Theme

This strand focuses on fostering discussions around the purpose, challenges, and relevance of evaluations, especially country-led evaluations that assess progress toward the SDGs and contribute to transformative change. The discussions in this strand will explore the multi-dimensionality and intricacy of SDG evaluation, highlighting the importance of adopting a systems approach that recognizes the interdependence of human, economic, and natural systems. Additionally, the discussions will emphasize the international, multistakeholder, and multimethod aspects of these evaluations, along with a focus on the utilization and influence of SDG evaluations.

Main questions to be addressed are:

• What challenges do evaluation and evaluators face in assessing the transformative nature of Agenda 2030?  

• Are current evaluation efforts successfully adopting a multi-dimensional approach that assesses the interconnected, social, economic, political and environmental factors of development and humanitarian interventions?

• Are country-led evaluations of the SDGs proving to be more influential compared to other types of evaluations? Are there practices where the influence of evaluations has led to more equitable and just public policies?  What lessons have been learned?

• Do SDG evaluations have the potential to contribute to the democratization and decolonization of evaluation processes? Are there examples that show progress in these areas?  

This strand focuses on this critical relation in the face of poly-crises impacting our planet.

It challenges evaluation to recognize the need for systemic and transformational change as agreed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Transformational change requires a multi-faceted understanding that acknowledges and navigates power relations, exclusion, decolonization, and interconnectedness. Given the urgency of the climate crisis, acceleration and regeneration processes need to be balanced along with equitable and just transitions. Evaluation rising to these challenges must be forward-looking, moving from a theory of change to a theory of transformation, from project thinking to systems thinking, and from a linear understanding of enablers and barriers to a more multidimensional understanding of relationships and trade-offs. Some questions that may be considered for this strand are:

• How can evaluation approaches address both the risks and resilience that lie at the nexus of climate, crisis and development to recommend pathways to ensure the transformation of systems and practice?

• What is the role of evaluation in analysing what works, why, and under what circumstances to inform policymaking and program design? How adaptable is it? What enablers – resources, knowledge-related, political and people-oriented – are needed for sustainable change?

• How can evaluation criteria, especially those related to sustainability, be assessed to address the interconnected and complex challenges that emerge when we address the nexus?

Evaluation has evolved at a different pace worldwide. The context and culture of each country significantly influence its use. An examination of the various national evaluation ecosystems indicate the importance of the contribution of localization as a propelling or hindering factor in recognizing the usefulness of evaluation. Countries’ political regimes and cultures create an enabling environment for evaluation. The presence of national evaluation associations and networks plays a significant role in fostering the systemic use of evaluation to improve evidence-based decision-making. As we move forth in enhancing the relevance of evaluation and country-led evaluation, there is evidence that this process is shifting evaluation from the supply to the demand side of international collaboration. Some of the questions that this strand will address are:

• What are the key factors that create an enabling environment for evaluation?  How can the hindering factors be addressed?

• What are the lessons drawn from the development of national evaluation associations & networks in fostering a positive receptivity and use of evaluation?

• Is country-led evaluation creating a tipping point for demand driven evaluations?  How does this affect the needs for evaluation capacity strengthening?

• What is the role of global and regional evaluation associations in supporting the development of national evaluation networks?

This strand explores the multifaceted and dynamic relationship that is critical to address gender inequalities and support transformative shifts. We know that meaningful change is possible only if we are able to contribute to broader societal shifts in terms of gender equality and human rights. Addressing either gender or human rights or equity is unlikely to support structural and systemic changes that are vital for transformative processes. This strand focuses on how evaluation may address all three or a combination of these to assess a more holistic impact of interventions - policy or program. It recognizes that attempting to cover all three dimensions may require balancing depth and breadth of evaluations, the use of innovative approaches and expanding the scope of the evaluation. This strand addresses the following questions:

• What norms and assumptions about gender, equity and rights do we need to address in order to ensure continuous learning and adaptation? 

• How are human rights and gender dimensions, including equity, infused into evaluation designs and approaches?  What are the roadblocks for integrating these dimensions in evaluations?

• How are strategies tailored to address these dimensions across diverse contexts? What lessons have been learned?

The intended outcomes of developing capacity for evaluation are the high quality of services, trust in the profession and the practitioners, and subsequent use and impact of evaluations on better-informed decision-making. According to EvalPartners, capacity for evaluation requires three main considerations: an enabling environment, an institutional framework enhancing evaluation, and individual competencies to conduct quality evaluation. The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) supports the professionalization of evaluation, saying it includes Guiding principles, Ethics and standards, Evaluation capabilities and competencies, Recognition of knowledge, skills and experience, Dissemination of knowledge and good practices, Access to Education and Training and Institutional structures for professionalization. Evaluation paradigms emerge from the contexts and cultures they are situated in. 

The Global North has provided leadership towards the theory and practice of evaluation, whereas much of the development interventions are situated in the Global South. As evaluation becomes global and has demonstrated how it can influence and be used, it is now challenged to address cultural sensitivity, equity, and relevance. Evaluators globally must think critically, learn from diverse contexts and create evaluation frameworks that truly serve the well-being of all communities. The Global South faces distinct development challenges, such as rapid urbanization, climate change, and social inequality. New evaluation paradigms must be developed to adequately capture these challenges, fostering innovation and adaptation, and creating more inclusive and contextually relevant evaluation methods better aligned with the realities of diverse people in various contexts. A new evaluation agenda has been set for 2030. It provides opportunities to grow the evaluation practice and, with it, the profession. 

This strand addresses the following questions:

• What are the challenges of professionalization in different contexts? What lessons have been learned?

• Is there a common body of knowledge on international evaluation emerging worldwide? Are we moving forward toward global evaluation principles, norms & standards?  

• What progress has been made toward offering evaluation capacity opportunities at the global level?  What are the good practices and roadblocks?

• What are the emerging evaluation competencies addressing multidimensional crises that impact people and the planet?

The EMDCs are transitioning from less developed to modern, industrial economies with higher standards of living. This strand focuses on how evaluation can support sustainable development in these contexts, particularly in the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). These countries are shifting from agricultural and resource-based economies toward industrial and manufacturing activities, which require robust infrastructure development. Governments in these regions implement strategic initiatives, including export-led growth and import-substituting industrialization, to enhance their industrial capacities and engage more with the global economy.

To support these transitions in the global south, significant investments are made in domestic programs such as education systems, physical infrastructure, and legal reforms to secure investors' rights and create a favourable environment for sustainable economic growth. Evaluation plays a critical role in assessing the effectiveness and impact of these infrastructure projects and strategies, ensuring they contribute to sustainable and inclusive development. By examining how evaluation can enhance these efforts, this strand aims to provide insights into best practices and innovative approaches for sustainable infrastructure development in the BRICS and other EMDCs.

This strand addresses the following questions:

• How can evaluation approaches be tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities in BRICS and other EMDCs in the global south? 

• In what ways can evaluation be used to improve transparency, accountability, and governance in large-scale development projects in EMDCs? 

• How can evaluation frameworks be adapted to capture the diverse socio-economic and cultural contexts of BRICS and other EMDCs? 

• What role can evaluation play in fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the BRICS and other EMDCs?

• In what ways can evaluation drive the low-carbon transition and foster investments in renewable energy to meet the goals of the Paris Declaration and Development Goals?

By focusing on these questions, the strand will explore the critical role of evaluation in supporting sustainable infrastructure development strategies of the BRICS and other EMDCs.