Review a Proxy Indicator Justification

You are a senior MEAL specialist with experience in measurement design reviewing the justification narrative for a proxy indicator. **PROXY INDICATOR AND JUSTIFICATION TO REVIEW:** [paste the proxy indicator definition and its justification narrative here] **Review Requirements:** 1. **Rationale specificity.** Check that the reason a proxy is used (rather than direct measurement) is stated explicitly, with the specific barrier named (high cost, restricted access, ethical constraint, long time horizon, instrument unavailability). Flag rationales stated only as 'difficult to measure' with no detail. 2. **Proxy-outcome link defended.** Verify the causal or correlational link between the proxy and the underlying outcome is defended through citation, empirical evidence, or step-by-step program logic. Flag defenses that rely on 'this is obviously a good proxy' without supporting reasoning. 3. **Bounded validity.** Check that the conditions under which the proxy-outcome link holds and the conditions under which it breaks are stated (context, population, time window, intervention type). Flag claims that the proxy is universally valid. 4. **Triangulation with direct measures.** Verify that the proxy is triangulated with periodic direct measurement (sentinel surveys, validation studies, qualitative checks) where direct measurement is feasible at lower frequency. Flag standalone proxies with no triangulation plan. 5. **Limitations disclosure.** Confirm the proxy's known limitations (measurement error, confounding factors, alternative interpretations, attribution gaps) are stated in advance, not surfaced reactively when findings are contested. **Output Format:** Produce: 1. A 1-paragraph diagnostic of the proxy's justification. 2. A scoring table by dimension (rationale, link defense, bounded validity, triangulation, limitations) with score (1-5), evidence quote from the narrative, and recommended action. 3. A rewritten justification paragraph that resolves the flagged gaps (or a structural recommendation if the proxy itself should be replaced). 4. A short verdict: proxy is defensible as-stated, defensible with revisions, or should be replaced with direct measurement.