1. What Goes up Must Come Down:
the Challenges of Getting Evidence
Back to the Ground
Photo Credit: Jonathan Hyams/ Save the Children UK
Rigmor Argren
March 2013 1

2. Save the Children International
29 Save the Children
Members
SCI in 47 Countries
(6 remaining)
Development and
Humanitarian
Programmes
Photo Credit: Rigmor Argren/ Save the
Children, Bonga, Ethiopia 2006
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3. Save the Children’s Humanitarian Responses
26 responses in 30 countries. (Feb 2013)
•Education in
Emergencies
• Health and
Nutrition
• WASH
• Food Security and
Livelihoods
• Shelter
• Child Protection in
Emergencies
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4. “Getting Evidence Back to the Ground”
Photo credit: Save the Children
”Evidence”: 1. Monitoring
2. Real Time Reviews
3. Evaluation of Humanitarian Action
”Back to the Ground”: Actions to Improve
Humanitarian Response
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5. Real Time Reviews
Real Time Reveiws:
•In Real Time (8-10
weeks)
•Mandatory for large
scale responses
•Internal
•facilitatory approach
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6. ALNAP Evaluation Frame Applied
Capacity Area 1:
Increased demand
for evaluation
information
Capacity Area 2:
Purpose and
Strategic timing
Photo Credit: Nyani Quarmyne/ Save the Children
Capacity Area 3: Focus on what to evaluate
Capacity Area 4: Adequate resourcing
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7. Evidence for Learnings
Why We Do What We Do
What We What We
What We Do Do Get
Resistance
Argyris & Schön (1978)
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8. Evidence for Single Loop Learning
”Evidence”:
1. Monitoring
2. Real Time Reviews
3. Evaluation of
Humanitarian Action
Photo Credit: Save the Children
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9. RTR Evidence for Single Loop Learning
• Strengthen sector
integration
• Improved
interaction with
local communities
• Re-enforcing
security protocols
• Increased visibility
Photo Credit: Colin Crowley/Save the
Children
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10. RTR Evidence for Double Loop
•Changed approach
to implementation
•Re-inforced
leadership
•Creating the
Strategic Momentum
Photo Credit: Helene Caux/ UNHCR, 2004
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11. Challenges with RTR Evidence
•Short Lived Data
•Destill Generic and
Transferable Learnings
•Evidence from
External Sources
•Decision Making
•Needs follow-up
Photo Credit: Save the Children
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12. Opportunities
•Connect available
Evidence
•Seek Trends,
through Longitudinal
Observations
•Leverage the Dual
Mandate
•RTRs can be
prepared/planned
•RTRs can relate to
Photo credit: Rigmor Argren/ Save the Children assessments
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