1 The future of Evaluation By Evaluators for the Future Ahmed Tammam MD, MPP Regional M&E Adviser Middle East and Eurasia region

2 Introduction What are the challenges faced by emerging evaluators? Case Study from Middle East and Eurasia “MEE” region OUTLINE

Evaluation is a profession, and grooming new leadership of this profession for the future is needed and so the investing in capacities of young evaluators is an emerging priority. Introduction Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is a critical component in the advancement of evidence based interventions consequently enhances efficiency, transparency and accountability.

4 Challenges faced by emerging evaluators

5 Evaluation profession is so wide, so support from experienced evaluators is a key for young evaluators to maintain and advance in such robust profession which has so many specificity

Let us have this Test

How many evaluators do we need to change a light bulb?

Answer: One to do a needs assessment. One to do a feasibility study. One to do a qualitative study to find out what bulb to change. One to empower the bulb to change. One to tender a contract for further study. One to write performance indicators for success. One to do a cost-benefit analysis to determine the best light bulb to buy. One to do a meta-evaluation showing that all previous studies have left everyone in the dark.

9 “Evaluation is a growing career path, but visibility, employment, and networking opportunities can be so limited for us as young evaluators” statement of young evaluator on challenges faced

10 Case study Emerging evaluators: Young talented evaluators in Middle East and Eurasia region are leading donors to only fund successes Save the Children – MEE region

With the expansion of the needs in such region and the limitation of resources, there is an urge for only focusing on what works best for children, consequently a need for evaluators. Introduction Save the Children “SC” is a child rights based organization, working in 12 countries in Middle east and Eurasia with operations that support children in both developmental context as in Egypt and Georgia, as well as in emergency context as in, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

In 2014 the program quality department at the regional office started a process of investing in the talents of the local emerging evaluators, by recruiting an evaluator from a country office to manage the M&E tasks on regional level. One of the mandate of the recruited evaluator was to start the establishment of a cadre of talented young evaluators Introduction

A capacity building processes for emerging young evaluators who are the focal points in their respective country offices was conducted, a process that promoted the intra-learning and provided opportunities for those individuals to gain more knowledge that enhanced their experience as emerging evaluators. This interactive learning program was mentored by senior program quality staff who supported the emerging evaluators to map the real needs in their local countries Process

As a results an interactive mapping exercise of M&E local needs for the 12 country offices was conducted by the emerging evaluators created a THINK TANK Through this process young evaluators gained more on the job experience, two of them were offered to support other country offices, another five were giving the authority to be part of the operationalization process of the Vision and Position Paper “VPP” of Eurasia region Results

Vision and Position Paper “VPP” of Eurasia region (Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kosovo and NW Balkan), was developed, that aims at aligning efforts of such 5 countries to work together on sub-regional programs to maximize benefits for children and to efficiently utilize the limited funding opportunities, consequently pushing donors to fund success. As a results

Strengthening Young evaluators through enhancing the learning, providing opportunities and mentorship is a key, not only to develop the young evaluators future, but for the Future of the Evaluation. Conclusion

Thank You