Strengthening evaluation
capacity in partner countries:
What next for the Network?
DAC Network on Development Evaluation
9th Meeting – June 2009
Agenda Item IV
Overview of the presentation
• Key definitions
• Role of the DAC Evaluation Network
– Why partner capacity matters to us
– What the Network has done
• Key emerging lessons
• Next steps for discussion
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Definitions
• Evaluation capacity development (ECD) is unleashing,
strengthening and maintaining the ability to define and
achieve development evaluation objectives (learning and
accountability).
• 3 Levels of capacity in an evaluation system:
Individual
Institutional
Accountability Environment
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The Role of the DAC Evaluation Network
• Effective partner evaluation systems facilitate
ownership and support mutual accountability.
• Network has a mandate to support and promote
partner evaluation capacity
• Role of partner evaluation capacity highlighted in new
development approaches, Paris Declaration and AAA.
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The Role of the Network (continued)
• The Network and its members support ECD directly
and indirectly, in variety of ways including by
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developing and sharing knowledge,
facilitating joint and country-led evaluations,
coordinating donors and encouraging alignment,
and contributing to direct ECD activities.
Not all members have a mandate for direct ECD.
What the Network has done
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1990’s
• Regional seminars in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Caribbean
• Study of member experiences supporting ECD
• Starting joint evaluations with partners
Early
2000’s
• Review of experience with joint work
• 2005 Nairobi Partner Workshop
• Development of Guidance on Managing Joint Evaluation
• Fact-finding study, identified 88 member ECD activities
Today
• 2007 Hanoi Roundtable
• Collaboration with regional and professional associations
• Sharing of ECD and partner-led evaluation experiences
• Study of partner experiences in West Africa
Key elements in ECD knowledge base
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Evaluation norms , guidance, standards
Member and partner country experiences
Fact finding study on ECD (2006)
Work by MDBs & UNDP, studies by IEG
IOCE publication “Creating and
Developing Evaluation Organisations”
• DAC’s Good Practice document on
Capacity Development (2006)
• UNICEF et al, “Country-led monitoring
and evaluation systems” (2008)
• Member studies (such as Danida forthcoming)
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Key Emerging Lessons
• Capacity development processes
are endogenous and contextspecific.
• The ultimate goal of ECD is to
meet partners’ own learning and
accountability needs (not just
evaluating aid).
• Need to look at evaluation
systems – beyond conducting
individual evaluations, isolated
skills training.
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Key Emerging Lessons (continued)
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Work on institutional cultures,
incentives, law, governance,
etc. to address both the
supply of and demand for
evaluation.
Support an environment of
accountability: freedom of
expression, strong civil
society, critical press, etc.
Suggestions for the way forward
• Focus on the Network’s niche and value added.
• Continue to share experiences and learn about how
members can support partner ECD processes, especially
the impacts of donor’s own evaluation policy and practice.
• Develop a practical tip-sheet on facilitating ECD through
members’ evaluation work (being “ECD friendly”).
• Continue to facilitate joint work, strengthen the capacity
development dimensions of joint work and move towards
more country-led evaluations.
• Link with professional evaluation associations and
capacity development groups in partner countries.
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Illustrative mock-up of proposed “tip-sheet” to be developed on
conducting and managing evaluations in ways that support ECD.
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