The overall goal of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is the improvement of Quality of Life (QoL) in the areas where its member institutions work. AKDN’s vision and strategies encompass an improvement in material standards of living, health and education, as well as a set of values and norms in the organisation of society which include pluralism and cultural tolerance, gender and social equity, civil society organisation and good governance. AKDN therefore has a holistic view of what constitutes progress that goes beyond material benefits or only poverty alleviation, and which encompasses a more rounded view of human experience and aspirations.

In 2007, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) initiated Quality of Life (QoL) assessments in geographical areas where it undertakes multi-input area development programmes. The QoL initiative differs from conventional monitoring and evaluation practice, which is usually project- or sector-based, rather than trying to understand changes in people’s lives overall. QoL Assessments are carried out periodically (every 3-5 years) at a sub-national level in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Mozambique, Mali and Tanzania.

The AKDN takes a long-term perspective, usually working in countries over decades, and so these assessments are designed to provide an overview of how people’s lives are changing over time. The main aim is to analyse and adjust AKDN’s interventions in the light of the findings.