The global evaluation community increasingly recognizes the value of inclusive, gender-transformative approaches in monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Yet, young and emerging evaluators (YEEs) from developing countries often face barriers to accessing funding, mentorship, and platforms to share their ideas.
To help address these gaps and promote feminist evaluation principles, the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) and EvalGender+, in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, launched the Feminist Innovation in Monitoring and Evaluation (FIME) Small Awards Program in January 2025.
The program directly supports GEI’s mission to strengthen national M&E systems through inclusive and innovative approaches. It also aligns with Canada’s feminist international assistance policy, which prioritizes tackling the root causes of poverty through gender equality.
From a competitive pool of 283 applicants, six awardees were selected to receive grants of US$5,000 each. In addition to funding, recipients joined a learning community led by GEI and EvalGender+, where they participate in monthly knowledge exchanges and receive mentorship from international experts.
Awardees were required to be 35 years old or younger, hold a master’s degree or higher, and be nationals of developing countries. The winning projects demonstrate creativity and commitment to advancing feminist principles in evaluation—ranging from the development of toolkits and training programs to applied research and participatory approaches.
The selected projects reflect a diverse range of feminist evaluation innovations, including toolkits, training materials, and policy-focused research. The awardees are:
|
Name |
Nationality |
Project Title |
|
Algozhoeva, Aidai |
Kyrgyzstan |
Feminist and Decolonial Evaluation Practices Toolkit |
|
Zambrano Chipantasig, Lisette Tamara |
Ecuador |
Measuring Change: Tools to Evaluate and Strengthen Gender Policies from a Feminist Perspective |
|
Ramesh, Mahesh Krishnan |
India |
Enhancing Evaluator Capacities: Addressing Technical and Gender-Responsive Training in Asia-Pacific |
|
Nnko, Neema Boniface |
Tanzania |
Empowering Maasai Women Through Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation: Feminist Insights from Ngorongoro to Handeni Relocation |
|
Sengupta, Rai |
India |
From Insights to Action: Advancing Feminist Evaluation Innovations in Crisis Contexts |
|
Ishrat, Taieba Hosne |
Bangladesh |
Developing Gender Social Return on Investment (G-SROI) |
Over a six-month period, awardees will implement their projects and share findings with the global evaluation community. Their work will contribute to embedding feminist principles within national M&E systems and inspiring the next generation of evaluators to lead with equity and inclusion.
Watch what our YEEs have to say as they begin their journey and contribute to gender-transformative evaluation.
Learn more about what feminist approaches to evaluation mean—and why they are vital to advancing gender equality and social justice.
