MEL Framework Citation
Applies Ane's non-negotiable MEL/SRHR citation standard from CLAUDE.md. Generic framework references are a quality failure. This skill prevents that.
When to use
Trigger whenever the output is an MEL or SRHR deliverable: theory of change, evaluation design, indicator framework, donor report, programme analysis, decolonial or feminist evaluation note, OECD-DAC review, participatory method recommendation, SRHR rights analysis.
Do not trigger for non-MEL documents, general correspondence, or requests unrelated to evaluation/SRHR.
Required behaviour
Every MEL/SRHR claim must carry author surname, year, and specific document title. Minimum. Section or page when available.
Current authoritative versions to enforce
Use these. Flag any alternative as below current standard.
| Topic | Current standard | Supersedes | Notes |
|---|
| Contribution analysis | Mayne (2019) "Revisiting the Contribution Question", Evaluation 25(3) | Mayne (2011) | Use "contribution plausibility" vocabulary, not earlier "contribution story" alone |
| Feminist evaluation framing | Cornwall & Rivas (2015) Third World Quarterly 36(2) | — | Pair with Batliwala & Pittman (2010) for participatory design, Podems (2014) for positionality |
| SRHR indicators | WHO/UNFPA Sexual Health Indicators (2023 revision) | 2015 edition | Cross-reference ICPD+25 (2019), SDG 3.7, 5.6 |
| Rights-based approach | UNFPA HRBAP + UN Common Understanding HRBA (2003) | — | Pair with WHO/OHCHR sexual rights (2006/2010), UNFPA State of World Population 2021 |
| Gender-transformative | IGWG Gender Integration Continuum | — | Pair with Rao & Kelleher (2005) for institutional change |
| Theory of Change | Vogel (2012) DFID review | — | Feminist ToC: van Eerdewijk et al. (2017) KIT |
| Decolonial evaluation | Chilisa (2020) 2nd ed. | Chilisa (2012) 1st ed. | Pair with Chouinard & Cousins (2015) for practitioner application |
| Participatory methods | Davies & Dart (2005) MSC; Wilson-Grau & Britt (2012) Outcome Harvesting; Patton (2011) Developmental Evaluation | — | Fals Borda (1987) for PAR epistemology |
| OECD-DAC criteria | OECD (2019) "Better Criteria for Better Evaluation" | 1991 edition (5 criteria) | Must include Coherence or flag omission |
Mandatory disaggregation for indicators
Any indicator set must disaggregate by at minimum:
- Age cohort
- Gender identity (not sex alone)
- Disability status
- Geographic stratum
Flag any indicator missing any of these as below current standard.
Protocol
When producing MEL/SRHR output:
- Identify every framework, concept, or indicator invoked.
- Match each against the table above. If current, cite with full author + year + document title + section if available.
- If the user's draft references an outdated version, flag it in-line:
⚠️ Outdated version — current standard is [author year]
- If a claim lacks a source, flag with
⚠️ Data gap: [claim] — needs source — [recommended action]
- Never hedge with "according to WHO guidelines" or "feminist scholars suggest". Cite specifically.
Lens application
Feminist, decolonial, intersectionality, and participatory lenses must change the analysis, not appear as acknowledgement sentences. When applying a lens, show what it changed.
- Feminist: whose voices shaped evaluation questions, power differentials named, norms questioned, bodily autonomy centred for SRHR.
- Decolonial: framework origin examined, Global North assumptions named, co-design vs consultation distinguished.
- Intersectionality: disaggregation plus interaction effects, not parallel disaggregation alone.
- Participatory: position on Hart (1992) ladder named, consultation vs co-design distinguished.
Output
Produce the requested MEL/SRHR artefact. Inline citations throughout. At the end, append a short
section listing every citation used, full bibliographic form.
Writing rules
Follow CLAUDE.md house style. For this skill specifically:
- Never write "recent research" or "best practice" without a named source.
- Never use "should" or "must" without a framework warrant.
- If a claim cannot reach publication standard with available information, flag the gap rather than fill with competency-level content.
Limitations
This skill does not retrieve new literature. It enforces the standards list in CLAUDE.md. When a framework outside the list is invoked, ask Ane whether the reference is current, or flag for verification. Update this skill when CLAUDE.md's framework standards change.