Evaluation reports
This series brings together all documents relating to Evaluation reports.
Evaluating the impact and lessons of our aid programmes is a crucial part of our work. High quality evaluations help us spend aid more effectively so that more people are lifted out of poverty. Evaluations provide a direct line of accountability: to Parliament, the British public and our partners in recipient countries.
DFID also works with international partners to:
- help our partners in recipient countries strengthen their own capacity for high-quality, relevant evaluation studies
- harmonise evaluation approaches with other aid agencies
- develop international policy standards and best practice for evaluation
The government is seeking to make a fundamental shift in the way UK aid spend is evaluated through two main streams of activity: embedding evaluation throughout the aid programme and increasing independent evaluation through the new Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI).
Embedding evaluation
We are changing the way we design aid programmes so that evaluation considerations are ‘embedded’ in our programmes at all stages of the project cycle. This means clear assessments of the evidence for what does or doesn’t work in the initial stages of programme design, collection of baseline data and effective evaluation over the life of the programme and beyond.
Independent evaluation
Independent scrutiny is vital in determining what results are being achieved. ICAI has been set up to review the impact and value for money of UK aid programmes. ICAI is independent from DFID, reporting directly to the International Development Select Committee in Parliament.