Rakhee Goyal and Alexandra Pittman. 2009. Measuring Change: Evaluating Social Change in Diverse Contexts and 2007. “The Women’s Learning Partnership’s Theory of Change.” WLP.

The Women’s Learning Partnership (WLP) has developed a model of M&E that draws from participatory Theory of Change approaches, engaging diverse stakeholders. As an international women’s rights network with over 20 autonomous partners from across the Global South, the organization needed a coherent model for M&E that could be used in many different contexts, from well-developed organizations in stable political contexts to burgeoning NGOs in unstable contexts. WLP settled on a M&E strategy that was adaptable by context drawing from Theory of Change and Outcome Mapping. Specifically, the WLP Theory of Change is built on the following assumptions.[1] 

• Change happens at different levels
• The individual, organizational, movement, societal, conceptual and at policy levels.
• Change is political and is about 
• transformation of power.
• Effective and sustainable change is
• o participatory, horizontal and inclusive 
• o based on a shared vision
• o based on critical reflection, learning and is responsive and flexible
• o based on living core values and beliefs.
• Change is the result of many different actions and contributions
• o WLP International is part of a larger partnership and movement.
• o WLP International believes it is the most effective when consolidating and strengthening the capacities of others.

Focus is placed on outlining the key obstacles to achieving intended long-term and shorter-term outcomes. This strategic contextual assessment helps WLP identify the main external risks that threaten progress towards their overall goals so they can best strategize and adapt their programming based on he unique constraints they encounter. For an example of how longer term outcomes were mapped in relation to the broader obstacle analyses, see chart below. 

After identifying the main obstacles to achieving long-term outcomes, WLP specified their main strategies designed to reach longer-term outcomes, along with shorter interim goals. WLP detailed three primary strategies to achieve their intended outcomes: 1) advocacy and movement building; 2) curriculum development and training, particularly through its Leading to Choices (LTC) program; and 3) organizational capacity building. 

In order to evaluate their strategies and particularly those related to programming, they have developed flexible and adaptable assessment processes. Unique to the WLP model is the attention on the cultural specificity of evaluation frameworks. WLP encourages “flexibility and suitability for adaptation to different cultural contexts.”  WLP also encourages a range of data collection methods depending on context and needs of the partner organization and the population being targeted. While many of the WLP partners prefer typical interview or survey approaches to measuring change, others such as partners in Jordan, prefer to gather oral testimony since in their culture oral traditions of passing down social and historical narratives are commonplace. As such each partner organization adapts the shared Partnership-level Theory of Change in order to meet its own specific and unique needs. 

Strengths:

• The WLP framework establishes a process for adapting a collective product to different and unique cultural settings. While the Partnership as a whole might share certain similar characteristics organization-wide, each autonomous partner adapts the Theory of Change to their own setting. This creates the opportunity for each member of the WLP Partnership to think through how and why a program, such the participatory LTC leadership program, works in their context; thereby, strengthening the linkages between the assumptions behind why the program should work and the outlined strategies and intended program outcomes.
• The visual mapping involved in the Theory of Change process provides a space where various voices regarding program processes and outcomes are negotiated.  
• Focus on adaptation of theory, methods, and analysis honors grassroots practices and knowledge.
• Outlining the main contextual constraints to achieving intended outcomes helps the organization think strategically about different ways in which their programs and activities must address and mitigate external risks in order to effectively reach their goals.
• The acknowledgement of multiple contributors and pathways to change underlines the strength that lies in collaboration and movement building. 

Weaknesses (or not designed for):

• While context is accounted for in the Theory of Change, potential unexpected consequences are not accounted. The program could benefit from the integration of an analysis that explores unexpected outcomes.
• Difficulties may arise if as a whole, the WLP Partnership wants to account for a specific outcome, but all partners have not included that measurement in their evaluation framework due to adaptation differences; thus, making comparisons difficult.

[1] See WLP’s recent participatory evaluation manual, drawing from the Theory of Change approach: Rakhee Goyal and Alexandra Pittman 2010. Measuring Change: Monitoring and Evaluating Leadership Programs. A Guide for Organizations. WLP.