Evaluation Quality Assessment (June 2021)

Section Six describes the UNDP IEO system for quality assessment of decentralized evaluations, including the purpose, roles and responsibilities, processes and tools. In addition, the section explains the UN System Wide Action Plan (for gender) Evaluation Performance Indicator, and how independent and decentralized evaluations are assessed to provide UNDP data for this indicator.

High‐quality evaluations are critical for results‐based management, knowledge generation for wider use and for accountability to programme partners. One of the requirements of UNDP evaluation policy is that programme units—headquarter bureaus, regional bureaus and country offices—ensure that evaluations inform programme management and contribute to development results . There is increased emphasis therefore to strengthen support for decentralized evaluations (those carried out by programme units) in order to improve programme unit’s compliance with the evaluation policy, improve the quality of evaluations and increase policy makers’ and stakeholders’ use of evaluations.

The Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) annually assesses the quality of decentralized evaluations reports and then reports results to the UNDP Executive Board. The quality assessments process supports the improvement of the quality of evaluative evidence including findings, coverage and scope, as well as recommendations through the independent analysis of evaluations undertaken by programme units. The quality assessment process also supports programme unit management of evaluations and the implementation of the evaluation plan as well as oversight by regional bureaus, BPPS and IEO. This Quality Assessment System for Decentralized Evaluation Reports facilitates uniformity and consistency of the quality assessment process and reporting.

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