Evaluation

Learning from the past is critical as governments address COVID-19. Photo: ADB

Learning from the past for a bright post-pandemic future

Carefully evaluating development projects, and learning from success and challenges of past efforts, is more important than ever as governments fight COVID-19.

Sonia Chand Sandhu, Brahm Prakash, Mary Anne A. Chaneco

The COVID-19 health crisis has highlighted the need for effective monitoring and evaluation of projects and programs. Photo: ADB

During the pandemic, monitoring and evaluation matter more than ever

The COVID-19 crisis has taught us that robust and credible monitoring and evaluation systems are vital to ensure development projects and programs improve the lives of people most in need.

Simona Somma, Garrett Kilroy

Development assistance is pouring into the Asia and Pacific in response to COVID-19. Evaluation teams are crucial to making sure it is used effectively. Photo: ADB

COVID-19 projects and programs need careful oversight

Governments and organizations, including multilateral development banks, are funding tens of billions of dollars in development projects and programs to help countries respond to COVID-19. The evaluation and monitoring process should not be bypassed.

Véronique Salze-Lozac’h

Greater influence leads to better project outcomes. Photo: ADB

What’s the value of a project evaluation if it is not influential?

For quality evaluations of international development projects and programs to lead to better results, they need to be influential.

Véronique Salze-Lozac’h

More small business opportunities would offer a brighter future for girls and women in Armenia. Photo: ADB

My surprising discovery about women’s opportunities in Armenia

Underserved businesses run by women in Armenia need help to create a reliable client base and convince skeptical banks that their enterprises are a good investment.

Saleha Waseem

The water supply program had positive impact across small towns in Nepal.

Cost-sharing can be the solution for small-town water supply services

There is clear potential for replication and scaling up this model across developing Asia.

Maya Vijayaraghavan, Garrett Kilroy

Rajasthan’s 2016 wastewater policy calls for universal access to sewerage in 30 years.

Think bigger on small sanitation projects to reach the urban poor

Big off-site urban sanitation operations should be complemented with smaller sanitation schemes in poor neighborhoods.

Tomoo Ueda

Viet Nam must escape low productivity, low value-add trap to industrialize

In its quest to become an industrialized nation, Viet Nam must redouble efforts to improve the skills of the labor force and cultivate high-technology, high value-add industries.

Hyun H. Son