Impact Assessment in International Development: Methods, Challenges, and Applications
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Journal: NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies (ERDO)
Year: 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-me-impact-2025
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About the Article
Impact assessment is a critical dimension of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), focusing on long-term changes generated by development programs. Unlike output or outcome monitoring, it addresses attribution, sustainability, and equity, ensuring that interventions produce meaningful and inclusive results. This article examines the main methods of impact assessment, including experimental and quasi-experimental designs, contribution analysis, and economic evaluations such as cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis.
The discussion highlights how qualitative approaches enrich understanding of impacts by capturing contextual depth and stakeholder perspectives. Particular attention is given to low-resource settings, where limited data, financial constraints, and institutional gaps require adaptive solutions such as mobile technologies, secondary data use, and local capacity building. The article concludes that robust impact assessment requires methodological pluralism, ethical transparency, and participatory engagement to ensure that evidence informs sustainable and equitable development outcomes.
Key Topics
- Purpose and dimensions of impact assessment
- Attribution, sustainability, and equity in evaluation
- Experimental and quasi-experimental designs
- Contribution analysis in complex contexts
- Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis
- Role of qualitative methods in impact assessment
- Challenges and strategies in low-resource settings
- Ethical and participatory approaches
Academic Value
This article advances the study of impact assessment by integrating methodological, ethical, and contextual perspectives. It emphasizes that no single approach is sufficient for capturing the complexities of development programs. For scholars, it contributes to debates on methodological pluralism and adaptive evaluation. For practitioners, it offers practical strategies for conducting credible impact assessments in resource-constrained contexts. By highlighting both technical rigor and participatory engagement, the article underscores impact assessment’s role in ensuring accountability, fostering equity, and informing sustainable development policies.
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