Evaluating Integrated Programming in Conflict Affected Settings: Evidence, Learning, and Lessons from a Case Study in Pakistan

Abstract

This paper examines the performance and sustainability of integrated programming in conflict affected settings through an evaluation of a multi sectoral community development intervention implemented in District Battagram, Pakistan from 2018 to 2022. The intervention combined components on child protection, girls’ education, economic resilience, social accountability, and disaster risk management, targeting vulnerable populations in a remote and resource constrained context. The study adopts a mixed methods design aligned with OECD DAC evaluation criteria, integrating quantitative data with qualitative evidence from 149 community narratives, key informant interviews, and group discussions to assess relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability. Findings indicate that the intervention was highly relevant and contributed to measurable short-term improvements, including increased household income, improved school participation, particularly among girls, and enhanced awareness of rights and community engagement processes. However, the sustainability of these outcomes was limited. Structural constraints, including weak market linkages, limited institutional capacity, restrictive gender norms, and underdeveloped monitoring and learning systems, reduced the likelihood of sustained impact beyond the project period. In addition, the breadth of the integrated design diluted focus and placed pressure on implementation capacity. The paper finds that while integrated programming can respond effectively to the interconnected challenges characteristic of conflict affected settings, it does not in itself ensure durable outcomes. Greater prioritisation, stronger alignment with local political economy conditions, and more adaptive monitoring, evaluation, and learning systems are required to enhance sustainability. The paper contributes evidence, learning, and lessons from a case study in Pakistan to inform the design and evaluation of integrated interventions in fragile and conflict affected contexts, with implications for policy and practice.