Table 1. Guiding framework for evaluating the policy process.

Area of analysis	Description	Evidence
Background and context of the policy	It clarifies the policy’s objectives, considering political, social, and economic factors at local and national levels that influence outcomes. It includes an initial situation analysis to establish the problem’s scope and importance, and outlines the vision, ownership, and leadership necessary to address actor resistance.	Buse et al. [19] and Hercot et al.’s [25].
Policy formulation processes	How the policy was initiated, (re)formulated or developed, negotiated, communicated, and implemented	Walt and Gilson’ s [27] and Buse et al. [19]
Content of the policy	These are the policy’s objectives, which refer to the implicit contract between the government and the users (the benefits package of the expanded free maternity package) and the contract between the government and the health facilities (the ’resource contract’), which includes the population and services covered and the funding sources.	Hercot et al.’s [25]
Roles of the actors in the formulation and the implementation	Important players in the policy process whose roles, power, and influence determine the formulation and implementation of a policy.	Buse et al. [19]

Source: Author constructed from literature review.