For community-led emergency preparedness and response
“Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is the process of collecting and analysing information to measure the effects of an intervention…It should also seek to collect and analyse information more broadly…to assess whether the intervention is causing any unforeseen or unintended consequences. In conducting M&E the objective is to provide valid and reliable information to decision makers at the time when it is needed.” (Collective Service Data Handbook, 2022)
M&E is a means to provide internal accountability. It aims to support the internal management of an intervention by collecting information on whether the intervention has done what it planned to do and in the way intended. M&E is also a means of external accountability, in particular ensuring that the intervention is answerable to the affected population. Accordingly, M&E should be conducted using tools that help gather and provide insights on the context, and details of the intervention, including its performance, while being able to evaluate the intervention for improvements in the future.
This Monitoring and Evaluation ‘Toolbox’ is an online space specifically for M&E specialists, program managers, and researchers working within global health, specifically infectious diseases and in emergency preparedness and response, to quickly access guidance documents, competency frameworks, training resources, tools, and relevant knowledge hubs for further learning.
The Toolbox is the authoritative reference for the Collective Service’s interagency M&E strategy to increase the scale and quality of community engagement approaches. As such, this Toolbox draws upon the resources of a diverse range of health, humanitarian and development partners with experience in employing, deploying, and/or utilising M&E expertise in their programming.
Carrying out monitoring and evaluation to inform effective decision-making for community-led response involves clearly thinking out information needs, as well as how to collect data practically, cost-effectively, and in a timely manner. These resources are intended to help support M&E efforts in health emergency contexts by aiding engagement and communication practitioners to: establish M&E priorities; commission specialist expertise; adapt and deploy relevant tools; and access relevant knowledge hubs and platforms. Currently, the content presented in this toolbox focuses on the third of these elements, signposting tools and resources which are relevant to each stage of the program cycle (from context analysis and needs assessment, to planning, implementation and monitoring, and evaluation and learning). Particular emphasis is placed on practical, easy to deploy tools that can support the monitoring of RCCE interventions.
1 - Getting Started: Establishing Organizational Priorities
2 - Design Your Team - M&E Specialist
3 - Data4Action Tools & Resources
4 - Knowledge Hubs & Platforms
If you would like to suggest additional resources to add to the Toolkit, please contact UNICEF’s Data and M&E Specialist for Social and Behavioural Change, Andres Ochoa Toasa (aochoa@unicef.org).