By Denis Jobin, EVALSDGs Co-Chair, Senior Evaluation Specialist, Evaluation Office, UNICEF

In an era where governments face complex social, economic, and environmental challenges, learning and accountability through evidence-based policymaking have never been more crucial. National evaluation systems, when effectively embedded into public governance frameworks—or what I often refer to as the Machinery of government (MoG), the interconnected structures and processes of government such as the legislative, executive, and judiciary functions—are pivotal for fostering accountability, learning, and good governance. My journey in reflecting on this vital aspect goes back as far as 25 years ago when I was working for the Office of the Auditor General of Canada.

As I often observed while working with government partners, national evaluation systems are meant to assess the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of government programs, service delivery, and policies. They are essential for ensuring that public administration aligns with principles of transparency, accountability, and strategic foresight. Internationally recognized principles of public administration, such as those from SIGMA (Support for Improvement in Governance and Management) and the OECD, can provide valuable insights. They emphasize the continuous improvement of public administration systems, the need for continuing government reforms to develop better policies for better lives, deliver high-quality, user-centered services, manage public funds efficiently, foster transparency and accountability, and build citizens’ trust in public institutions.

However, as we advance in the beautiful journey of developing national evaluation systems, there is a growing need to shift from building national evaluation capacities to developing national evaluation capabilities—a subtle yet crucial paradigm change. This blog explores how embedding national evaluation systems within public governance and the Machinery of government can enhance national evaluation capabilities, accelerating policy and program performance to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

National evaluation systems: a pillar of modern public administration

National evaluation systems are critical in steering public administration toward strategic objectives, ensuring that policies, programs, and public services are not only well-conceived but also deliver tangible results. They provide the data and analysis needed to answer fundamental questions about government action, such as: “Are we doing the right thing?” and “Are we doing things right?”

Embedding these systems into public governance significantly enhances the following aspects:

1. Accountability and Transparency: National evaluation systems offer a structured process to generate publicly accessible performance information on policies and programs. By systematically assessing the performance of government interventions, these systems provide a transparent basis for not only holding public institutions accountable but also fostering a culture of learning. They help answer critical questions about what works, why, for whom, and under which circumstances, promoting informed decision-making.
2. Strategic Planning, Budget, and Policy Coherence: National evaluation systems serve as a feedback loop that informs strategic planning, budgetary processes, and policy coherence. By embedding evaluation into governance structures at all levels, governments can ensure that their policies and programs are not only aligned with national priorities but also adaptable to changing circumstances and contexts goals and aligning them with the SDGs. 
3. Efficiency and Value for Money: National evaluation systems enable governments to scrutinize the cost-effectiveness and value for money of their programs and interventions, identifying areas where resources can be reallocated for more significant impact. In a world of resource scarcity and public money—or what I refer to as OPM: Other People’s Money— achieving value for money is critical. National evaluation systems support this by highlighting what delivers the best outcomes with the available resources to achieve the SDGs.

Shifting the focus from capacity to capability in national evaluation systems

Traditionally, development efforts have concentrated on building national evaluation capacities—the foundational elements such as skills, knowledge, and institutional frameworks necessary to conduct evaluations. While these capacities are essential, there is now a recognized need to shift toward developing national evaluation capabilities. This involves moving beyond having the means—the tangible and intangible assets—to conduct evaluations to the ability to use performance information generated by evaluations effectively within the dynamic and complex environments of public governance and the Machinery of Government.

Why the shift matters

1. Demand-Side Perspective: While capacity building focuses on technical evaluation skills, which often emerge from the supply side—what we are best positioned to offer—capability development takes a demand-side approach, asking what is needed to address issues effectively in supporting national evaluation systems. It involves enhancing the overall system’s ability to leverage evaluations and their findings strategically within the Machinery of Government (MoG). This shift ensures that evaluations are not conducted in isolation but are connected to the broader public administration system, addressing real needs and fostering a culture of learning and improvement within government systems.
2. Integrating Evaluation into Decision-Making Processes: Developing evaluation capabilities ensures that evaluation is integrated into decision-making processes in a timely manner and is not just an end-point assessment. This means that evaluations are used to inform strategic planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and program delivery in an ongoing manner. Capable systems make evaluations an intrinsic part of governance, continuously guiding policies toward achieving the SDGs more effectively and sustainably. The integration of evaluations within decision-making processes is essential for adaptive governance that responds to emerging challenges such as COVID, and changing contexts.

A way forward: linking evaluation to performance budgeting

Performance budgeting has been a transformative approach in public financial management, emphasizing the link between resource allocation and policy outcomes. It involves setting performance expectations and targets and creating incentives within public administration systems to use performance information to inform budget decisions. This national budget performance process lies at the heart of a capable national evaluation system.

The integration of evaluation systems within performance budgeting practices is crucial for results-oriented governance. To move toward true capability, governments must ensure that evaluation findings are not just available but actively shape budgetary priorities. Embedding evaluation into the entire budget cycle—from formulation to execution and review—creates the necessary incentives to enhance government capabilities and ensures that resources are systematically aligned with strategic goals and national priorities, particularly in achieving the SDGs. 

Enhancing the machinery of government for the SDGs

Embedding national evaluation systems into the Machinery of government entails more than simply establishing evaluation units or conducting evaluations. It requires embedding evaluation into the interconnected structures and processes of government, ensuring that legislative, executive, and judiciary functions collaborate in using performance information generated by evaluations for learning and accountability.

1. Legislative Function: Parliaments and legislative bodies should demand evaluation findings to inform debates, guide policymaking, and hold the executive accountable. This requires legislators to understand the value of evaluation and use it strategically to shape policies and ensure they align with the SDGs.

2. Executive Function: The executive, including ministries and government agencies, must integrate evaluations into planning, budgeting, and service delivery. This integration ensures that evaluations guide strategic decision-making and resource allocation, promoting efficiency and effectiveness in public interventions as they align with the SDGs.

3. Judiciary Function: The judiciary can enforce transparency and accountability by ensuring that evaluations are conducted in compliance with laws and regulations. This function also helps maintain the credibility and integrity of the evaluation system, reinforcing public trust and managing the justice system.

Learn more about EVALSDGs: https://evalsdgs.org/