Impact evaluation in the post-disaster setting: a conceptual discussion in the context of the 2005 Pakistan earthquake

There is growing interest in impact evaluation in both the humanitarian and the development sectors. Several recent reports have identified post-disaster impact evaluation (PDIE) as a particular challenge and have galvanized interest in pushing the field forward. This study reviews existing work, synthesizes a set of guiding principles and analytic frameworks for PDIE, and applies those to a design for the evaluation of relief and recovery programs following the 2005 Pakistan earthquake. The study contributes to ongoing discussions of impact assessment within the humanitarian sector while also introducing impact evaluation practitioners to the specific issues related to conducting quality impact evaluations in post -disaster settings.