EvalPartners International Forum on Civil Society’s Evaluation capacities Chiang Mai, Thailand 3-6 December, 2012

Overview

The first-ever International EvalPartners Global Evaluation Forum (GEF) was organized on 3-6 December 2012 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the aim of strengthening evaluation capacities of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in general, and Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs) in particular.

The Forum facilitated the sharing of good practice and lessons learned by VOPEs and others engaged in Evaluation Capacity Development (ECD), while identifying EvalPartners priorities to be implemented in 2013.

The event focused on active and participatory methods (such as market places, working groups, etc.) and the discussion of a limited number of case studies identified through the international mapping of VOPEs. The best case studies was documented and published within the UNICEF et al blue book series.

More than 80 participants from all over the world attended the Forum. These included the Presidents/Chairs of all Regional and Major VOPEs and more than 30+ national VOPEs, as well as high-level representatives from bilateral (including the Government of Finland, Switzerland, USA and Australia) and International Organizations, such the World Bank Vice President and IEG Director General, UNEG Chair, Directors of Evaluation Offices of UNICEF, UNDP and UN Women, among others.

Please click on the report to access the report of the Forum.

Participants signed the EvalPartners Chiang Mai Declaration (Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Russian), committing themselves to EvalPartners objectives and principles.

Main Forum themes

The Forum covered the following themes:

  • VOPEs’ capacities to play meaningful roles in influencing enabling environments for evaluation at national and/or sub-national level; Government and/or non-governmental institutions/organizations; within and across sectors, focusing on:
    • National evaluation policies
    • Country-led M&E systems
    • Demand for and use of evaluations by donors and implementing agencies
  • VOPEs’ institutional capacities
  • VOPEs’ capacities to design and implement strategies to strengthen capacities of evaluators in general, and their own members in particular
  • A cross-cutting theme that focussed on equity-focused and gender-responsive evaluations

To access the presentation delivered at the Forum, please click on the title of each presentation in the agenda below.

Time Session objectives Chair Speaker / Presenters
Session 1: Welcome and Opening
Plenary
8:00 – 9:00 Welcome all participants and contextualize EvalPartners Chair: Jim Rugh, EvalPartners Coordinator Welcome:

  • Peeradet Thong-umpai, Vice President, Thailand Evaluation Network
  • Colin Kirk, Director, UNICEF Evaluation Office

Opening:
Session 2: EvalPartners and National Evaluation Capacity development (video-recorded)
Keynote speaker
9:00 – 9:30 Present EvalPartners expected results and strategies, as well as the role of VOPEs in the framework of National Evaluation Capacity Development Chair: Jim Rugh, EvalPartners Coordinator Marco Segone, Co-chair, EvalPartners; and Co-chair, UNEG Task Force on National Evaluation Capacity Development
Session 3: The role of VOPEs in influencing an enabling environment for evaluation (video-recorded)
Talk show
9:30 – 10:30 Share good practices and lessons learned of VOPEs’ practical cases in influencing National Evaluation Systems, Policies and/or function Chair (interviewer): Nermine Wally, AfrEA President Morocco:

  • Boubker Lafqui Titouani, Directeur de la législation et du Contrôle Parlementaire, Chambre des Représentants
  • Youssef El Mrabet, Conseiller auprès du Chef du Gouvernement
  • Ahmed Bencheikh, President, Moroccan Evaluation Association (AME)

South Africa:

Sri Lanka:

  • VelayuthanSivagnanasothy, Secretary, Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development and Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results.
  • Prof. Nilanthi Bandara, President, Sri Lanka Evaluation Association (SLEvA)
10:30 – 11:00 Break
Session 3 (cont.) The role of VOPEs in influencing an enabling environment for evaluation (video-recorded)
Talk show (continued)
11: 00 – 12: 00 Share good practices and lessons learned of VOPEs’ practical cases in influencing National Evaluation Systems and/or Policies (Continued)
Session 4: The role of CSO in using evaluative evidence to influence public policies
Market place, 1st rotation
12:00 -12:30 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about
VOPEs’ practical cases in influencing National Evaluation Systems and/or Policies		 Chair: Ziad Moussa, EvalMENA

Facilitators

 VOPE case studies
Session 4: The role of CSO in using evaluative evidence to influence public policies
Market place, 2nd rotation
12:30 – 13:00 Marketplace continues, with different VOPEs sharing from their case studies More VOPE case studies
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
Session 5: How to strengthen VOPE’s capacity to influence an enabling environment for evaluation
Working groups: Brainstorming
14:00 – 15:30 Brainstorm on potential innovative initiatives to strengthen VOPE’s capacity to influence an enabling environment for evaluation. Chair: Ada Ocampo, UNICEF Six working groups organized by language/region:

