Local values and decolonizing evaluation

Moderator

• Candice Morkel, CLEAR Anglophone Africa, South Africa, Director

Panelists

• Dan Du, National Centre for Science and Technology Evaluation, China, Assistant Research Fellow
• Florita Azofeifa, Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy of Costa Rica, Costa Rica, Director of Monitoring and Evaluation
• Liu Lixin, Mount Yuelu Breeding Innovation Center, China, Vice-President
• Patrick Okwen, Effective Basic Services Africa, Cameroon, Team Lead
• Pablo Rodriguez Bilella, CONICET National University of San Juan, Argentina, Investigador 
• Serge Eric Nsa’ah Yakeu Djiam, IDEAS, Cameroon, Vice-President
• Sun Chao, New Development Bank—Independent Evaluation Office, Senior Professional

Discussion Themes

• We have moved on from the theoretical and are working to the practical, with changes happening around the inclusion of more respectful and culturally relevant evaluation practices that empower indigenous and marginalized communities, challenge colonial legacies and foster genuine partnerships between evaluators and communities.
• Diversity and knowledge are context-specific and produce knowledge-sharing tools that support the goals of leaving no one behind.
• Using stories can help us understand the impact of activities on communities and is a technique used long before colonization. Evaluation is not about knowledge generation only; it is also about communicating data and understanding change and the findings. It is a cycle of knowledge generation to explain how things have changed.
• Understanding multidimensional poverty has been vital in helping China reduce absolute poverty. This information has meant an increase of opportunities in employment and revitalization of the rural areas of the country. 
• Inclusive evaluations that amplify marginalized voices, combined with the use of innovative approaches and technology, are key to addressing complex global challenges. Ensuring resilience and adaptability in evaluation systems will enhance their ability to respond to crises and support long-term, impactful change.