Limited Program Review and Evaluability Assessment - UNICEF Post Tsunami Recovery Response

In the aftermath of the December 2004 Asia Tsunami disaster in the Maldives, a stated objective of the UNICEF Country Office and the Government of Maldives was “building back better”, the lives of women and children.1 UNICEF succeeded in raising significant funds from a range of donors for the Asia Tsunami recovery operation. Over $60 million was allocated for recovery programs and projects in the Maldives. Three years after the disaster ascertaining the extent to which ongoing programs have been and may be successful, sustainable, and impact the lives of women and children would be important, to ensure accountability to donors who contributed generously to UNICEF’s post tsunami recovery operations and beneficiaries for whom the funds were committed, as well as, to refine ongoing programs and develop exit strategies that ensure sustainable program impacts and results.

This Evaluability Assessment reviews the coherence and logic of the program, clarifies data availability, and assesses the extent to which managers or stakeholders are likely to use impact evaluation findings given their interests and the timing of the evaluation vis-a`-vis future program or policy decisions. The overall purpose of an evaluability assessment is to decide whether an evaluation is feasible, and worthwhile in terms of its likely benefits, consequences and costs.