Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s (Gavi’s) Fragility, Emergencies and Refugees (FER) policy

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s (Gavi’s) Fragility, Emergencies and Refugees (FER) policy has been in effect since June 2017. The purpose of the FER policy is the following: 1) to articulate clear criteria for identifying a subset of Gavi countries that are affected by fragility, as per international standards; 2) to provide guidance on adapting certain Gavi policies and processes to tailor them to the local context, in order to increase the effectiveness of the support that is provided; and 3) to detail flexibilities that can be extended in the case of an emergency and for Gavi-supported countries hosting refugees.

Given the strategic importance of this policy, and in the context of the planning and operationalisation of Gavi’s new Strategic Period 5.0 (2021–25), the Gavi Alliance Board has requested an external evaluation of the FER policy. The main purpose of the evaluation was to assess the overall design, implementation and results of the policy. The evaluation covered the application of the FER policy until mid-2020 through a global evaluation and case studies in three selected countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh and South Sudan).

The evaluation applied a mixed methods approach with emphasis on qualitative methods including document review, key informant (remote) interviews, country case studies and online co-creation activities with the Secretariat and other key stakeholders. The final deliverables consisted of the final evaluation report, a policy brief, and a presentation to the Gavi Secretariat and other stakeholders.