QUALITY OF LIFEASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Nazneen KanjiJanuary 2013

AKDN• Group of 11 development organizations with

diverse development mandates

• Primarily works in the poorest parts of South andCentral Asia, East and West Africa (30 countries)

• Adopts a Multi-Input Area Development (MIAD)approach in selected areas

• Seeks to improve the Quality of Life of peopleliving in program areas

• Long-term perspective and commitment

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Definition: Quality of Life (QoL)

Working definition of a good QoL:

• People’s basic needs are met

• People can act effectively in pursuit of their goals

• People feel satisfied with their life

(Material, social and subjective dimensions)

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AKDN’s QoL Assessments

• Use a holistic framework to inform AKDN/partnerprogram strategies (are we doing the right things?)

• Capture the views of different populationsegments on what matters to them and thechallenges they face

• Understand the interactions that affect QoL in aparticular (sub-national) context

• Analyze AKDN’s contribution to change over time

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Framework for the QoL Assessments

Peoples’

People’sPerceptions

andSatisfaction

HouseholdEconomy

Socialand

CulturalLife

Natural andBuilt

Environment

Healthand

Education

Voice andRepresentation

AK

DN

Pro

gram

s

PoliciesandInstitutions

DirectImplementation

Methodology Development(2007)

• Literature review

• Exploratory studies (Tajikistan and Syria)

• Consultations with sector experts for selection ofoutcome indicators

• Mixed methods: development of a household surveyinstrument and a ‘sentinel sites’ study

• Integrated analysis including secondary data

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Domains

• Household Economy

• Natural and Built Environment

• Health and Education

• Social and Cultural Life

• Voice and Representation

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Indicator examples: householdeconomy

Survey:

• Household material asset levels• Saving levels• Debt levels• % of adults formally employed• % of families with all year basic food security• % of households with migrants/remittances

Sentinel Sites:• Livelihood strategies and how they are changing• Socio-economic consequences of migration• Access to and quality of financial services

Health and EducationSurvey:Health

• % of deliveries by a skilled birth attendant*• Rate of caesarean sections• Stunting rates in under 5’s*• % reporting ill-health in preceding 2 weeks• Perceptions of individual health status

Education

• Adult literacy rates*• Pre-school and school enrollment rates• Levels of education in the population* MDG Indicators

Sentinel sites: Key issues affecting access to and qualityof services (access includes physical access,affordability and any socio-cultural obstacles)

Social and Cultural LifeSurvey:

• % of individuals who feel physically safe in thecommunity

• % of individuals who participate in groups and networks

• % of individuals reporting time available for leisure

Sentinel Sites:

• Perceived voice and influence in the household andcommunity (by gender and generation)

• Collective responses to address community concerns

• Youth concerns and aspirations

• Conflict resolution mechanisms

• Trust in community leaders

Countries to Date• Tajikistan (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast) (2

rounds: 2007 and 2010)

• Syria (Salamieh District) (2007)

• Mali (Mopti Region) (2008)

• Mozambique (Cabo Delgado Province) (2008)

• Afghanistan (Badakhshan Province) (2010)

• Kyrgyzstan (Naryn Oblast) (2011)

• Tanzania (Kilwa District) (2012)11

Challenges

• Capacity scarce; takes time to develop

• Findings require careful interpretation

• Data may be unreliable or difficult/lengthy to collect

• Program M&E still needed

• Changes in donor preferences

• Decision-maker bias for positive findings

Positive Aspects of Methodology

• Explicitly gives ‘agency’ to people and values theirviews/priorities to shape development intervention

• Asking people what changes their QoL putsdevelopment work into an appropriately modest context

• Joint analysis of information by AKDN agencies allowsfor more coordination and reflective choices in programdevelopment