Publications: Evaluations in Progress
The Office of Development Effectiveness undertakes flagship thematic evaluations, led by senior, international experts.
The following evaluations are in progress:
Evaluating the impact of PNG's national response to HIV and AIDS
The Office of Development Effectiveness is working with PNG stakeholders to integrate a program of impact evaluation into Papua New Guinea's national response to HIV and AIDS. The goal is to bring together information from diverse sources, including epidemiological and behavioural surveillance, output data and surveys to assess whether collective efforts are being implemented on a large enough scale to alter the course of the epidemic.
Complementing efforts to evaluate the national response as a whole, discrete impact studies are also being progressed - one focused on efforts to change community norms associated with the spread of HIV and the other focused on the effects of rehabilitating rural health infrastructure and services in rural PNG. This evaluation package has a five year time horizon with impact analyses to be released iteratively throughout that period. The different components of this evaluation package are progressing simultaneously - a briefing note provides additional detail on each component, including its current status, as well as describing how the program is being integrated into PNG's national response.
Evaluating efforts to address violence against women in Melanesia and East Timor
Violence against women is a development problem and a human rights issue. The economic, social and health-related costs are substantial. The Office of Development Effectiveness is evaluating a number of programs addressing violence against women in Melanesia (Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu) and East Timor. An initial review of international lessons has been completed. A final evaluation report should be completed for publication in July 2008.
Supporting reform in large Asian economies
This evaluation will look at the challenges of increasing support to middle income economies across Asia. The evaluation will address issues around Australia's role as a donor in these countries, including its use of grants rather than loans, and its value as an alternative source of advice to more conventional donors such as the United States and the multilateral banks.
The evaluation will have a focus on Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and will look at a mix of sectors and ways of working, including education in the Philippines, water and sanitation in Vietnam and possibly economic governance in Indonesia. The work is expected to start in April and will be completed around September. A final report will be available by the end of 2008.
Improving basic services for the poor in fragile environments
This evaluation will assess the effectiveness of Australian aid program's efforts to improve the provision of basic services for the poor. It will comprise three case study sectors: health, education and water and sanitation. Scheduling of the evaluations in each sector will overlap with results becoming available during 2008 and 2009. Preliminary results are expected to be available for the first sector - health - in June 2008.