DEval Supports Participatory Evaluation in Ecuador
Since July 2023, the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) has been supporting the National Planning Secretariat (SNP) in Ecuador in the design and execution of the South American country's first participatory evaluation.
The initiative—carried out through DEval’s Evaluation Capacity Development project Focelac+ (Strengthening a Culture of Evaluation and Learning in Latin America with a Global Outlook)—is assessing the socialization and meeting spaces for older adults living in poverty and extreme poverty, a service provided by the Ministry of Economy and Social Inclusion (MIES) of Ecuador.
The evaluation is being carried out by a multi-stakeholder team composed of officials from SNP, MIES, representatives of the target population, and an expert facilitator. Actors from academia, social organizations, and other public institutions interested in the intervention will also participate in the evaluation.
In July 2024, as part of the participatory approach, workshops were held with all stakeholders to analyze and validate the findings. This approach to evaluation has enabled the inclusion of diverse perspectives and has enriched the process by fostering stakeholder empowerment and continuous learning.
“Implementing participatory evaluation has been one of the greatest challenges for Ecuador," said Joselyn Corrales, Undersecretary of Evaluation at SNP. "It has left such valuable lessons and memories that will remain in my heart."
Further participatory workshops will be held in August to prepare the recommendations from the evaluation, and in October, the final evaluation report will be presented in Quito, the Ecuadorean capital.