The UN Practitioners Handbook for Peace Consolidation Benchmarking 1 Svein Erik Stave Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies Monitoring and Evaluation of Peace Operations Workshop co-organized by IPI and NUPI New York, 8 May 2009

UN benchmarking practice and some characteristics of existing M&E frameworks UN Practice : –No common understanding or use of terms and concepts –Tendency of measuring ouputs and input (mandate or pilars) related outcomes (- and efficiency, e.g. RBB) –Biased focus on achievments according to mandated/strategic targets –Benchmarks for strategic level oucomes tend to be very ambitious or unrealistic given timeframes of PK operations –Little systematic use of data, metholdogies, and documentation of process Some general characteristics of existing frameworks: –Focused on impact measurements (input related outcomes) –Strive towards establishing universial sets of indicators –Reflect a political buy-in process of indicators and a mixture of basic visions and objectives –Use large sets of variables rather than ”indicators” –Unsolved challenges of aggregation (with respect to assessing peace consolidation or sustainable peace 2

Contents of the UN Practitioners Handbook for Peace Consolidation Basic premises for the handbook: Should focus on context specific elements (inform strategy rather than comparison) Should include perceptional indicators (consensus on importance) Should focus on strategic level outcomes Should not present an ”official” set of benchmarks/indicators Should describe a benchmarking approach to M&E 3 UN Integrated Peace Operation: Mandate, Strategies, Plans, Activities Outputs Input Related Outcomes Inputs Uncontrolled factors Other Actors: Visions, Objectives, Activities Strategic Level Outcomes

Contents of the UN Practitioners Handbook for Peace Consolidation Handbook modules: –I. Definitions of terms and concepts, and handbook structure –II. What to measure: Principles for identification of benchmarks –III. How to measure: Principles for selection of indicators; Overview of data sources; data collection methods; and methods for data analyses and aggregation –IV. Principles for presenting, documenting and reporting results –V. Resouces (existing frameworks, links, etc.) 4

Ten Key Elements for Effective Peace Consolidation Benchmarking 1. Identify sound contextual benchmarks and indicators 2.Engage host country authorities and civil society 3.Keep the focus on the core intentions of the benchmark system 4.Establish direct relationships between benchmarks and indicators 5.Balance the selection of indicators to reveal both positive and negative developments 6.Be realistic when defining benchmarks 7.Prepare for benchmarking early and, ideally, from the outset of an operation 8.Map existing data sources 9.Link-up with and share resources with other monitoring systems 10.Report comprehensively, honestly, and in an unbiased manner 5