Impact Assessment (MiN)
Research + Advocacy
Project Title:Facilitation of the Microinsurance Network's Impact Working Group
PROJECT CATEGORY:Research + Advocacy
OBJECTIVE:
The Micro Insurance Academy is the facilitator of the Microinsurance Network Impact Working Group, an international team of more than 20 experts in impact assessment. In this role, MIA leads the Impact Working Group's three-year work plan with the goal of increasing the quantity and quality of evidence on the impact of microinsurance.
BACKGROUND:
Despite a rise in interest and funding in microinsurance, little high-quality evidence exists on the its impact. Nor does the microinsurance community have evidence on which interventions are the most effective and in which contexts.
The Microinsurance Network, a member-based organization of more than 200 practitioners, policymakers, donors, and researchers interested in microinsurance, has created the Impact Working Group to address this gap in the evidence. As the facilitating organization, MIA leads the Impact Working Group and carries out the working group's work plan. For 2009-2010, MIA has been awarded a full-time fellow from the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Microinsurance Innovation Facility to assist in the coordination of these activities.
PROJECT CONCEPT:
MIA carries out the three core activities that the Impact Working Group has identified in its work plan:
- Systematic review: MIA is conducting a review of all existing evidence on the impact of microinsurance to determine (1) which gaps exist in the evidence, if any, and (2) which lessons may be drawn across the evidence for the microinsurance community.
- Stocktaking of ongoing impact assessments: MIA continually identifies ongoing impact assessments of microinsurance and profiles them on an online clearinghouse (http://www.microinsurancenetwork.org/workinggroup/impact/stocktaking.php)
- Practical Guide to Impact Assessments of Microinsurance: The MIA is coordinating production of a “practical guide” to impact assessments of microinsurance targeted to a non-academic audience.
The guide will be a compilation of chapters authored by experts in both the microinsurance and impact assessment world.
PARTNERS:
MIA coordinates the activities in conjunction with the Microinsurance Network (Brussels, Belgium) and its partners within the Impact Working Group.
FUNDING:
The ILO's Microinsurance Innovation Facility funds a one-year fellowship position to allow the coordination of the project. The Microinsurance Network has provided seed funding from to launch of the working group's activities. Additional funding is being called for (contact Ralf Rademarcher at ralf@mia.org.in for more info).
DURATION:2009-2012
COUNTRY:International
LOCATION:
The coordination is carried out from Delhi, India
CONTACT:Ralf Rademacher, Director of Research & Training, ralf@mia.org.in
PROGRESS:
The systematic review is ongoing, with preliminary results presented at the 5th Annual Microinsurance Conference in Dakar, Senegal (access them here)
The Stocktaking's website is online and regularly updated. Access it here.
MIA is currently focused on production of a Practical Guide. MIA has successfully recruited several high-profile experts in impact assessment and is in the process of finding more. MIA is also currently fundraising for this project.
