This handbook was developed by the ASPIRES project to assist practitioners and M&E specialists to select vulnerability assessment approaches for economic strengthening (ES) interventions, particularly those integrated into the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) programs for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
The handbook is intended primarily for development programs in relatively stable contexts rather than emergency relief work.
This guide starts out with a description of the theoretical foundations informing vulnerability assessment (VA) approaches relevant to ES and OVC interventions. It goes on to describe the key components of a vulnerability assessment and provides some guidelines for selecting methods appropriate to project needs, including identifying which data are needed for decision-making purposes, and conforming assessment approaches to time and budget constraints. Next, the guide outlines some data collection methods and indicators commonly included in vulnerability assessments. Finally, it reviews a series of individual VA tools and frameworks published by development agencies based on key criteria for decision-making.
To aid in the process of selecting methods, each tool is presented with a summary of characteristics relevant to project needs. These include:
- Resources available and frequency of data collection
- Data requirements and relevance to decision-making
- Sensitivity and specificity
- Replicability
- Other considerations
Tools included in this guide were selected for compatibility with the aims of OVC interventions, particularly those involving ES. There is a focus on socioeconomic domains of interest, indicators relevant to contexts of high HIV prevalence, and household-level indicators for targeting. Most approaches featured are meant for development projects in relatively stable contexts, rather than emergency relief work.