IIP aims to improve the quality of information available to support public health policies and decision making in maternal and child health and nutrition. The focus is on low-income countries, and on research that produces information to improve programs and policies. IIP is a network of scientists based in various institutions, and is housed administratively within the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. IIP has developed, jointly with the International Health Partnership (IHP+), a set of principles to guide collaborative work with countries. - Collective action: Primary focus on the contribution of the collective efforts to scale-up the health sector response in countries.
- Alignment with country processes: build upon national processes that countries have established to M&E progress in the implementation of national plans.
- Balance between country participation and independence: driven by country needs but conducted in a manner which maintains independence of evaluation.
- Harmonised approaches: common protocols and standardized outcome indicators and measurement tools, with appropriate country adaptations.
- Capacity building and health information system strengthening: systematic involvement of country institutions.
- Adequate funding: between 5% and 10% of the overall scale-up funds set aside for monitoring performance, evaluation, operational research and strengthening health information systems.
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