Harnessing evidence for impact: hera’s evaluation of the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP)
In the ever-evolving landscape of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), ensuring programmes deliver lasting change requires a commitment to rigorous evaluation. hera was contracted to assess the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP).
Established in 1972, the Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) is the main instrument within the United Nations (UN) system for research and research capacity development in human reproduction. Co-sponsored by the UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank, HRP has grown into the international reference for evidence-based research in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
HRP benefits from an independent Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC), which brings together representatives from the co-sponsoring UN agencies, programme donors, and programme countries. This ensures HRP's research agenda remains relevant and responsive to the needs of diverse stakeholders. To guarantee continuous improvement and impact, HRP undergoes a comprehensive external evaluation every five years, commissioned by the PCC.
hera conducted an extensive evaluation of HRP's work using a mixed-methods approach. The evaluation focused on the five thematic areas crucial to HRP's mission, including health emergencies and gender-based violence. Additionally, four cross-cutting themes were examined, such as digitalisation and researcher participation from lower- and middle-income countries.
Eight core evaluation questions, informed by HRP's Theory of Change, guided data collection through key informant interviews, a stakeholder survey, document reviews, and a structured quality assessment of a sample of HRP research projects using the Research Quality Plus (RQ+) tool. The questions were broken down into 15 sub-questions, with specific indicators formulated to guide data collection. This multi-faceted approach ensured a thorough and balanced and evaluation and provided a full overview of HRP's performance over the past five years.
The evaluation produced a set of seven recommendations, which were finalised in a co-creation workshop with HRP portfolio and unit leaders and members of the PCC external evaluation committee.
Contact us to learn more about this evaluation or to access the full report.
→ Read our blog post on the 2013-2017 HRP Assessment here.