The Third National Evaluation Capacity (NEC) Conference held in Brazil two years ago led to 2015 being declared as the International Year of Evaluation. Over 60 events have been hosted this year to commemorate the practice and thus enhance accountability, learning and democratic governance. It was during this successful event in São Paulo that more than 160 participants reflected on NEC priorities for their countries to support the progress with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). IEO has since then, completed an assessment of UNDP's work in the achievement of MDGs and along with participants looks forward to reflecting on how to further develop NECs to support the pursuit of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With 95 countries and 450 participants, the Fourth NEC Conference taking place in Bangkok will be the largest evaluation event globally with government and country participation. This event will be a first at many levels for the IEO: the first time UNDP has partnered with a professional evaluation association – the International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS)- bringing in expertise from civil society, academia and the research community; the first time that a NEC event has training sessions (13 workshops); and the first time that all three international evaluation networks – UNEG, ECG and OECD/DAC are strongly represented and discussing their roles in this NEC journey. I believe this diversity and level of participation shall make this a stellar event, with stock taking on the 18 commitments from the last event along with practical solutions from agencies and government on how to measure and thus direct the attainment of the SDGs. As a global citizen and an evaluator, I look forward to this journey as we enter this new era.

The event is being co-hosted with the Government of Thailand with support from the UNDP Regional Bureau of Asia and the Pacific. For more information on the conference please visit the conference website or follow us using #NECbangkok.

-- Indran Naidoo, Director, IEO UNDP

Evaluation Snapshot - MDGs

193 Members of the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on 25 September 2015, along with a set of bold new SDGs, which Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed as a universal, integrated and transformative vision for a better world. The SDGs follow and expand on the MDGs and for the successful implementation of the SDGs it is vital to assess the contribution of the MDGs. This video is a snapshot of the Evaluation of the Role of UNDP in Supporting National Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Video | Illustrated Summary | Report

UNDP Executive Board Second Regular Session

The UNDP Executive Board took place on 3 September 2015 in New York and the IEO presented the Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Though advances have been made and crucial milestones achieved, much remains to be done to ensure that gender equality becomes a universal phenomenon in word, as well as deed. The evaluation assesses the extent to which UNDP’s Gender Equality Strategy, which covered the period 2008-2013, functioned as an integrating dimension of the UNDP’s Strategic Plan. Statements from IEO were followed by the management response.

IEO Statement | Management Response | Member Statements | Video

Evaluation of UNDP Contribution to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment

Gender equality remains an unfulfilled promise that affects all humanity. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights set out the fundamental bases of universal freedoms, equality, and rights in 1948. Since then nine treaties and optional protocols have been developed covering specific human rights protections, creating a comprehensive normative human rights legal framework. The 1970s and 1980s saw discussions in civil society, governments, and United Nations agencies that focused on increasing attention, protection mechanisms, and resources dedicated to advance women’s equity and social justice. UNDP has been in the forefront of responding to these developments since the 1970s. This is the second evaluation of UNDP’s contribution to gender equality and women’s empowerment which, picks up the thread from 2008 and traces the implementation of UNDP’s first Gender Equality Strategy (GES) which concluded in 2013.

Illustrated Summary | Report | Evaluation Manager: Chandi Kadirgamar

Joint GEF-UNDP Evaluation of the Small Grants Programme

The Joint GEF-UNDP Small Grants Programme (SGP) Evaluation completed in 2008 was crucial in shaping the way forward for the SGP, and provided the foundation for the implementation of several important changes, some of which were essential for making the broadening of the programme to more countries possible. This joint evaluation assessed the extent to which the most important recommendations and related GEF Council decisions progress have been implemented, the factors that have affected their implementation and the extent to which recommendations and Council decisions remain pertinent in light of current and future situations. The evaluation also looks at trends concerning networking, management, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), focal area and capacity development, linking these to observed achievements on the ground.

Illustrated Summary | Report | Evaluation Managers: Heather Bryant, UNDP & Carlo Carugi, GEF