Evaluation in the New User Guide

The UNDP is currently developing a new User Guide that will be available by the end of 2007. The User Guide is a comprehensive tool that provides UNDP staff with all relevant information about UNDP operations in a single place. As the custodian of the evaluation function, the EO has actively promoted embedding the evaluation function more deeply throughout the programming cycle. The new User Guide will include: evaluation policy requirements, such as the development of an evaluation plan for the global, regional and country programmes and management response to all evaluations; clearly defined roles and responsibilities in evaluation; procedures on how to commission an evaluation; and use of evaluative evidence in programming and decision making. Additional guidance on how to develop an evaluation plan, Terms of Reference (TOR) and management response are available on the EO website and will also be made available as links in the new User Guide.

Handbook on Monitoring and Evaluating for Development Results

New Features in the Evaluation Resource Centre (ERC)

The ERC is UNDP’s information management system for supporting management accountability in evaluation. It provides timely data on evaluation planning, management response and follow-up. The ERC is also a repository of evaluation reports and serves as the organization’s primary tool for knowledge management in evaluation. To date, it contains more than 600 evaluations and 150 Terms of References (TORs). Access to information in the ERC is open to the public at http://erc.undp.org.

Since the launch of the upgraded ERC in September 2006, a number of new features have been added. These include allowing users to: generate a list of all available active evaluation plans per region; view a list of evaluation focal points (including contact information) in UNDP country offices and other units; read summaries of findings and lessons learned from evaluations; and access evaluation plan templates made available to the Executive Board. Two new sections—Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and What's New (a listing of the most recent independent and decentralized evaluation reports)—have also been added to improve use of the system.

For information related to the ERC, please contact erc.support@undp.org.

Visit the ERC at http://erc.undp.org

UN Evaluation Group (UNEG)

UNEG is a professional network for the units responsible for evaluation in the UN system. The goal of UNEG is to strengthen the objectivity, effectiveness and visibility of the evaluation function across the UN system and to advocate the importance of evaluation for learning, decision making and accountability. UNEG currently has 43 members. At the UNEG Annual General Meeting in April 2007, the UNDP EO Director was elected UNEG Chair. The UNDP EO also houses the UNEG Executive Coordinator and the UNEG Secretariat.

In June 2007, the newly designed UNEG website was launched. It is accessible at www.uneval.org. The website details UNEG’s current work programme and provides easy access to UNEG documents as well as links to other useful evaluation resources. If you have any comments or suggestions on the website, please e-mail uneg-contact@list.uneval.org.

Technical Workshop on Improving the Quality of Evaluation

In mid July, the EO Director participated in a two-day meeting organized by the Planning Commission of India and UNDP India titled “A Technical Workshop on Improving the Quality of Evaluation”. The Planning Commission of India has a Programme Evaluation Office (PEO) and all states have State Evaluation Offices (SEOs) attached to their Planning Commissions. The objective of the meeting was to map evaluation requirements, identify means for evaluation capacity building, and develop a national evaluation protocol and standards.

Participants in the meeting agreed to: develop a national evaluation policy as part of the 11th Plan and establish an evaluation protocol and standards, which would improve the quality of outsourcing; share results with tax payers, the government and donors; and make the devolution of resources conditional on evaluation results. Actions to be taken include: conducting peer reviews; outsourcing only to evaluation-certified institutes; creating an open source platform that will link practitioners and local bodies; strengthening the independence of the evaluation system; developing the capacity of the PEO and SEOs with UNDP and others; and sensitizing users of evaluation including law-makers, legislators, media and civil society.

Annual Report on Evaluation 2006

The EO annually prepares a report on evaluation. The Annual Report on Evaluation 2006 was the first report since the endorsement of the UNDP evaluation policy by the Executive Board in June 2006. This report was presented to the Executive Board during its annual session in 2007.

The report highlighted initiatives taken in UNDP and its associated funds and programmes to strengthen the evaluation function in line with the evaluation policy, including: engaging key stakeholders of the organization and national partners through five regional workshops (view workshop reports); producing and disseminating guidelines and support mechanisms; and supporting the United Nations reform agenda through joint evaluations and action with the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG). Information on the coverage and quality of independent and decentralized evaluations and their institutional arrangements were presented. The report also highlighted significant and systemic findings and recommendations drawn from independent evaluations conducted by the EO and evaluations by the associated funds and programmes, identifying a number of organizational lessons. Finally, the report presented the proposed programme of work for the EO, which was endorsed by the Executive Board during the session.

>> View the Annual Report on Evaluation
>> View the Executive Board Decision

Three evaluations completed in 2007 examined UNDP’s regional programmes in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, and their contributions to regional development in terms of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability. The evaluations found that all three programmes were highly relevant to regional priorities and were successful in raising issues of a sensitive nature, such as HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific or the quality of democracy in Latin America. In Africa, the programme successfully brought together countries that had a history of not interacting.

The evaluations also found that while the programmes conducted high-level policy dialogue and advice, it was difficult to attribute country-level policy impact to the regional programmes. While the programmes produced impressive numbers of knowledge products of generally high quality, they were found to be lacking in advocacy, dissemination and follow-up activities. All evaluations raised concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of the regional programmes.

This evaluation found that UNDP has contributed significantly to policy development and dialogue, including incorporation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and pro-poor concerns into national planning. Through the National Human Development Reports (NHDRs) and other initiatives, UNDP has contributed to capacity development in the government to carry out high-level policy and strategic research on key issues, such as regional integration and human development. In the field of governance, UNDP has gained the status of a trusted partner of the government. However, there are still areas where UNDP can assist the government, such as in the field of democratic governance and participation. In the areas of environment and sustainable development, UNDP has supported Lao PDR’s efforts to fulfill its obligations to the international environmental agreements that the country has ratified. Given the importance of natural resources to the Lao economy, more could be done to incorporate related issues into policy dialogue in order to optimize the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of the country.

Assessment of Development Results: Nicaragua

This evaluation found that UNDP contributed to consolidating democratic institutions and processes in Nicaragua through its support to strengthening the rule of law, its work with the National Assembly and advocating the modernization of political parties. It also contributed to the establishment of the national system for disaster preparedness. UNDP presence at the subnational level, particularly in the Caribbean Coast, was found effective and a good practice. The evaluation recommended enhancing the monitoring and evaluation systems and assuring gender mainstreaming in future programming. In addition, it recommended improving the effectiveness and sustainability of UNDP interventions by promoting the participation of civil society in the decision-making process and supporting the decentralization efforts conducted in the country. Overall, UNDP is positioned as a strategic partner and should keep its trusted relationship with the government, putting the needs of the poor at the centre of the development agenda.

• Evaluation of Results Based Management at UNDP
• Evaluation of UNDP's Contribution to South-South Cooperation
• Assessment of Development Results:
  • Colombia
  • Jordan
  • Rwanda