  • French speakers
  • Spanish speakers
  • Russian speakers
  • Others from/interested in Africa
  • Others from/interested in Asia/Pacific
  • Others from/interested in Europe/America/anywhere else
15:30 – 16:00 Break
Session 6: Towards a strategy/work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ capacities to influence an enabling environment for evaluation
Working groups: Prioritizing
16:00 – 17:00 Based on the previous brainstorming session, to prioritize and detail a 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 Work Plan to strengthen VOPEs’ capacities to influence enabling environments for evaluation Chair: Ada Ocampo, UNICEF (Same working groups as in Session 5)
19:00 – 21:00 Welcome ceremony with Traditional Thai performance, and delivering of the 2012 EvalPartners Award to Jean Quesnel

Tuesday 4th December: VOPEs’ institutional capacities

Time Session objectives Chair Speaker / Presenters
Session 7: Synthesis of proposed strategy/work plan to strengthen an enabling environment for evaluation
Plenary
8:00 – 8:30 Present the proposed 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 Work plan to strengthen VOPE’s capacity to influence an enabling environment for evaluation Enabling Environment Working Group
Session 8: Institutional capacities in voluntary organizations (video-recorded)
Keynote speaker
8:30- 9:00 Share theoretical, as well as practical, guidance to inspire VOPEs representatives on how to strengthen institutional capacities in their own VOPEs Chair: Shubh Kumar Range, CoE/South Asia Jean Quesnel, Credentialed Evaluator, Former Director of the Evaluation Offices of CIDA, IADB and UNICEF
Session 9A: Strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Marketplace, 1st rotation
9:00 – 9:30 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities. Chair: Doha Abdelhamid, EvalMENA VOPE case studies:
Session 9B: Strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Marketplace, 2nd rotation
9:30 – 10:00 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities. VOPE case studies:
10:00 – 10:30 Break
Session 9C Strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Marketplace, 3rd rotation
10:30 -11:00 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities.

.

 Chair: Issaka Traore, AfrEA VOPE case studies:
Session 9D: Strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Marketplace, 4th rotation
11:00-11:30 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities. Facilitators: Member of MG in each room VOPE case studies:
Session 10: Strengthening VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Plenary
11.30 – 12.30 Synthesizing good practices and lessons learned Chair: Tessie Catsambas, AEA
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
Session 11: How to strengthen VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Working groups
14:00 – 15:30 Brainstorm on potential innovative initiatives to strengthen VOPE’s Institutional capacities.
Begin with affinity analysis on poster paper.		 Chair: Tessie Catsambas, AEA Working groups divided by sub-theme

  • Leadership
  • Motivating volunteers
  • Structure and Governance
  • Communication
  • Financial management
15:30 – 16:00 Break
Session 12: Towards a strategy/work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ Institutional capacities
Working groups
16:00 – 17:00 Based on the previous brainstorming session, to prioritize and detail a 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ Institutional capacities Chair: Tessie Catsambas, AEA Working groups divided by sub-theme

  • Leadership
  • Motivating volunteers
  • Structure and Governance
  • Communication
  • Financial management

Wednesday, 5th December: Institutionalizing sustainable learning strategies

Time Session objectives Chair Speaker / Presenters
Session 13: Towards a strategy/work plan to strengthen VOPE’s Institutional capacities
Plenary
8:00 – 8:30 Present the 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ institutional capacities. Institutional Capacity Working Group
Session 14: Institutionalizing sustainable learning strategies (video-recorded)
Keynote speakers
8:30- 10:00 Present different options on how to institutionalize sustainable learning strategies Chair: Issaka, AfrEA
Session 15: Strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills (video-recorded)
Plenary
10:00 – 11:00 Share good practices and lessons learned of VOPEs’ practical cases in strengthening VOPEs’ roles to broker academic collaboration to build evaluators’ skills. Chair: Marcia Paterno, ReLAC
11:00 – 11:30 Break
Session 16A: Strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills
Marketplace, 1st rotation
11:30 – 12:00 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills. Chair: Pablo Rodriguez-Bilella, ReLAC VOPE case studies:
Session 16B: Strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills
Marketplace, 2nd rotation
12:00 – 13:30 Share good practices and lessons learned, and facilitate mutual learning, dialogue and networking, about strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills. VOPE case studies:
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
Session 17: How to strengthen VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills
Working groups: brainstorming
14:00 – 15:30 Brainstorm on potential innovative initiatives to strengthen VOPE’s capacity to enhance evaluators’ skills.

