Resource Library

Evidence-based social marketing in Afghanistan and Nepal: Using data to improve efficiency and effectiveness

SHOPS Plus Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Director for Nepal Sujan Karki, gave this presentation on November 13 at the 2018 International Conference on Family Planning in Kigali, Rwanda.  Background: Demand is high among donors and implementers for “use of data for decision making,” “evidence-based programming,” and “adaptive management” to improve effectiveness and efficiency of family planning interventions. However, a recent review of U.S. foreign assistance program evaluations found that utilization of evaluation findings is low (MFAN and the Lugar Center 2018). Connecting monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data to improvements in program implementation remains a challenge, given a lack of opportunity for program managers to participate in M&E and a lack of user-friendliness in presentation of M&E findings. SHOPS Plus provides technical assistance to two social marketing organizations: the Afghanistan Social Marketing Organization (ASMO) and Nepal Contraceptive Retail Supply Company (CRS). SHOPS Plus works with both ASMO and CRS to strengthen their use of evidence in contraceptive marketing and distribution strategies. This presentation discussed how the project, ASMO, and CRS are successfully using M&E data to make programmatic decisions, bridging the gap between implementation and M&E in social marketing of contraceptives. Relevant research: Afghanistan Social Marketing Organization Health Product Distribution Coverage Monitoring Survey Health Product Distribution Coverage Monitoring Survey in Rural Areas of Nepal