Latest blogs

Navigating ethical considerations in evaluations: 3ie's TREE Review Framework in practice

Earlier this year, we collaborated with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Effective Basic Services Africa (eBASE Africa) to implement 3ie’s TREE Review Framework in two of their upcoming evaluations in Cameroon. The objective was to identify ethical and security issues in evaluation and share capacity to enhance the understanding and approach of local partners toward conducting ethical research.

How to communicate a null-results impact evaluation

Development programs aim to improve outcomes for poor and vulnerable populations, from better health and increased learning to higher productivity and incomes. Impact evaluations apply research tools to assess whether those intended outcomes were achieved because of the program.

Mutual health insurance and the digitization of healthcare services in developing countries: Experience of the ISPV- Africa project in Togo

Universal health coverage remains a global concern, particularly in developing countries where health systems have many weaknesses.

Updating the evidence base on humanitarian food security interventions — share your impact evaluations

With an estimated 300 million people needing humanitarian assistance and protection in 2024, understanding which interventions are most effective is more important than ever. But how do we find evidence on interventions to inform our decision-making and understanding?

Improving women’s empowerment through food systems and nutrition interventions

Food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition persist globally, with 783 million people facing chronic hunger in 2023. Women are particularly affected, making up 60 percent of the food-insecure population. Restrictive gender norms and inequalities further affect women’s food security, health, and rights.

Enhancing rural livelihoods in India: evidence-based policy evolution and innovation

One of India’s largest livelihoods programs—which 3ie is evaluating—and its transformation over time offer insights into how policies interact with and adapt to the changing ground realities and the vital role played by effectiveness evidence. This blog explains how the traditional approach has evolved to focus on new evidence-informed ways to address constraints and enable an environment for income generation and empowerment.

Final update to living food systems E&GM: New studies address gender-transformative interventions and food loss outcomes

In our eighth and final scheduled update to 3ie’s living food systems evidence and gap map (E&GM), we add 307 new impact evaluations and eight new systematic reviews, bringing the total number of studies in the map to 3,218.

Using evidence in decision-making: Moving from commitment to practice by distinguishing evidence from any old data

The importance of evidence for decision-making is widely acknowledged, and an increasing number of organizations are stating this officially. This type of organizational signaling can be an important lever for improving the culture of evidence use. At the same time, acknowledging the importance of evidence is just the beginning; it does not entail any specific decision, action, or behavior.

Open technical questions in geospatial impact evaluations and why they matter

Geospatial impact evaluations offer deeper insights but also come with their unique set of challenges. As part of the GeoField community of practice, we are finding ways to unpack and address these by collaborating with individuals and organizations working across sectors. To that end, 3ie, AidData, and DevGlobal recently co-hosted a workshop with GIS experts to address key issues and best practices in response to technical questions received from participants before and during the session.

State of the evidence on SDGs: Five key takeaways and reflections

As we crossed the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we examined the state of the evidence for all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Joining forces with DEval* – and with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – we did a deep dive into the effectiveness evidence in our Development Evidence Portal (DEP) to unpack the trends and themes across SDGs.

About

Evidence Matters is 3ie’s blog. It primarily features contributions from staff and board members. Guest blogs are by invitation.

3ie publishes blogs in the form received from the authors. Any errors or omissions are the sole responsibility of the authors. Views expressed are their own and do not represent the opinions of 3ie, its board of commissioners or supporters.

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