Blogs

If diagnostics are important to address the complexity in sports competitions, then they are certainly crucial in public policy – including the development of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems, a key need for any government interested in improving public policy and bettering the lives of its citizens.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) may seem a superfluous worry in times of fragility and conflict. The complexity and urgency of issues that countries with such challenges face are overwhelming. When the focus is on helping get food to the hungry, providing basic services to displaced populations, or restoring peace and dealing with the devastating consequences of war, how important could it ...

As the Global Evaluation Initiative community sets off on its journey, a crucial question to keep track of is: how will we know if we are making a difference?

While we live in a reality where multiple evaluation models are being put into practice - some complementing each other, some being at odds with each other - one should ask the question, what are the core skills and knowledge elements that evaluators and other evaluation stakeholders should be equipped with?

Can you imagine getting a prescription from a doctor without being diagnosed first? You would protest it as guesswork. Even the finest doctors need to review symptoms before suggesting the right approach.

Along with making progress on the technical side, we should develop the capacity to effectively convey messages about evaluation, information, and evidence.

It is vital that gender and inclusion are mainstreamed across national M&E systems. Essentially, robust M&E systems are feedback mechanisms that enable stronger governance and informed decision-making.

We know that evaluation and monitoring should be at the heart of any debate on what works. Robust M&E systems are essential for governments and institutions. Yet, many countries still lack effective M&E systems, making evidence-informed decision-making difficult. M&E isn’t new. After decades of effort, we need to ask: WHY aren’t we nearly there yet?