Introduction to UNDAF Evaluations

1. Introduction to UNDAF Evaluations

2. INTRODUCTION : UNDAF What is it ? • Strategic Programme Framework for the UN System • Collective response of the UN to national development priorities. • Collective Results to make substantive and measurable contribution to achieve selected priorities. ------------------ KEY FOR DEFINING EVALUATION SCOPE

3. UNDAF MUST : • Reflect FIVE UN PRINCIPLES : HRBA, Gender Equality, Environmental Sustainability, Capacity Development • Demonstrate • UN COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE/ value added • CAPACITY to respond to CHANGING AID ENVIRONMENT --------------------------------------------------------------------- KEY FOR DEFINING EVALUATION SCOPE

4. UNDAF Guidelines emphasize… 4 National Ownership Alignment with national development priorities Inclusiveness of UN system, including Integration of the five programming principles Mutual accountability for development results

5. Mandatory Steps 5 1. Road Map 3. Strategic Planning

6. Elements of M&E 6 1. Road Map • Develop the mandatory M&E Plan • Conduct the mandatory UNDAF annual review process with Government • Produce a single UNDAF progress report per cycle • Conduct evaluation of the UNDAF

7. UNDAF Evaluation • A joint UN assessment that analyzes the contribution of the UN system in a given country. • Conducted by the UNCT and national partners. • Mandatory / Independent • Should take place at the end of YEAR 3: late enough to assess the performance and results of the first years but early enough to inform the design of the next programme cycle. • Based on UNEG Norms and Standards • Generally, good quality agency-specific evaluations, especially programme/project feed into the UNDAF evaluation as a source of evidence: Country self-assessment reports? Or Country Progress Reports? Annual reviews!!! 7

8. UNEG’s Definition www.unevaluation.org “An evaluation is an assessment, as systematic and impartial as possible, of an activity, project, programme, strategy, policy, topic, theme, sector, operational area, institutional performance, etc. It focuses on expected and achieved accomplishments examining the results chain, processes, contextual factors and causality, in order to understand achievements or the lack thereof. It aims at determining the relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the interventions and contributions of the Organizations of the UN System. An evaluation should provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable, and useful, enabling the timely incorporation of findings, recommendations and lessons into the decision-making processes of the Organizations of the UN System and its Members.”

9. Focus of Evaluation Doing it right Better ways of doing it Doing the right thing Doing the right thing • Relevance • Sustainability • Client Satisfaction • Effectiveness • Efficiency • Economy • Alternatives • Best Practices • Lessons Learned

10. What is a joint evaluation? An evaluation to which different donor agencies and/or partners participate. Participation entails involvement in the conceptualization, management and useof the evaluation. There are various degrees of “jointness” depending on the extent to which individual partners’ involvement in the evaluation . For example joint evaluations led by one institution or agency; joint evaluation co-led by all institutions involved. Joint evaluations can help overcome attribution problems in assessing the effectiveness of programs and strategies, the complementarity of efforts supported by different partners, the quality of aid coordination, etc. (OECD / DAC (2002-2008). Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results Based Management).

11. Joint Evaluations • Joint evaluations can also present several challenges: • Defining roles and responsibilities: management and oversight functions should be cleared determined and • agreed upon. • One manager supported by a management group: avoid co-management to keep accountabilities clear. • Management response. Who will be responsible for its follow up? Define at the outset • UNDAF EVALUATIONS: clear example of challenges faced by UNCT’s to Undertake a joint evaluation.

12. UNDAF Evaluation 12 1. Road Map An evaluation of the UNDAF is required aimed at assessing the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the UN system’s contribution, as described in the UNDAF. The evaluation should go beyond looking at contribution to the national outcomes set out in the UNDAF results framework to examine the strategic positioning of the UNCT in a country. ToC? Reflected in the Results Matrix? Should be credible, independent, impartial, transparent and useful.  UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) Norms and Standards for Evaluation in the UN System both provide guidance regarding the evaluation process

13. National Plan aligned with MDGs

14. National Plan aligned with MDGs Project

15. National Plan aligned with MDGs Programme

16. National Plan aligned with MDGs UNDAF

17. National Plan aligned with MDGs SWAP

18. Evaluation Question- Some Examples • RELEVANCE • Did the UNDAF make effective use of the UNCT’s comparative advantage in the country? • Did the UNDAF generate a coherent UNCT response to national priorities? • Do the UNDAF outcomes address key issues, their underlying causes, and challenges identified by the CCA? • Do the Country Programmes and the UNDAF respond to the challenges of national capacity development and do they promote ownership of programmes by the national partners? • Has the UNDAF contributed to a coherent response by the UN to the changing aid environment?

19. Evaluation Questions- Some Examples • EFFECTIVENESS • What progress has been made towards the realization of UNDAF outcomes as a contribution to the achievement of MDGs? • Did UNDAF promote effective partnerships and strategic alliances around the main UNDAF outcome areas (e.g. within Government, with national partners, donors and other external support agencies • To what extent and in what ways have national capacities been enhanced in government, civil society and NGOs? SUSTAINABILITY • To what extent results achieved and strategies used by the supported Country Programmesand projects are sustainable: i) as a contribution to national development, and (ii) in terms of the added value of UNDAF for cooperation among individual UN agencies • Have complementarities, collaboration and /or synergies fostered by UNDAF contributed to greater sustainability of results of Country Programmesand projects of individual UN agencies?

20. UNDAF Evaluation Management Arrangements • The UNCT is responsible for organizing the evaluation and managing it. • i) Designate an EVALUATION MANAGER. • ii) Establish an Evaluation Steering Committee (SC) – decision making level • iii) Establish Evaluation Management Group (EMG). – Sounding board • National governments jointly commission the UNDAF evaluation with the UNCT and should participate in the EMG. • iv) Advisory group: agency-specific monitoring and evaluation (M&E) focal points can play a technical role in supporting the UNDAF evaluation. • v) International development partners and other stakeholders, such as national civil society organizations, may participate in the EMG or ERG as appropriate •  vi) UNEDAP as part of the PSG and based on its mandate.

21. Evaluation Team What do you propose?

22. UNDAF Evaluation Methodology PRINCIPLES • Methods to be informed by the questions • Inclusive and participatory approach • Mixed methods approach • Perceptions are critical (especially but not limited to strategic positioning, comparative advantage and value added) • Coverage: include case studies, multi –stakeholder workshops

23. UNDAF Evaluation - Use • Organize stakeholders’ meeting/workshop • Disseminate the evaluation findings and recommendations • Implement a follow up plan to the management response.Clear responsibilities USE OF RESULTS

24. END!