gLocal Evaluation Week 2020

4 June 2020

Les Systèmes Nationaux d’Evaluation des pays de l’UEMOA : Que sait le programme WACIE ?

L'équipe WACIE de 3ie a présenté les caractéristiques du Système National d'Evaluation de chacun des pays membres de l'Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) en utilisant les données de l'étude exploratoire menée dans chaque pays, et en considérant les données fournies par les points focaux du WACIE dans chaque pays. La communication présentait les systèmes nationaux d'évaluation en définissant six domaines: (i) l'ancrage institutionnel, (ii) le soutien à la fonction d'évaluation, (iii) les principaux types d'évaluation, (iv) la disponibilité des ressources, (v) l'utilisation des résultats de l'évaluation et (vi) forces, faiblesses, défis et actions prioritaires. Les perspectives du programme WACIE comprennent la contribution à la convergence des systèmes nationaux d'évaluation pour les pays de l'UEMOA et l'institutionnalisation de la culture de l'évaluation et l'utilisation des résultats de l'évaluation à travers a) l'élaboration d'une directive sous-régionale d'évaluation; b) créer un fonds régional d'évaluation; et c) la mise en place d'un «Helpdesk» pour aider et soutenir les pays dans l'utilisation des preuves; et d) des activités de renforcement des capacités à différents niveaux des systèmes nationaux d'évaluation de l'UEMOA. La dynamique de construction des systèmes nationaux d'évaluation dans les pays de l'UEMOA montre des disparités entre les pays. Cependant, les pays ont de nombreux défis en commun, notamment la stabilité institutionnelle de la fonction, l'allocation des ressources pour l'évaluation, l'utilisation des résultats de l'évaluation, la pratique de l'analyse d'impact, etc.

National evaluation system of WAEMU countries: what has WACIE learned?

3ie’s WACIE team presented the characteristics of the National Evaluation System of each of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) member countries using data from the exploratory study conducted in each country, and by considering the data provided by the focal points of the WACIE programme in each country. The communication presented the National Evaluation Systems by defining six areas: (i) institutional anchoring, (ii) support for the evaluation function, (iii) the main types of evaluation, (iv) the availability of resources, (v) the use of evaluation results and (vi) priority strengths, weaknesses, challenges and actions. The prospects of the WACIE programme include contributing to the convergence of national evaluation systems for WAEMU countries and the institutionalization of the evaluation culture and use of evaluation results through a) the development of a sub-regional assessment directive; b) setting up a regional fund for evaluation; and c) the establishment of a ‘Helpdesk’ to support and support countries in the use of evidence; and d) capacity-building activities at various levels of WAEMU's national assessment systems. The dynamics of the construction of national evaluation systems in WAEMU countries show some disparities between countries. However, countries have many challenges in common, including the institutional stability of the function, the allocation of resources for evaluation, the use of evaluation results, the practice of impact assessment, etc.

Speaker: Deo-Gracias Houndolo, regional coordinator, WACIE, 3ie

Gestion de processus évaluatif : défis et enjeux pour une efficacité de l'action publique

Speaker: Abdoulaye Gounou, head, Bureau of Public Policy Evaluation, Benin

Ce webinaire a été organisé par le Bureau de l'évaluation des politiques publiques et de l'analyse de l'action gouvernementale en collaboration avec le programme WACIE. La présentation s'est concentrée sur le mécanisme de gestion du processus d'évaluation pour induire une efficacité de l'action publique. Dans la première partie, il a abordé les principes fondamentaux de la mise en place d'un système national d'évaluation et les progrès réalisés par le gouvernement du Bénin en la matière. La présentation a également fourni des pistes de discussion sur les mesures nécessaires pour permettre au système national d'évaluation de jouer son rôle dans la stimulation de la culture évaluative.

Conférencier : Abdoulaye Gounou, chef, Bureau de l'évaluation des politiques publiques, Bénin

Managing evaluation process: challenges and issues for effective public action

This webinar was organized by the Office of Public Policy Assessment and Analysis of Government Action in collaboration with the WACIE program. The presentation focused on the management mechanism of the evaluation process to induce an efficiency of public action. In the first part, it addressed the fundamentals for the establishment of a national evaluation system and the progress made by the Government of Benin in this matter. The presentation also provided avenues for discussion on the measures necessary to allow the national evaluation system to play its role in stimulating evaluative culture.

Launching 3ie's Development Evidence Portal:  What is the state of evidence?

Speaker: Mark Engelbert, evaluation specialist, 3ie

3ie's new continually-updated and curated portal of high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of development interventions (https://developmentevidence.3ieimpact.org/) hopes to change how researchers, decision makers and practitioners invest their time and access existing evidence.

This webinar includes an overview of the portal’s key features and functionalities, along with a practical demonstration of how the portal can deliver targeted information to support decision making. The new evidence portal is an upgrade of 3ie’s existing impact evaluation and systematic review repositories, with improved search and filtering capabilities, and new features including user accounts, citation downloads and an improved data extraction protocol, extending the information available on the portal.

The 3ie evidence portal includes over 3,700 impact evaluations and systematic reviews, with content updated through 2017, making it the largest portal of its kind for international development evidence. For researchers, decision makers and practitioners it provides a gold mine of easily accessible and freely available evidence on what works.

5 June

Innovating with big data to evaluate SDGs better

Chair: Marie Gaarder, Executive Director, 3ie

Speaker: Francis Rathinam, senior evaluation specialist, 3ie
Discussants: Linus Bengtsson, Executive Director of Flowminder; and
Sriganesh Lokanathan, lead, Data Innovation & Policy, UN Global Pulse, Jakarta

Significant data gaps remain in measuring the progress on SDGs, and in evaluating the programmes and/or policies that help achieve SDGs at the country level. The data available for sectors like agriculture and food security, climate change and infrastructure are particularly scarce. Additionally, epidemics, conflicts, natural disasters and inaccessibility are other major obstacles to measuring the progress of SDGs is in some countries. Big data has the potential for answering some of the data needs, and more importantly answering the causal questions around which policies or interventions work, including in contexts where traditional methods of data collection are challenging.

The panel discussed data challenges and the role of big data in tackling such challenges. Sriganesh talked about how big data is still in its embryonic stage, and its role in impact evaluations.Population data like characteristics of people, distribution, mobility and dynamics can be radically improved using new data sources. The most efficient approach, according to Linus Bengsston, is to combine traditional and new data. Francis shed light on the use of role of big data in impact evaluations and how it can be used for more than just measuring the key outcomes. He spoke about the role of such data in order to control a number of covariates right from the beginning like baseline characteristics and provide data for multiple time periods. Based on the results of the latest 3ie Evidence Gap Map, he spoke about how climate change, economic growth and development use big data the most in terms of Impact Evaluations.