Consent is more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to participate in an evaluation, or part of an evaluation. In the evaluation context, consent is a process that begins with initial contact with an evaluation participant and carries out throughout the participant’s involvement in the evaluation. It is the process by which potential participants can decide if it is worth taking part in an evaluation despite any risks and costs.

The two underlying principles of consent are that it is:

1. freely given, and

2. fully informed.

Freely given means evaluation participants participate in a voluntary way that is free from coercion. Fully informed means evaluation participants are informed fully about the purpose, methods and intended possible uses of the evaluation findings, what their participation in the evaluation entails and what risks, if any, are involved.

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