GEI and UNDP Hold Second National Evaluation Capacities Webinar: NEC+12 - Engaging Youth, Addressing Crisis, and Building Resilience

In a bid to reassess the progress made since the adoption of the Turin Agenda a year ago, the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) and the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) recently organized their second National Evaluation Capacities (NEC) webinar (NEC+12). The event, held on October 31, 2023, explored the themes of youth engagement in national evaluation systems and the challenges associated with evaluating and strengthening these systems in crisis settings. With a focus on building resilience and inclusivity, the conference aimed to advance the Turin Agenda, which emphasized the need for adaptable and forward-looking national evaluation systems.

The webinar kicked off with an introduction by Isabelle Mercier, UNDP Director; Dugan Fraser, GEI Programme Manager; and, Richard Jones, UNDP IEO Evaluation Advisor. They set the stage for discussions on how to move the Turin Agenda forward and address the emerging evaluation challenges.

The first session focused on the inclusion of youth in evaluation systems, a vital aspect of the Turin Agenda. Moderated by Gabriela Rentería Flores, Chair of EvalYouth, the session explored the active engagement of young and emerging evaluators, sharing lessons learned and challenges. Speakers Erdenechimeg Ulziisuren from the Mongolian Evaluation Association and Seirah Ngcobo from the South African Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation shared their insights on youth engagement in evaluation.

The next segment tackled the critical topic of addressing crises and building resilience in evaluation systems. In particular, the discussion revolved around how national evaluation systems can better prepare to evaluate in crisis settings, considering fragility and resilience. Edoe Djimitri Agbodjan, Director of the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR-FA), moderated the discussion, with Methode Mulamira, M&E Officer at World Food Programme, Haiti, and Juliet Parker, Director of ALNAP, presenting their experiences and approaches in crisis settings.

The discussion that followed delved into the integration of youth into national evaluation processes and the readiness of national evaluation systems to respond in unstable or crisis settings.

The event concluded by focusing on the way forward. Isabelle Mercier and Dugan Fraser closed the webinar by considering the necessary steps to further the goals of the Turin Agenda, strengthen national evaluation systems, and preparations for the next NEC webinar (NEC+18) in April 2024 and NEC Conference scheduled for October 2024.

For more information on the event click here.