Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

qualitative data collection through focus groups and key-informant interviews, and a
cost-effectiveness study. The multi-method approach to the evaluation makes it possible
to assess not only the program’s impact on knowledge and awareness, but also
changes in attitudes and policy-level impact. A full case study is available here.
PREPARING AN EVALUATION
Evaluation should be guided by agreed terms of reference (TOR), which specify the
scope and nature of the evaluation, and define the evaluators’ roles. The TOR should
include:
� Background information about the campaign to be evaluated, the issue it addresses
and key stakeholders
� Purpose of the evaluation
� Intended uses and users of the evaluation findings
� Key issues to be studied in the evaluation and questions to be answered
� Principles and approach that will guide the evaluation
� Methodology (e.g. data collection and presentation, inclusion of beneficiaries)
� Roles and responsibilities of those involved in the exercise
� Reporting requirements
� Budget for the evaluation
� Timeline and milestones
� For more details on TOR writing, see IDRC, 2004. Writing Terms of Reference
(ToRs) for an Evaluation.
EVALUATION METHODS AND TOOLS
Qualitative approaches
Common evaluation methods are based on social science research standards that are
adapted to the needs and constraints (limited time and budgets) of campaign
evaluations. Most often, a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection
is applied to get a rich picture of where the campaign stands.
Key informant interviews
These are qualitative, in-depth interviews using interview guides that list topics or openended
questions. Key informants are actors who know the issue and the target audience
well, for example community leaders, social workers or community activists. Work with
key informants to get an overall impression of public opinion, trends in practices and
attitudes. Key informants can often be ‘gate keepers’ and facilitate access to a target
group that is not easy to reach (e.g. social workers working with convicted perpetrators).
Case studies
Case studies are a useful research method when evaluating how change has happened
in different countries, regions or individual cases, and what role a campaign could have
played in the process. Data for case studies is often collected using both qualitative
methods (including interviews with key stakeholders and, to a lesser extent, direct
observation) and quantitative methods (including available statistical surveys).
Example: Amnesty International’s global campaign to Stop Violence against Women,
which ran for six years (2004-2010) was reviewed based on case study design. This
approach was chosen due to the scale of the campaign and the huge amount of
activities carried out within the campaign. Case studies were carried out in the UK,
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Campaigns December 2011