Evaluation of Community Based Approaches at the GEF

Projects that use community-based approaches (CBA) at the GEF are those that are designed to use a people-centered approach for management of natural resources, characterized by participation of local communities and resource users (including indigenous people, women, youth, and marginalized or vulnerable people) in decision-making activities.

This evaluation will assess the extent to which community-based approaches are prevalent in the GEF projects and programs, their characteristics, the extent to which these approaches influence the effectiveness and sustainability of GEF interventions, and to provide lessons on their use. With the understanding that these approaches may not have universal applicability, the evaluation will also consider the merits and challenges associated with the use of these approach in the GEF focal areas and implementation mechanisms, providing evidence on when to use the approaches and for what. In addition to environmental considerations, the evaluation will also provide data on socio-economic co-benefits, gender, and inclusion.