Skip to content

Analysis of World Bank Project Appraisal Documents Indicators for Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Projects

EPAR RESEARCH BRIEF #113

Mon, 12/20/2010

AUTHORS: M. Kennedy Leavens, Amy Pennington

ABSTRACT: 

This brief analyzes the indicators used by the World Bank in its Project Appraisal Documents (PAD) to measure the outputs and outcomes of 44 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene projects in Africa and Asia from 2000-2010.  This report details the methods used to collect and organize the indicators, and provides a brief analysis of the type of indicators used and their evolution over time. A searchable spreadsheet of the indicators used in this analysis accompanies this summary. We find that some patterns emerge over time, though none are very drastic. The most common group of indicators used by the World Bank are “management” oriented indicators (28% of indicators). Management indicators are disproportionately used in African projects as compared to projects in Asia. Several projects in Africa incorporate indicators relating to legal/regulatory/policy outcomes, while projects in Asia do not. In recent years, the World Bank has used fewer indicators that measure service delivery, health, and education and awareness.

TYPE OF RESEARCH: Portfolio Review

RESEARCH TOPIC CATEGORY: Household Well-Being & Equity; Health

GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS: South Asia Region and Selected Countries; Sub-Saharan Africa

DATASET(S): Other Datasets

Downloadable Documents

Portfolio Review

Results Coding