Building National Evaluation Capacities

Moderator

• Michala Assankpon, Evaluation Officer, Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, WFP, Panama

Panellists

• Viviana Casco Molinas, Minister Executive Secretary, Technical Secretariat of Planning for Social and Economic Development, Paraguay
• Erick Chuquiej, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Secretariat of Planning and Programming of the Presidency, Guatemala
• Maria Celeste Ghiano, Coordinator, Latin American and Caribbean Network of Monitoring, Evaluation and Systematization (ReLAC)
• Seirah Ngcobo, Assistant Evaluation Specialist, Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, DPME, South Africa

What is needed to ensure NES have robust capacity? NES need people: How do we ensure that those running the system have the skills and experience to operate effectively?

• Evaluation systems have people at their heart. Strong evaluation systems require not only individuals with adequate technical skillsets, but also soft skills like communication, negotiation and advocacy, in order to fully integrate and consider the perspectives and needs of the various stakeholders and institutions.
• An important step towards strengthening NES is to establish the development pathways based on a clear assessment of the institutional dynamics and processes in the country, and identifying the strengths, capacities and weaknesses in the existing institutional architecture, policy frameworks, and enabling environment.
• Tools like the National Evaluation Capacities Index (INCE), used by some countries in Latin America to measure capacity and monitor progress, can support this approach. INCE measures evaluation capacity by aggregating information related to the main dimensions of National Evaluation Systems, for example institutional structure, evaluation offer, quality of evaluations, participation and use.
• Skills and training are vital to ensure that evaluative evidence can be both captured and used. Proper training, including at tertiary level, is essential to establish skillsets and professionalize M&E practice. Policymakers also benefit from some level of training in how to implement and use evaluative evidence to greatest effect.

In order to ensure NES have robust capacity and operate effectively, it is important that:

• M&E is integrated with planning and other institutional processes to add real value.
• In addition to technical experts, senior officials in both administration and the political spheres are engaged and able to use evidence generated from M&E for decision-making processes.
• Evaluators have certain core competencies critical to ensuring quality evaluations, for example methodological acumen, data analysis and report writing.
• People are trained to be able to plan, undertake and use M&E and its outputs. This includes training of senior managers and leaders who are responsible for making evidence-based decisions.
• M&E courses are responsive to the evolving needs of the country and those involved in different aspects of M&E.

Conclusion

Evaluation systems are about people, systems and processes. Strengthening these systems requires an inclusive, multipronged and integrated approach that considers policies, capacities, institutional frameworks and the different capacity needs – for both technical and soft skills like communication, negotiation and advocacy. Skills development and training are vital to ensure that evaluative evidence can be both captured and used for decision-making.