Resources in social development practice Vol. 1. Participatory design and monitoring of reproductive health projects

The aim of the document is to assist in improving the quality, responsiveness and efficiency of reproductive health programmes through the use of simple participatory tools, which systematically ascertain the needs of intended beneficiaries at all stages of the project cycle. The first section provides a brief guide to designing a participatory monitoring system, with the intended purpose being to provide accurate information on users and non-users views of reproductive health programmes to donors, programme managers and service providers. This section also gives the context in which the guidelines have been prepared. Lastly, it provides a case study example of a participatory monitoring design, which places the process of client monitoring within the overall logical framework of the project. The second section provides the resource material and is divided into four parts. These are; checklists for incorporating users' perspectives throughout the project cycle; methods to assess users' perspectives; overview of conventional indicators of family planning programmes and a brief review of the literature on sexual and reproductive health.