Session 1 –What have we learnt from Voluntary National Reviews?
Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) are an important mechanism that allows governments to appraise progress towards SDGs. The additional sharing of “lessons learned” between governments has potential to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda more broadly. A recent review of 43 VNRs has highlighted that while the use of existing monitoring systems to provide quantitative data on progress towards SDG goals is strong, evaluation using qualitative methodologies to measure progress is largely missing. This session will explore how the UN, governments, parliaments, VOPEs and evaluators can maximise the potential of this important evaluative tool to both generate learning and promote government accountability around Agenda 2030.
Mr. Oscar Garcia, Director – Independent Evaluation Office, IFAD
Mr. Stefano D’Errico, IIED and EVALSDGs
Dr. Soma De Silva, former EvalPartners Co-chair and former IOCE President
Moderator:
Dr. Florence Etta, EVALSDGs and AGDEN
Session 2
Panel 4 –The role of Parliamentarians in holding the government to account in Agenda 2030
While the value of evaluations as a source of evidence for national decision making is broadly accepted, this session will explore the specific role for parliamentarians in supporting the development of National Evaluation Policy (NEP) and representing citizens’ interests in demanding greater access to evaluation evidence. In particular, the session will attempt to outline how parliamentarians can use their oversight role to ensure that government makes greater use of evaluations to report on progress towards an achievement of SDGs.
Panel Chair:
Mr. Brook Boyer, Head of Planning, Performance and Results Section, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Panellists:
Mr. Abdoulaye Gounou, Conseiller Technique à la Promotion du SecteurPrivé chez Gouvernement du Bénin
Ms. Ada Ocampo, Senior Evaluation Specialist, UNICEF Evaluation Office
Dr. Dorothy Lucks, Co-chair, EVALSDGs
Hon. Natalia Nikitenko, Member of Parliament, Kyrgyz Republic
Panel 5 – Evaluation for the Executive and the Legislature.
Evaluation has an important role to play in generating evidence for decision-making within both the executive (for improving performance) and the legislature (holding the executive to account), however, the incentives to share and use evaluation evidence differ significantly between the two. This session will explore how pressures from the side of the executive and legislature differ and influence evaluation and will seek to identify some of the factors that can support a win-win arrangement for both.
Panel chair:
Dr. Walter Kolkma, Director Independent Evaluation Thematic and Country Division, Asian Development Bank
Panellists:
Ms. Evelyn Mpagi, Former Member of Parliament, Uganda, APNODE Board Member,
Mr. Naresh Kumar Chapagain, Joint Secretary Investigation and Evaluation Division, National Planning Commission, Nepal
Mr. V. Sivgnanasothy, Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, Government of Sri Lanka
Hon. Mayantha Dissanayake, Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka
Panel 6 EvalPartners’ role in supporting National Evaluation Systems
The session showcased the support that is available to those working to develop National Evaluation Systems from EvalPartners. Founded in 2012, the network uses partnership and technology to foster knowledge sharing and networking amongst M&E practitioners worldwide.
Panel Chair:
Ms. Adeline Sibanda, President – IOCE
Overview of EvalPartners by Mr. Ziad Moussa, EvalPartners Co-chair
Panellists:
A representative from EvalGender+ – Mr. Alexis Salvador Loye
A representative from EvalSDGs – Mr. Kassem el Saddik
A representative from EvalYouth – Mr. Khalil Bitar
A representative from EvalIndigenous – Mr. Serge Eric Yakeu
A representative from GPFE – Ms. Loubna Amhair, Former Member of Parliament, Morocco
Session 3 Country commitments for making parliaments responsible for evaluation and VNRs and Plenary presentations on country commitments
As the conference progresses, it is important that delegates reflect on the “call to action” in support of its overall objective – Responsible Parliaments: Embracing Evaluation for Agenda 2030. In this session, delegates within regional groups will be supported to make voluntary commitments to action plans that can advance the development evaluation agenda over the coming 5 years.
Lead Facilitator Ms. Natalia Kosheleva, Organizing Committee member
As the conference drew to its conclusion, delegates had an opportunity to share their commitments to build momentum for action detailing;
- The nature of initiatives they will strive to undertake,
- The key stakeholders who will be involved,
- Key milestones for delivering on committed actions,
- Presentation of the declaration as the final version for signing
Facilitators Mr. Brook Boyer and Mr.Kieron Crawley
