Document Actions
HEA and Sustainable Livelihoods Framework
Q: Doesn’t HEA only look at livelihoods from an economic perspective, rather than considering social or political issues, and therefore isn’t it less comprehensive than the SLF?
A: HEA is focused primarily on the effect of economic shocks on people’s livelihoods which is one of the primary reasons for disaggregating the population by livelihood zone and wealth group. But economic shocks and non-economic factors, such as social and political issues, are highly inter-related. A politically-motivated decision to change a grain subsidy, for instance, will ultimately have economic effects at the household level. Social status within a community provides or restricts access to certain advantageous economic opportunities. HEA focuses its enquiry on the economic side, but fully recognizes the need to understand the political and social context in order to interpret the economic outcome. Having said that, the depth of the investigation into related sectors actually carried out within a HEA assessment depends on the purpose of the assessment, e.g. it might central to long-term development planning, but less crucial for understanding immediate needs in an emergency.
Q: Is the SLF a methodology, or an approach or a checklist…?
A: The SLF is a conceptual framework for understanding how different elements interact to determine livelihoods outcomes. There is no single analytical method for assessments based on the SLF, and a range of tools can be used to collect the information required to do an analysis based on the SLF. In practice, it is also useful as a checklist of issues to consider when assessing livelihoods.
