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About the Climate-SRHR MEL Framework  

Who this Framework is For

This framework will be especially useful for people like: 

  • A managing director for a SRHR portfolio who needs to persuade an investment review board to continue or expand climate-SRHR investments relative to other possible investment paths.

  • A program officer at a philanthropic foundation who is developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new SRHR investment that integrates climate considerations and needs to  1) provide guidance to applicants on how to select MEL indicators to include in their proposal and 2) have a solid framework to assess the anticipated quality, credibility, and impact of climate-SRHR grantee proposals. 

  • A program officer at a corporate funder who needs to understand what supportive policy for climate-resilient SRHR looks like and how they would know if their organization’s advocacy efforts had contributed to those good policies.

  • A global MEL officer at a non-governmental organization who is overseeing the climate-SRHR portfolio and needs to give technical guidance to local MEL officers on how to assess impact in a standardized way across climate-SRHR investments, and document the global impact of the organization’s climate-SRHR programs.

  • A local MEL officer at a community-based organization who needs to build a MEL framework for a climate-SRHR project is struggling to identify quantitative outcome and impact measures that are feasible within the project’s timeline and budget

However, these are just illustrative examples - this framework is intended to be helpful for anyone working at the nexus of climate change and SRHR, even if you do not fit into one of these roles.

This guide includes useful tools and strategies for organizations working to improve SRHR outcomes in climate-affected regions. We are focused primarily on funder and implementer organizations with SRHR-related investments and programming in regions affected by climate change, including - but not limited to - those which integrate climate resilience or respond to climate hazards.

Core Principles

The MEL approach in this guide is grounded in the following principles, which are essential for advancing effective, equitable, and responsive climate-SRHR action:

Intersectional

People experience climate and health risks differently based on intersecting factors like gender, age, socioeconomic status, geography, and others. We promote disaggregation data collection and analysis to ensure that interventions address the needs of those most affected.

Community-centered

Communities are the experts on their own experiences. MEL should elevate local knowledge, priorities, and definitions of climate resilience. We encourage participatory and collaborative MEL approaches that amplify local perspectives, reflect local realities, and support community-driven change.

Action-oriented

MEL should lead to meaningful change. We promote the development of MEL systems that support iterative learning, foster adaptation and innovation, and inform advocacy and sustainability.

Holistic approach

Climate-SRHR programs are diverse and complex. Our MEL approach supports flexible tools that can be adapted to a range of SRHR domains, climate risks, and implementation models.

Robust

Data must be credible and reliable to effectively inform decisions and drive accountability. We emphasize the use of high-quality indicators, sound methodologies, and consistent data collection standards to strengthen the rigor and usefulness of MEL systems.