (EFE) assesses the extent to which development strategies do in fact reach and benefit the most disadvantaged sectors of society Children represent a significant proportion of the vulnerable/marginalized population but fall through the net in much evaluation research

Many development indicators, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focus on aggregate indicators of progress (on school enrolment, infant mortality, HIV/AIDS infection rates), and tend not to analyze the distribution of benefits. Often the lowest 10-20% get left out, and may even be worse off as a result of development interventions. Equity-focused evaluation requires more refined methodologies that can delve deeper. This provides both methodological and political/cultural challenges

Political, professional and social challenges to promoting equity-focused evaluation Developing countries feel pressure to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and other internal targets (such as their position on the UNDP Human Development Index identifying who is not benefiting from development can show countries in a poorer light –EFE can be resisted for this reason Many vulnerable groups are marginalized due to social and political pressures (for example the Roma) and neither government nor society may wish to extend services to these “undeserving” groups They also do not welcome evaluations documenting the situation of these groups.

Social values may guide how vulnerable groups should be treated, even when treated with “compassion”. EFE can challenge stereotypes such as: Physically and mentally disadvantaged groups should stay at home Girls should marry young and not continue education Child soldiers should be re-integrated into their birth family (without consulting them on their preferences)

EFE often challenge conventional (particularly quantitative) approaches to evaluation – showing limitations on these methods for identifying and interviewing vulnerable groups These approaches can be seen as a threat by some research gurus, as it challenges the methods they teach and use. Consequently the methodologies may be challenged. EFE methodologies can be more complex, expensive and time consuming and difficult to implement in countries with limited evaluation research capacity

Different approaches to EFE in different political and cultural contexts In some middle-income countries the right of equal access of all citizens to public services and opportunities is written into the constitution – and EFE initiatives are welcome For example Brazil and many EU countries Countries that have a large low-income population with limited access to public services may look on EFE as irrelevant or impractical Some countries, particularly more conservative see EFE as a threat to social and political values: The status of women, undocumented immigrants, ethnic and religious minorities