Measuring Family Planning Service Delivery: An Assessment of Selected Indicators across Implementing Partners

Author(s): Janine Barden-O'Fallon and Zahra Reynolds

Year: 2017

Abstract:

Family planning (FP) service delivery is a key component of the global health program of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and there is a long tradition of measuring FP service delivery activities and outcomes through indicators that are internationally standardized and program-specific. Although it is essential for understanding the content, quantity, and quality of services being provided with U.S. government assistance, the monitoring and evaluation of FP service delivery faces many challenges. USAID technical advisors asked USAID-funded MEASURE Evaluation to assess a set of 16 indicators and five indicator areas that may be used to measure service delivery activities by USAID’s implementing partners (IPs). Information and feedback on the use of the selected indicators were collected from eight service delivery IPs and seven technical resources. The information was assessed for common trends and reported challenges. Indicator guidance for FP service delivery projects was then developed and applied to the selected indicators.

This assessment provides a summary and analysis of IP feedback and indicator-specific recommendations. It also offers recommendations and guidance for each of the selected indicators and indicator areas, based on whether a project will be using the information for monitoring or process evaluation only or will also be conducting an outcome or impact evaluation.

This report also provides specific criteria to guide USAID and IPs in the selection of FP service delivery indicators, and it can be used to inform USAID service delivery measurement among IPs.