Chapter 59 Evaluating Anti Poverty Programs The chapter critically reviews the methods available for the ex post counterfactual analysis of programs that are assigned exclusively to individuals households or locations. The emphasis is on the problems encountered in applying these methods to anti poverty programs in developing countries drawing on examples from actual evaluations. Two main lessons emerge. Firstly despite the claims of advocates no single method dominates; rigorous policy relevant evaluations should be open minded about methodology adapting to the problem setting and data constraints. Secondly future efforts to draw useful lessons from evaluations call for more policy relevant data and methods than used in the classic assessment of mean impact for those assigned to the program.