UNDP | Evaluation

	The evaluation function works to enhance the development effectiveness of UNDP to help men and women build a better life. It strengthens accountability and learning through evaluation and partnership
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Evaluation of Results Based Managment at UNDP
		This report presents the assessment of an independent evaluation conducted by the Evaluation Office of UNDP of the adoption of results based management (RBM) as an approach. The main purpose of this evaluation is to examine the degree to which RBM has fostered a results culture within the organization, enhanced capacity to make better management decisions, and strengthened UNDP’s contribution to development results. The evaluation concludes that UNDP is largely managing for outputs rather than outcomes and that the linkages between outputs and intended outcomes are not clearly articulated. The introduction of corporate systems and tools, which have had some efficiency benefits, have not however, strengthened the culture of results in the organization or improved programmatic focus at the country level. The current approach of defining and reporting against centrally defined outcomes tends to undermine UNDP’s responsiveness and alignment to nationally defined outcomes and priorities. The evaluation makes a number of recommendations to address these and other challenges.
Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to South-South Cooperation
		Promoting and supporting South-South cooperation has been an expressed priority for UNDP for many decades, most recently with the 2004-2007 Multi Year Funding Framework explicitly stating that South-South Cooperation would be a driver of development effectiveness in all areas of work. In 1974 the General Assembly established a Special Unit for South-South Cooperation within UNDP to spearhead support to South-South cooperation within UNDP and the UN system. This evaluation looks at the effectiveness of the third cooperation framework managed the Special Unit and also assesses UNDP’s efforts to promote South-South cooperation since 1996. Based on case-studies in eight countries and UN Head Quarters in New York and Geneva, an electronic survey among UN Country Teams around the world and review of available evaluative evidence, the evaluation reaches four important conclusions. First, while the conceptual areas of the third cooperation framework for south-south cooperation were valid, the effectiveness of the framework was constrained by the mismatch among the mandate, resources and implementation strategy adopted by the Special Unit. Second, UNDP has not developed a robust and proactive corporate strategy to promote South-South cooperation. There is a lack of common understanding, incentives and systematic codification of experience. Third, at the country and regional levels, UNDP has been responsive to demand and a number of initiatives are undertaken. But the results of these initiatives are affected by the absence of a corporate strategy that commits capacity and resources and enables learning from experience. Fourth, the Special Unit and UNDP have not leveraged their particular and combined strengths and capacities to serve countries more effectively. The evaluation makes a number of recommendations to address these challenges.
Evaluation of Second Regional Cooperation Framework
		Three evaluations completed in 2007 examined UNDP’s regional programmes in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, respectively, and their contributions to regional development in terms of its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability. The evaluations found that the all three programmes were highly relevant to regional priorities and were successful at raising issues of a sensitive nature, such as HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific or quality of democracy in Latin America. In Africa, the programme successfully brought together countries that had a history of not interacting. The programmes have conducted high-level policy dialogue and advice, but it is difficult to attribute the 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. >> Africa En \| Fr >> Asia & the Pacific >> Latin America & the Caribbean
Assessment of Development Results Evaluation of UNDP's Contribution: COLOMBIA
		UNDP conducted an evaluation to assess its contribution to development results in Colombia. The evaluation found that overall UNDP has contributed to foster democratic governance and the rule of law, by promoting institutional capacity building of national and sub national institutions in the midst of conflict, as well as by promoting dialogue among development actors on national needs, including incorporation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) into national planning. However, the evaluation also found that in an effort to generate additional operational resources, and to respond to the demands of government and international agencies, UNDP began expanding its role in development support services (DSS) spreading the portfolio too thinly. The interventions supported by UNDP in Colombia during the period 1998-2006 contributed to development results that strengthened the country’s peace and development process. This ADR identifies risks that should be managed and opportunities that can be pursued to consolidate peace and foster sustainable human development in Colombia. >> Main Report
.Regional Workshop on UNDP Evaluation Policy
	These reports document the proceedings from the regional workshops on the UNDP Evaluation Policy, held first in the Asia and Pacific region and then in the Africa region. The reports outline the key issues raised and actions proposed in establishing a basis for the implementation of the policy in context of regional and national development priorities. >> Issues and Recommendations Paper >> Workshop Summary Report >> Africa EN \| FR >> Asia Pacific >> Latin America & the Caribbean EN \| SP >> Arab States >> Europe & CIS
DAC Peer Review of UNDP EO
	This assessment represents a first test of a new approach, designed under the auspices of the OECD/DAC Network on Development Evaluation. It aims at assessing and enhancing multilateral agencies’ own evaluation capacity and performance, with an ultimate view to improving their development performance. The approach used is a “peer assessment”, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) took the lead by volunteering to undergo the fi rst such assessment. >> Download Main Report >> Download UNDP Response >> Download Key Issus & Lessons >> Download Summary of Key Issues & Lessons