Working Paper

IDS Working Paper;431

Evaluating Outside the Box: An Alternative Framework for Analysing Social Protection Programmes

Published on 21 August 2013

The evidence base on social protection programmes is expanding rapidly, largely pointing towards their positive impacts. Most evaluations rely heavily on quantitative techniques and experimental methods to allow for attribution of impacts. In this paper, we argue that new ways of investigation and analysis are needed to expand and deepen the evidence base in support of improved design and implementation of social protection.

Greater emphasis on qualitative research, mixed methods and participatory evaluation is crucial, given current evidence gaps about programme dynamics and impacts. This paper proposes a new evaluation framework that goes beyond conventional approaches, by highlighting relatively neglected aspects related to programme processes, social dynamics and feedback loops in programme evaluations.

Authors

Stephen Devereux

Research Fellow

Deepta Chopra

Professorial Research Fellow

Keetie Roelen

IDS Honorary Associate

Publication details

published by
IDS
authors
Devereux, S., Roelen, K., Béné, C., Chopra, D., Leavy, J. and McGregor, A.
journal
IDS Working Paper, issue 431
isbn
978 1 78118 132 4
language
English

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About this publication

Programmes and centres
Centre for Social Protection

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