Evaluation of Save the Children Sweden’s (SCS) Regional Approach in the International Programme

As the only Save the Children International (SCI) member to systematically apply a regional programme approach and established regional programmes, it was necessary for Save the Children Sweden (SCS) to describe and ascertain the effectiveness of the regional approach and recommend a model for managing regional programmes within the context of SCI programming. The evaluation was performed by the consultant Roger Hällhag on the period 2005 to 2010.

Causes of threats to the well-being of children are often beyond the control of local and national society. Save the Children (SC) can therefore sometimes deal with challenges in more effective ways through programmes with a transnational perspective than at a narrow country level. For this neither global programming, risking too much abstraction, nor fixed regions are the most adequate. In combination SCS and new SCI have the capacity in outlook, expertise and presence to identify and deal with issues irrespective of national borders. SC should not get stuck in its office structures.

The purpose of the evaluation process was to provide a basis “for SCS senior management to decide about the future strategic direction, funding and organization with respect to the regional approach and the management of SCS regional programmes”. The report  therefore makes 17 recommendations about the context of working methods in which a regional or with a more appropriate term – a transnational approach can be valuable  for SCS and SCI.