Background
UNICEF Iraq, with support from the European Union and in partnership with the local government in  Basra, launched a project to tackle water scarcity, strengthen climate resilience, and empower young people in Basra. The initiative introduced innovative solutions such as a water sub-zoning model and behavior change campaigns rooted in community engagement. These efforts aim to improve water governance, support climate adaptation, and create green job opportunities for youth. 

This evaluation is designed to generate practical, evidence-based insights. It will help stakeholders understand what worked, how, and under what conditions. It will also guide potential replication and scaling of successful interventions, both within and beyond Basra. The evaluation serves two purposes: to assess the value of these innovations and to help refine strategies for future implementation. 

 

Triangle’s Assignment
Triangle has been asked to carry out a full evaluation of the project, covering the entire implementation period from 2022 to 2024. The work focuses on: 

• Assessing how relevant, effective, efficient, sustainable, and equitable the key interventions have been, particularly the sub-zoning model and the youth and community engagement activities; 
• Understanding unintended effects and the project’s broader impact on systems, communities, and different demographic groups; 
• Looking at how the various parts of the project have worked together and whether they aligned with other initiatives on the ground; 
• Exploring what conditions and factors would support or hinder the replication and scale-up of the solutions; 
• Drawing out clear lessons learned and good practices to guide future programming. 

 

The evaluation is focused primarily on Basra City, particularly the project’s sub-zones, but it also includes select activities at the governorate level and beyond. Triangle will engage a wide range of stakeholders, with a special emphasis on meaningfully involving young people in the evaluation process. 

 

Research Approach & Methodology

Triangle adopts a structured, learning-focused evaluation approach that combines system-level analysis with field-based insights: 

• Mixed-Methods Evaluation: Applying both qualitative and quantitative methods, including document reviews, stakeholder consultations, and contextual analysis to assess project performance and outcomes. 

• Thematic Focus Areas: Evaluating the water sub-zoning model, youth engagement components, and community mobilization efforts in relation to climate resilience, service delivery, and green job creation. 

• OECD-DAC Criteria: Organizing the evaluation around key criteria, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, equity, coherence, and impact, while incorporating cross-cutting dimensions such as gender, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. 

• Systems and Integration Analysis: Reviewing the integration of project components, synergies with other initiatives, and the extent of cross-actor collaboration. 

• Scalability and Replicability Assessment: Identifying enabling factors, contextual considerations, and core mechanisms that support scaling and replication across different regions. 

• Recommendations and Good Practices: Generating practical, evidence-based recommendations and capturing good practices to inform future design and implementation strategies.