Transformative Evaluation for Healthy Start

By endorsing the Sustainable Development Goals, the world has recognized that transformative change is needed to address health inequities, particularly prevention of maternal and child mortality. Healthy Start embraces these goals as well. In this session, Donna Mertens will explore the question: How can a transformative approach to evaluation in Healthy Start projects support the societal transformations needed to achieve these goals? Transformative evaluation is characterized by deliberately designing the evaluation to support an increase in social justice. The basic principles of transformative evaluation will be presented; participants will have the opportunity to discuss how they could apply these principles in the evaluation of their own projects. Particular attention will be given to how involvement of community collaboration and coalition building in the evaluation process can lead to a stronger platform for doing the evaluation in a culturally responsive manner and contribute to the sustainability of project activities. More information about transformative evaluation can be found at this website: transformativeresearchandevaluation.com