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Foreign Assistance: AID's Population Program Evaluations Have Improved, but Problems Remain

NSIAD-92-48 Published: Feb 21, 1992. Publicly Released: Feb 21, 1992.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Agency for International Development's (AID) population program evaluations, focusing on whether AID: (1) uses uniform indicators in evaluating its population programs' performance and impact; (2) has a system for measuring the impact of country-specific and agencywide population programs relative to program objectives; and (3) uses population assistance program evaluation results in making programming and funding decisions.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Agency for International Development The Administrator, AID, should: (1) clarify whether the three population program objectives he articulated in November are intended to be operational and measurable program objectives and, if not, clearly articulate the program's operational objectives so that program results, impacts, and accomplishments can be measured against them; and (2) use the results of such evaluations in making agencywide programming and budgeting decisions.
Closed – Implemented
AID clarified its program objectives and improved evaluation and measurement of program impact. AID recognizes that performance-based information is an important part of programmatic and budgeting decisionmaking. AID did not establish a standard set of operational objectives for its population programs and is giving missions the authority to develop strategic objectives based on local priorities.

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Topics

Developing countriesFederal aid to foreign countriesForeign aid programsInternational relationsNumeric databasesPerformance measuresPopulation statisticsProgram evaluationStatistical methodsAgency evaluations