UN Women Evaluation Policy
Gender equality and human rights responsive evaluation requires an assessment of the extent to which a programme being evaluated has been guided by organizational and system-wide objectives on gender equality and human rights by:
- considering the structures that contribute to inequalities experienced by women, especially those women who also belong to groups subject to discrimination
- challenging these structures by building the capacities of women to claim their rights and duty bearers to fulfill their obligations and
- contributing to progress or results related to the realization of women’s empowerment, gender equality and women’s human rights.
Gender equality and human rights responsive evaluation also requires the integration of gender equality and human rights based approach in evaluation processes, approaches, methods and use.” UNIFEM 2009
Evaluation is defined by the United Nations Evaluation Group’s Norms and Standards as “an assessment, as systematic and impartial as possible, of an activity, project or programme.”
Gender equality and human rights responsive evaluation has two essential elements – it is about what the evaluation examines and how it is undertaken.
It is NOT an approach just for programmes that have an explicit focus on GE and/or HR. Rather, GE/HR responsive evaluation, by definition, provides a holistic and meaningful assessment of any and all programming. The UN WomenEvaluation Policy provides further information and direction.
GE/HR evaluation explicitly recognizes gender and power relations (and the structural and other causes that give rise to inequities, discrimination, and unfair power relations). It assesses the degree to which both gender and power relationships change as a result of an intervention, and does so in a way that is respectful of the rights and responsibilities of all stakeholders. Evaluation that is GE and HR sensitive acknowledges women’s rights and equality and determines the claims of other rights-holders and obligations of duty-bearers.
The process of GE/HR evaluation is:
- Inclusive: takes into account all affected groups, stakeholders and rights bearers, and is sensitive to differences among them. It disaggregates groups by relevant criteria (women/men, class, age, ethnicity, religion, etc.) and pays attention to which groups benefit and which groups contribute to the intervention under review.
- Participatory and reflective: engages stakeholders of the intervention and the evaluation in meaningful ways, ensuring they a say about what will be evaluated and how the evaluation will be done. It also assesses whether the stakeholders have been able to participate in the design, implementation and monitoring of the intervention under review and it reports and reflects upon their engagement in the intervention and in the evaluation itself.
- Respectful: treats all stakeholders, particularly those who are marginalised and impoverished, with respect for their culture, language, gender, location, and abilities, and develops appropriate ways to engage and be accountable to them.
- Transparent and accountable: the design and conduct of the evaluation is transparent and responsive to questions about all aspects of the process; the results are publicly accessible (in languages and other formats that stakeholders can access); and feedback is provided to stakeholders about the process, results and use of the evaluation.
- Conducted using mixed methods: the evaluation uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather and analyze data disaggregated by sex and other relevant categories to determine the effects of the intervention.
Evaluation
“… focuses on expected and achieved accomplishments, examining the results chain, processes, contextual factors and causality, in order to understand achievements or the lack thereof.
It aims at determining the relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the interventions and contributions of the organizations of the UN system.
An evaluation should provide evidence-based information that is credible, reliable and useful, enabling the timely incorporation of findings, recommendations and lessons into the decision-making processes of the organization of the UN system and its members.” UNEG 2005
WHY do it?
We do GE/HR responsive evaluation in order to:
- Learn about how a programme is functioning, what is working well, what is not, and what this means for the programme and for other development efforts.
- Promote social change by using the knowledge produced from an evaluation for better development programming which promotes GE and HR in a sustainable manner. In addition, the process of engaging citizens in the evaluation can help individuals and groups develop the capabilities and confidence to participate in broader processes of social change and equip them with the knowledge to challenge existing development strategies.
- Foster empowerment through the participation of individuals and groups in the creation of knowledge about the intervention and other aspects of the evaluation process and in the communication of its results. GE/HR evaluation can also develop social cohesion and collaboration through the relationships and communication among participants, programme managers, evaluators, and other stakeholders.
- Improve decision-making about programme design, implementation, and resource allocation by providing knowledge on participants’ and stakeholders’ needs, programme functioning, and programme effects.
- Enhance accountability by providing information to stakeholders, participants, and donors about programme processes and about intended and unintended effects on GE and HR as a result of the intervention.
Tip: While evaluation has been around since the 1950’s, integrating GE and HR is relatively new and is evolving in both the evaluation literature and in practice. This Guide is intended to advance its practice.