Highlights from what we have heard so far, and own experiences and ideas

 Chair: Natalia Kosheleva, IPEN Working groups by sub-topics:

  • academic collaboration
  • scholarships + internships
  • competencies / credentialing
  • workshops organized by VOPEs
  • e-learning
15:30 – 16:00 Break
Session 18: Towards a strategy/work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills
Working groups: prioritizing
16:00 – 17:00 Based on the previous brainstorming session, to prioritize and detail a 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 Work plan to enhance evaluators’ skills Chair: Natalia Kosheleva, IPEN

Facilitators:
5 MG reps

 Working groups by sub-topics:

  • academic collaboration
  • scholarships + internships
  • competencies / credentialing
  • workshops organized by VOPEs
  • e-learning
18-00 – 20:00 Working session with Regional VOPEs

Thursday, 6th December: Equity-focused and gender-responsive evaluations and 2013 workplan

Time Session objectives Chair Speaker / Presenters
Session 19: Towards a strategy/work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ capacities to enhance evaluators’ skills
Plenary
8:00 – 8:30 Present ideas generated yesterday that contribute to the 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ institutional capacities. Chair: Evaluators’ Skills Working Group
Session 20: Equity-focused and gender-responsive evaluation (video-recorded)
Keynote speaker
8:30- 9:00 Present the concept and strategic important of equity-focused and gender-responsive evaluation for equitable development results Chair: Inga Sniukaite, UNWomen Belen Sanz, Head, Evaluation Office, UNWomen; and Chair, UN Evaluation Group (UNEG)
Session 21: Strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to make evaluation work for equitable development results
Market Place
9:00 – 9:30 Share good practices and lessons learned of VOPEs’ practical cases to make evaluation work for equitable development results Chair: Inga Sniukaite, UNWomen Case studies:
Session 22: Towards a strategy/work plan to strengthen VOPEs’ capacities to make evaluation work for equitable development results
Working groups
9:30 – 11:00 Develop a 2013-2015 strategy and a 2013 Work plan to strengthening VOPEs’ capacities to make evaluation work for equitable development results.
What are the standards we need to follow in order to bring a gender equity perspective into every aspect of EvalPartners’ life?		 Chair: Inga Sniukaite, UNWomen Working groups led by MG members :

  • Nermine Wally, AfrEA
  • Natalia Kosheleva, IPEN
  • Tessie Catsambas, AEA
  • Marcia/Pablo, ReLAC
  • Inga Sniukaite, UNWomen
11:00 – 11:30 Break
Session 23: Towards a consolidate strategy/workplan to strengthen VOPE’s capacities
Plenary
11:30 -12:30 Synthesizing priorities that have been presented by the working groups during the past 3 days, present the draft comprehensive 2013-2015 strategy and 2013 work plan Chair: Murray Saunders, EES + IOCE VP Tessie Catsambas, AEA + IOCE Secretary
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
Session 24: Take home messages and follow-up of regional and big country VOPEs from the Forum (video-recorded)
Plenary Roundtable
13:30 – 15:00 Take home messages and follow up of regional and big-country VOPEs from the EvalPartners Forum Chair: Soma de Silva, IOCE President
  • Rodney K. Hopson, President, AEA
  • David Roberts, President, AES
  • Nermine Wally, President, AfrEA
  • Ryokichi Hirono, Chair, Interim Organizing Committee, APEA
  • Martha McGuire, President, CES
  • N Shiv Kumar, Representative of CoE Secretariat
  • Maria Bustelo, President, EES
  • Ziad Moussa, Chair, EvalMENA
  • Natalia Kosheleva, President, IPEN
15:00 – 15:15 Break
Session 25: The role of the international community in supporting National Evaluation Capacity Development and VOPEs (video-recorded)
Plenary Talk show
15:15 – 16:45 Provide feedback by the international community to the proposed EvalPartners’ 2013-2015 strategy and 2013 workplan Chair: Colin Kirk, Director, Evaluation Office, UNICEF
  • Belen Sanz, Chair, UNEG
  • Caroline Heider, Director-General and Senior Vice-President, IEG, World Bank
  • Riitta Oksanen, Chair, OECD/DAC Task Force on national Evaluation Capacity Development
  • Indran Naidoo, Director, UNDP Evaluation Office
  • Martin Sommer, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SCD)
  • Carrie Thompson, USAID
  • Scott Bayley, AusAID
Session 26: Closing
Plenary and signing of EvalPartners’ Declaration
16:45 – 17:30 Highlight main outcomes of the Forum, the way forward and commit to the EvalPartners principles by signing the EvalPartners’ Declaration Chair: Soma de Silva and
Marco Segone, Co-chairs, EvalPartners

Global Evaluation Forum

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