Evidence-based Evaluation of Development Cooperation: Possible? Feasible? Desirable?

Evidence-based evaluations have appeared later in international development cooperation
than in areas such as medicine, social work, and education. The lack of impact
evaluations has been increasingly recognised.i Many researchers and evaluators, and
indeed administrators, managers and politicians, call for and look for evidence of results
of development spending. But a brief review of evaluation practice suggests that such
evidence is not forthcoming, despite the significant amounts of money spent on
evaluation. This article sets out to explore why, and discuss how to improve the situation.