Fifty years of monitoring and evaluation - from before Drawers of water to beyond the MDGs

Whether we benchmark, assess or monitor against a set of indices, indicators or selection criteria and whether we use a framework, matrix or personal judgement, everyday life is enveloped by the compelling need for measurement and accountability. This paper provides a synopsis of the evolution of the monitoring landscape existing within the WASH sector. The aim of the paper is to reflect and provoke discussion and debate on the complex, dispersed and multi-system environment that has been created over the years. It does not however, quantify the level and changing use of each of the approaches, applications or selection criteria available around the world today. Neither does it quantify or qualify the impact. However, concluding questions of whether the “pendulum has swung too far” and “is there a need for simplification and some level of standardisation” remain paramount.