Weaving Stories, Charting a Course: Solomon Islands Moves Forward with Strengthening Their National M&E System
Context- and culturally-specific methods and the local ownership of the process is a foundational part of the Global Evaluation Initiative’s (GEI) systems-based approach to strengthening national M&E systems. GEI’s role is to provide advisory and technical guidance, leveraging the best practices of its respected network of partners and donors. This is the approach GEI took when it began working with Susan Sulu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC) of the Solomon Islands.
Context- and culturally-specific methods and the local ownership of the process is a foundational part of the Global Evaluation Initiative’s (GEI) systems-based approach to strengthening national M&E systems. GEI’s role is to provide advisory and technical guidance, leveraging the best practices of its respected network of partners and donors. This is the approach GEI took when it began working with Susan Sulu, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Planning and Development Coordination (MNPDC) of the Solomon Islands.
You Need Several Arms to Encircle a Baobab Tree: Madagascar Moving Forward on National M&E
Over two years of hard work, negotiation, patience and grit had culminated in this moment of progress. Madagascar government representatives, development partners and international donors sat together, discussing ways to support Madagascar’s plan to build their national monitoring and evaluation system – with each stakeholder offering support on a different element of the “Joint Roadmap.” This was a moment that the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Francophone Africa (CLEAR-FA), an Implementing Partner of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), had brought to fruition by building trust, nurturing relationships and navigating a complex political context.
Over two years of hard work, negotiation, patience and grit had culminated in this moment of progress. Madagascar government representatives, development partners and international donors sat together, discussing ways to support Madagascar’s plan to build their national monitoring and evaluation system – with each stakeholder offering support on a different element of the “Joint Roadmap.” This was a moment that the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Francophone Africa (CLEAR-FA), an Implementing Partner of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), had brought to fruition by building trust, nurturing relationships and navigating a complex political context.
Turning Interest into Passion: How GEI and IPDET Build Individual M&E Capacities
Institutional change must often start with the individual. Since institutions are built by people, for real long-term organizational change to occur, the perceptions in the minds of individuals must also change. Consequently, one of the primary goals of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) is strengthening the capacities of evaluators, policymakers, and other M&E professionals to understand the role of M&E and evidence in decision-making; to gather, analyze, and use evaluative knowledge; to conduct evaluations; and to better manage and use M&E systems. One of the ways that GEI accomplishes this is through supporting GEI Implementing Partner, the International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET), a globally recognized and highly respected program for advanced training in the field of evaluation.
Institutional change must often start with the individual. Since institutions are built by people, for real long-term organizational change to occur, the perceptions in the minds of individuals must also change. Consequently, one of the primary goals of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI) is strengthening the capacities of evaluators, policymakers, and other M&E professionals to understand the role of M&E and evidence in decision-making; to gather, analyze, and use evaluative knowledge; to conduct evaluations; and to better manage and use M&E systems. One of the ways that GEI accomplishes this is through supporting GEI Implementing Partner, the International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET), a globally recognized and highly respected program for advanced training in the field of evaluation.
Finding New Opportunities for Leadership on M&E
When Gustavo Petro’s administration took office in Colombia in August 2022, an important report awaited his policymakers – a summary of all the public policy evaluations conducted by the National Department of Planning (DNP) over the last four years, with clearly worded explanations of findings and recommendations on next steps. This report was the first of its kind in Colombia’s lauded history of efforts around national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and was an important step in Colombia’s latest effort to increase the use of evaluation findings by the public sector and the general public. A team from the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), worked closely with the DNP, Colombia’s agency tasked with national M&E efforts, on this report, producing a document quite different than past reports.
When Gustavo Petro’s administration took office in Colombia in August 2022, an important report awaited his policymakers – a summary of all the public policy evaluations conducted by the National Department of Planning (DNP) over the last four years, with clearly worded explanations of findings and recommendations on next steps. This report was the first of its kind in Colombia’s lauded history of efforts around national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and was an important step in Colombia’s latest effort to increase the use of evaluation findings by the public sector and the general public. A team from the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), worked closely with the DNP, Colombia’s agency tasked with national M&E efforts, on this report, producing a document quite different than past reports.
Powered by Evidence: Mozambique's Journey
Since Mozambique emerged from civil war three decades ago, it has made enormous strides. Mozambique's civil society and international donors have called on the government to improve transparency, good governance, and the impact of policies on its people. Additionally, recent global crises emphasize the need for resilience and the ability to do more with less. The Mozambique government has shown a strong willingness and commitment to respond to these challenges. GEI Implementing Partner, the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Lusophone Africa and Brazil (CLEAR-LAB), in collaboration with UNICEF-Mozambique, are working closely with government partners to support the institutionalization of evaluation and the use of evidence for decision-making and learning in Mozambique.
Since Mozambique emerged from civil war three decades ago, it has made enormous strides. Mozambique's civil society and international donors have called on the government to improve transparency, good governance, and the impact of policies on its people. Additionally, recent global crises emphasize the need for resilience and the ability to do more with less. The Mozambique government has shown a strong willingness and commitment to respond to these challenges. GEI Implementing Partner, the Center for Learning on Evaluation and Results for Lusophone Africa and Brazil (CLEAR-LAB), in collaboration with UNICEF-Mozambique, are working closely with government partners to support the institutionalization of evaluation and the use of evidence for decision-making and learning in Mozambique.