Evaluation can make a difference

Evaluation can make a real difference in addressing global challenges. It helps identify what’s working, what needs to change, and how decisions can be improved based on evidence.

Below are some ways that evaluation can contribute to positive change:

• Identifying future interventions: Evaluations help understand the effectiveness, relevance, sustainability, coherence, and efficiency of interventions. This knowledge guides future programs, policies, and interventions.

• Documenting lessons learned: By documenting experiences and outcomes, evaluations promote continuous improvement.

• Providing evidence to inform decisions: Evaluation findings shape policies, resource allocation, and service improvements. Decisions based on evidence lead to better outcomes.

• Assessing equity and social justice: Evaluations assess the equity, inclusivity, and social justice impact of interventions.

• Promoting adaptive approaches: Evaluations encourage adjustments based on real-time data to improve interventions.

• Fostering trust: Evaluations can foster trust in public institutions and organizations by promoting transparency and sharing of information about decisions and outcomes.  

Below are some examples of the role evaluation has played in some of the most complex challenges of our world.

Strengthening emergency preparedness

Evaluating response efforts during an emergency improves ongoing recovery and builds resiliency. During an unfolding emergency, evaluation can inform policies and actions by identifying existing risks, gaps, priorities, and successes. Evaluations conducted after an emergency are used for accountability and to improve preparedness for future crises.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how important it is to have timely and credible evidence to guide policies and responses. Evaluations conducted by governments during the COVID-19 pandemic played an important role in improving responses. These evaluations provided real-time insights, identified lessons learned, and informed decisions. They noted the need for better pandemic preparedness, transparency, and actions based on evidence.

Learn more:

• First lessons from government evaluations of COVID-19 responses: A synthesis

Reducing gender and social inequities

Evaluation can help us understand and address gender and social disparities. By focusing on these issues, evaluation can promote programs, services, and initiatives designed to benefit everyone, particularly those who are often underserved. Evaluation processes themselves can adopt participatory, empowering, and inclusive practices, which can promote equity and advocacy.

A Global Affairs Canada evaluation examined gender equality and women’s empowerment programs in the Middle East and the Maghreb region. It covered international assistance projects from 2015-16 to 2019-20, including humanitarian, development, peace, stabilization, and partnership initiatives that either fully integrated gender equality or were specifically designed to advance it. The evaluation incorporated feminist evaluation principles such as participation, inclusivity, intersectionality and empowerment. In addition, by using appreciative inquiry techniques and focusing qualitative data collection on strengths, successes, and possibilities, the evaluation promoted hope among participants regarding advancements of gender equity. Despite limited outcome reporting, the evaluation found that women who participated in programming felt empowered. It also highlighted that Departmental practices positioned Global Affairs Canada to achieve positive results. Additionally, COVID-19 emphasized the importance of digital empowerment for women in the “new normal,” addressing issues like mobility limitations and access to technology.

Learn more:

Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls in the Middle East and the Maghreb, 2015-16 to 2019-20

This is what some YEEs shared with us about how their evaluation work promotes social equity:

Perspective from an emerging evaluator:

“At UBUNTU, we recently read "Black Aliveness, Or A Poetics of Being" by Kevin Quashies and he has this quote that says, 'What would it mean to consider Black aliveness, especially given how readily and literally -- Blackness is indexed to death?' And I think that sums up how I understand equity in my role and work because we talk about equity as a step, not a goal. Liberation is the goal. This means I am not doing this work to live in a 'less racist' world - I want to live in an Afrofuturist world where my existence, or lack thereof, is not pre-determined for me based on my Blackness. That quote challenges the current world we are in that is more comfortable and accustomed to Black death than Black life. Whether it's through utilizing UBUNTU's Afrofuturist Evaluation (AFE) methodology, the Equitable Evaluation Framework (EEF), or Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation (CREE), in my evaluation work I am always thinking about how equity can lead to liberation. And I recommend new and emerging evaluators to look into those frameworks to think critically about the field!” 

Supporting Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination

Evaluations rooted in culturally responsive approaches respect Indigenous knowledge, history, and sovereignty. They do this by understanding Indigenous culture and context, recognizing and dealing with power dynamics and disempowerment, and using appropriate methods. This approach increases opportunities for documenting truths, authentic participation in evaluation processes, and multicultural validity (Bowman et al., 2015).

An example of a culturally appropriate evaluation is the second-year evaluation of He Oranga Poutama, a Māori health initiative. The evaluation focused on changes in Māori community behaviours and attitudes towards sports and recreation as a result of a larger effort called Omangia Te Oma Roa (Run the Long Journey/Participate for Life). The evaluation used a Kaupapa Māori (Māori approach) framework, with several key principles, including Tino Rangatiratanga (Self-Determination), Taonga Tuku Iho (Cultural Aspiration), Ako (Culturally Preferred Pedagogy), Kia Piki Ake I Ngā Raruraru o te Kāinga (Socio-Economic Mediation), Whānau (Extended Family Structure), and Kaupapa (Collective Philosophy). By using methods grounded in culture, the evaluation encouraged participation in evaluation processes, promoted community ownership and empowerment, and provided meaningful findings.

Learn more:

• Kaupapa Māori Evaluation - Case Example

Promoting consideration of environmental impacts

The world is dealing with many environmental problems, like climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, ocean warming and acidification, and deforestation. Evaluators help governments understand if efforts to address environmental impacts are working. They can also push for environmental impacts to be considered on evaluations of programs, policies, and strategies that are not directly linked to environmental concerns.
The Footprint Evaluation Initiative did an evaluation of the environmental impacts of a national strategy in Uganda aimed at growing the private sector, developing the economy, and creating jobs. The evaluation found that the actions taken as part of this strategy could lead to both good and bad environmental outcomes, depending on the situation. It recommended directly addressing environmental risks, ensuring compliance with policies for sustainable development, and prioritizing climate resilience.

Learn more:

• Footprint evaluation case study: Evaluation of environmental sustainability aspects of a national strategy
• Footprint Evaluation

Perspective from an emerging evaluator:

"My work supports understanding the environmental sustainability of initiatives by producing rigorous evaluations that provide valuable insights for decision-making. Drawing from my background in research, I have been able to leverage my data analysis skills and understanding of research methods to produce evidence that is not only robust but also useful for guiding policy and practice. Conducting fieldwork has enriched my analytical findings with on-the-ground perspectives, adding depth and nuance to the evaluations.

If you're committed to sustainability, evaluation offers a way to channel your passion into concrete actions that drive progress. It's a field that not only values your dedication but also empowers you to make a tangible difference."