Humanitarian Assistance: Evaluation

Evaluation measures performance, which depends on results -- numbers that show that a post situation is better or worse than the previous one. Evaluations, even though extremely necessary, are especially difficult to carry out in humanitarian assistance contexts. Humanitarian assistance requires the analysis of many variables that are frequently not clear about how outcomes should be interpreted. Evaluations have become more deeply ingrained in the humanitarian sector. However, the quality of the evaluations themselves still leaves much to be desired. The development of better evaluations is not just an end in itself: high-quality evaluations should have a positive effect on improving learning, accountability and performance in the sector (ALNAP, 2001). Measurement and analysis explore the benefits, dangers, and costs of humanitarian assistance impact. Scrutiny of how money is spent and management systems focusing on results help organizations demonstrate impact more clearly. However, the measurement of the impact of humanitarian interventions is increasingly difficult because there is i) lack of basic data, ii) relief interventions are often of short duration, iii) capacity and resources are stretched, iv) insecurity may limit access to populations, and v) the space for analysis and research is constrained. These difficulties and risks, however, do not mean that humanitarian assistance impact cannot be measured. Impact can still be analyzed and discussed through a combination of scientific tradition with participatory and analytical approaches. This complex analysis, though, should consider that attempts to measure impact encompass broader indirect and unintended consequences, and the concern for the impact of humanitarian aid should not be narrowly restricted to the project level since humanitarian assistance operates at system-wide levels (HPG, 2004). The complexity of humanitarian assistance assessments makes evaluation results become highly controversial. To reduce controversies, these assessments should narrow down their scopes by defining benchmarks that indicate to donors that the money allocated on humanitarian aid has been well spent. The combination of specific assessments with clear indicators lead to a scenario in which it is possible to monitor changes before, during, and after humanitarian aid takes place. These scenarios, however, are not meant to be definitive diagnosis of a current situation due to the inherent complexity that humanitarian assistance entails but help donors and aid receivers to have a better picture of what are the main lessons learned and best practices that can be replicated in other emergency situations. The goal of humanitarian assistance evaluation, after all, is not perfectness but optimum. References: ALNAP. “Evaluating International Humanitarian Action: Reflections from Practitioners”. Chapters 1 and 11. Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action. Zed Books. Review ALNAP Evaluation and Training Resources, 2001. Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG), Overseas Development Institute, “Measuring the impact of Humanitarian aid: a review of current practice” HPG Report #17, 2004.