INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PERSPECTIVES ON IMPACT EVALUATION APPROACHES

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PERSPECTIVES ON IMPACT EVALUATION: APPROACHES TO ASSESSING DEVELOPMENT EFFECTIVENESS 31 March-02 April 2009, Semiramis/Shepheard Hotels, Cairo, Egypt Theme 5, WS 19. 3: Evaluation Capacity Development in the MENA Region Roundtable on The Road to Capacity Building for Impact Evaluation: A Showcase from the MENA Region 02 April 2009, 14: 00 -15: 30, Osiris Hall, Mezzanine Floor, Semiramis Hotel How M&E is 'Perceived' and 'Applied' in MENA? by Doha Abdelhamid, IDEAS/GOE/AUC

Table of Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Introduction Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region M&E Network Architecture ECD Target Groups No Harm in Putting Oneself En Route! What Do We Do? ECD Success Factors What Can Donors Do? Conclusion 2

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. People-Centered Individual Freedoms Human capacities Choice Human Rights Social, economic, political and civil rights 3

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l Arab Region Devt *Economic Growth *Wealth Accumulation 4

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l Major Junctures in Arab Reforms *Greater Middle East Project *9/11 *Arab Reform Forum: Alexandria Declaration 5

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l BA Arab Tracking Report 2008 *Perception Survey *Surveyed 494 Arab Intellegencia *Reforms Achieved = 52% *Major reforms in oil-rich countries 6

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l AHDRs and MDGRs Deficits in: *HD *Democratic Governance, Accountability & transparency *DM&E 7

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l 2005 Paris Declaration *Worldwide: 116 countries ratified; 26 donors & 14 CSOs *Arab Countries: 9 countries (41% of total Arab countries); 1 donor & 0 CSOs 8

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l 2005 Paris Declaration (12 indicators) 1) Ownership 2) Alignment 3) Harmonization 4) Managing for Results 5) Mutual Accountability 9

Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region l 2005 Paris Declaration: 2006 Survey Results *34 countries volunteered *2 Arab Countries (Egypt & Yemen) *D-rating (Egypt & Yemen) *African Countries Rating (B & C) 10

M&E Network Architecture Quesnel, 2006. 11

Who Are the ECD Target Groups? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Agencies Practitioners User Influenced Groups Public Opinion 12

Erring Is Not the End of the World! l UNDP Experience l Accountability l Sustained & Governance Taboo M&E Cultures 13

What Do Arabs Have To Do? l Demand l Sensitize Key Stakeholders l Awareness Capitalization l Supply l Incentives l Synergies 14

ECD Catalytic/Success Factors l Identify Champion l Core Group l Insure Commitment l Sector Piloting l Demonstration Effect l Sequencing l No One Size Fits All l Usability/Utility of evaluative knowledge 15

ECD Catalytic/Success Factors l Importance of Diagnostics l Dialogue l Data & Information Accessibility l Behavioral Changes l Measuring Performance l Learning & Innovation l Better Accountability, Governance & Transparency 16

What Do We Want from the Donor Community? l ECD Training & TA l Data Dissemination Legislations l M&E Action Plans l Funding to establish Training Centers of Excellence, Distance Learning or CD Learning Tools l Regional & National Evaluation Networks l Evaluation Arabic Literature 17

What Do We Want from the Donor Community? l Evaluation Critical Mass l Lending Instruments l Fund Pooling for Joint Evaluations l Share Evaluation Collective Knowledge Base 18

What Do We Want from the Donor Community? l Document & Track Regional Evaluation Cases & Disseminate them l Good Practices l Virtual Discussion Groups l Conferences, workshops and Roundtables 19

What is ECD All About? Some Food for thought! 20

How M&E is 'Perceived' and 'Applied' in MENA? Thank You abdelhamiddoha@yahoo. com 21