Helpdesk Reports
The HEART Helpdesk is a rapid response research service synthesising relevant evidence to address specific policy questions. Our reports provide a brief literature review, including summaries and comments from subject experts.
We run a prepaid service for DFID advisers and can offer a tailored service to other organisations and institutes. Please email info@heart-resources.org for more information.
This review discusses five best practices where there is strong consensus in the literature, ensuring country ownership, recognising and responding to complexity, improving delivery of technical assistance, involving different levels of government, as well as non-state actors and focusing on results. The selected key sources in Section 4 provide further evidence and learning on capacity… Read more
Although there are options available for building health workers’ and health policy makers’ capacity to become stronger leaders (i.e. as public health leaders or managers), there is little evidence that specific training or courses lead to sustainably better leadership and management skills. It is argued that the most effective types of capacity building processes to… Read more
Delivery of integrated neglected tropical disease (NTD) control programmes with similar strategic approaches, geographical overlap and prevalence can minimise costs and expand intervention coverage. This has been evidenced through mass drug administration (MDA) of preventive chemotherapy for lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, three soil-transmitted helminth infections and trachoma. Where programmes lack a common, simplistic approach and… Read more
People with disabilities have been identified as a particularly marginalised and at risk group within Somali society as a result of the numerous attitudinal, environmental, and institutional barriers they face, and the lack of concerted efforts to include them . This rapid review identifies available evidence on the experiences of people with disabilities living in… Read more
This study questions the feasibility of imposing a broad-based minimum wage legislation for teachers. It focuses on those working in the low-fee sector within the Pakistani context. The scale of the private school sector is unknown. Low-fee schools are likely to be unregistered and unrecognised. They will not exist on government books. The plan for implementing legislation… Read more
This report summarises available evidence on approaches to promoting inclusion, participation and achievement in education for Roma children. The purpose of this report was to inform programme development for Roma education in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and to support policy dialogue with governments, sub-national authorities and others. However, examples and evidence from the… Read more
This helpdesk report provides an overview of some of the most relevant evidence on rights-based approaches to increasing access to SRHR including how they have been measured and enhanced access where information is available. Section 2 of this report explores the impact of policy changes on accessing rights, and the impact that champions of SRHR within… Read more
New innovations and technology, including mobiles and internet, have enormous potential for increasing access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). They can be particularly helpful in reaching hard to access groups, including remote or stigmatised populations, due to the rapid spread of telecommunications infrastructure, mobile phones and broadband usage in low and middle… Read more
A WHO systematic review looking at the evidence on sexual and reproductive health among adolescents in developing countries finds quality evidence to be lacking in many areas (WHO, 2012). The report includes the following: No evidence was found on the efforts to influence laws and policies though this is recognised as important for increasing access…. Read more
Limited evidence was identified which directly addresses the benefits and disadvantages of having an independent curriculum and assessment body at national level. Suggestive evidence from Latin America indicated that external assessment institutes have some advantages due to their higher level of autonomy including improved staff capacity; ability to sustain long-term plans and reduced impact of… Read more
The purpose of this report was to provide a summary of existing research on the non-academic benefits of education in a conflict setting. The review seeks to identify particular educational interventions and contextual factors that may influence outcomes in the associated area. In general terms, the range of interventions under each section are categorised as either… Read more