CARE’s approach to adaptive management focuses on building in mechanisms for continuing learning and evidence-based adaptation throughout the program cycle as part of a thoughtful program design. This should go beyond experimenting, piloting and scaling to base adaptation on 1) shifting contexts and changing needs of communities, 2) changing power dynamics—especially gender power dynamics and other forms of exclusion, and 3) developing knowledge about what is (and is not) working in this environment and why.
CARE’s Water+ 2022 Retrospective Report highlights a selection of lessons learned from programs demonstrating WASH systems approaches – and CARE’s work to strengthen conditions and capacities for governance, accountability, investment, monitoring and learning that are essential to successfully sustaining WASH services. This report includes five briefs which represent a small fraction of the work CARE did in water+ in 2022, but that we hope provide useful learning for our CARE programs and partners, in the WASH sector and beyond. Read More
Child marriage and its life-long consequences reflect and reinforce gender and age discrimination, including limiting girls' access to education. This brief explores the many ways in which addressing the root causes of early marriage has led to ongoing benefits for girls' education, health, economic situation and risk of violence. Read More
Traditional savings groups can be an effective economic tool, but when we invest in them to truly focus on gender equality they can be a powerful engine for social change. Drawing on more than 30 years of supporting community savings groups, CARE’s program experience highlights some of the key ways to ensure these promote gender equality. Read More