Archive

This discussion paper starts from the premise that monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) as a performance measurement practice also has the potential to be a dynamic tool that can facilitate and support socio-economic transformation. This can only happen, however, if there are two major shifts in the field of MEL – the practice itself, and the systems within which it is practiced. When the practice of MEL is embedded within a hierarchical management structure and positioned in a routinised and default compliance framework then it loses its potential to be a progressive element of government planning and programming. It turns the wheels of government systems but fails to see new possibilities while struggling to deal with complex challenges where conflicting interests and incomplete information make establishing shared facts and understanding difficult.

This brief is based on a discussion paper titled Interrogating Leadership Paradigms using a Public Sector lens: creating horizontal leadership spaces for inclusive and transformative Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning practice. The brief starts from the premise that monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) as a performance measurement practice also has the potential to be a dynamic tool that can facilitate and support socio-economic transformation. This can only happen, however, if there are two major shifts in the field of MEL – the practice itself, and the structures / systems within which it is practiced.

This guideline seeks to help countries who are thinking of establishing a national evaluation system (NES) and suggests the minimum requirements for doing so. At present in Africa there are three countries with established NESs, Benin, Uganda and South Africa. These systems are outlined in Goldman et al., (2018). This guideline draws from the experience of the three countries and more widely, drawing on authors from those countries1.

The guideline covers what an evaluation system is (section 3), why it is important (section 4), when it is relevant (section 5), the components of a NES (section 6), diagnosing the situation prior to establishing a NES (section 7), the approach to establishing a NES (section 8), phases in establishing a NES (section 9), critical success factors (section 10) and the basic conditions needed (section 11).

Dans le but de renforcer les système nationaux de Suivi et d’ valuation (S&E) pour une meilleure gouvernance en Afrique, le programme Twende Mbele a mis l’accent sur le renforcement de la collaboration entre gouvernements et Organisations de la société Civile (OSC) dans ses pays partenaires. En effet les OSC conduisent des  valuations alternatives, participent au développement et la mise en oeuvre de politiques et programmes et disposent de système d’informations g n rant des donnes probantes utiles la prise de decision et la gouvernance.

Au Benin, la Politique Nationale d’evaluation (PNE) a d fini le r le et la place de la societe civile dans le systeme national d’evaluation. La PNE stipule que les organisations de la societe  civile doivente tre impliques dans le d roulement des  valuations et participer leur conduite. Elles doivente tre consultes pendant le processus et contribuer la fiabilite des travaux d’ valuation par leurs connaissances et leur expertise dans les domaines concernes. Elles seront choisies sur la base de leur reprsentativite et de leur importance dans les secteurs concern s et seront appeles intervenir chacune en ce qui la concerne dans la limite du niveau de participation retenu pour la circonstance.

Dans de nombreux pays africains, on peut observer que les OSC jouent un r le crucial dans l’amelioration de la production et de l’utilisation des donnes issues des valuations. De ce fait, un cadre de partage et d’apprentissage entre gouvernements et OSC devrait permettre de renforcer la mise en oeuvre, la durabilite et l’impact des systemes nationaux d’ valuation (SNE), contribuant ainsi la realisation d’un des objectifs principaux de Twende Mbele.

C’est dans ce cadre qu’en collaboration avec CLEAR-AA, le programme Twende Mbele a  labor  le projet de Renforcement de la participation des organisations de la societe civile (OSC) dans les Systemes Nationaux d’valuation. En 2018, les pays partenaires de Twende Mbele ont entrepris un diagnostic du paysage des OSC et ont commence piloter des projets pour renforcer la collaboration.

Cette note represente un resume  des resultats d’une premiere  etude de cadrage sur la collaboration entre les OSC et le gouvernement au Benin, qui d bouchera sur la conception d’un projet pilote visant la fois renforcer les capacités de collaboration et un cadre durable de collaboration dans la SNE.

In order to strengthen national Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems for better governance in Africa, the Twende Mbele program has prioritised strengthening collaboration between governments and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in its partner countries. CSOs can collaborate with governments in the conduct of evaluations, participate in the development and implementation of policies and programs and have information systems that generate evidence that is useful for decision-making and governance.

In Benin, the National Evaluation Policy (NEP) defined the role and place of civil society in the national evaluation system. The NEP stipulates that civil society organisations must be involved in the conduct of evaluations. They must be consulted during the process and contribute to the reliability of the evaluation work through their knowledge and expertise in the fields concerned. They will be chosen on the basis of their representativeness and their importance in the sectors concerned.

In many African countries, we see that CSOs play a crucial role in improving the production and use of evaluation data. Therefore, a framework for sharing and learning between governments and CSOs should make it possible to strengthen the implementation, sustainability and impact of national evaluation systems (NES), thus contributing to the achievement of one of the main objectives of Twende Mbele.

It is within this framework that Twende Mbele and CLEAR AA developed the project Strengthening the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in National Evaluation Systems.  In 2018, Twende Mbele partner countries undertook diagnostics of the CSO landscape and began piloting projects to strengthen collaboration. This brief represents a summary of the results of an initial scoping study on the collaboration between CSOs and the Government in Benin, which will lead to the design of a pilot project aim at both building capacity for collaboration and a sustainable framework for collaboration in the NES.