INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PERSPECTIVES ON IMPACT EVALUATION: APPROACHES TO ASSESSING DEVELOPMENT EFFECTIVENESS 31 March-02 April 2009, Semiramis/Shepheard Hotels, Cairo, Egypt Theme 5, WS19.3: Evaluation Capacity Development in the MENA Region Roundtable on The Road to Capacity Building for Impact Evaluation: A Showcase from the MENA Region 02 April 2009, 14:00-15:30, Osiris Hall, Mezzanine Floor, Semiramis Hotel How M&E is 'Perceived' and 'Applied' in MENA? by Doha Abdelhamid, IDEAS/GOE/AUC

2 Table of Contents 1.Introduction 2.Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region 3.M&E Network Architecture 4.ECD Target Groups 5.No Harm in Putting Oneself En Route! 6.What Do We Do? 7.ECD Success Factors 8.What Can Donors Do? 9.Conclusion

3 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region 1.People-Centered 2.Individual Freedoms 3.Human capacities 4.Choice 5.Human Rights 6.Social, economic, political and civil rights

4 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region Arab Region Devt *Economic Growth *Wealth Accumulation

5 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region Major Junctures in Arab Reforms *Greater Middle East Project *9/11 *Arab Reform Forum: Alexandria Declaration

6 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region BA Arab Tracking Report 2008 *Perception Survey *Surveyed 494 Arab Intellegencia *Reforms Achieved = 52% *Major reforms in oil-rich countries

7 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region AHDRs and MDGRs Deficits in: *HD *Democratic Governance, Accountability & transparency *DM&E

8 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region 2005 Paris Declaration *Worldwide: 116 countries ratified; 26 donors & 14 CSOs *Arab Countries: 9 countries (41% of total Arab countries); 1 donor & 0 CSOs

9 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region 2005 Paris Declaration (12 indicators) 1) Ownership 2) Alignment 3) Harmonization 4) Managing for Results 5) Mutual Accountability

10 Devt & Devt Evaluation Gap in Arab region 2005 Paris Declaration: 2006 Survey Results *34 countries volunteered *2 Arab Countries (Egypt & Yemen) *D-rating (Egypt & Yemen) *African Countries Rating (B & C)

11 M&E Network Architecture Quesnel, 2006.

12 Who Are the ECD Target Groups? 1.Agencies 2.Practitioners 3.User 4.Influenced Groups 5.Public Opinion

13 Erring Is Not the End of the World! UNDP Experience Accountability & Governance Taboo Sustained M&E Cultures

14 What Do Arabs Have To Do? Demand Sensitize Key Stakeholders Awareness Capitalization Supply Incentives Synergies

15 ECD Catalytic/Success Factors Identify Champion Core Group Insure Commitment Sector Piloting Demonstration Effect Sequencing No One Size Fits All Usability/Utility of evaluative knowledge

16 ECD Catalytic/Success Factors Importance of Diagnostics Dialogue Data & Information Accessibility Behavioral Changes Measuring Performance Learning & Innovation Better Accountability, Governance & Transparency

17 What Do We Want from the Donor Community? ECD Training & TA Data Dissemination Legislations M&E Action Plans Funding to establish Training Centers of Excellence, Distance Learning or CD Learning Tools Regional & National Evaluation Networks Evaluation Arabic Literature

18 What Do We Want from the Donor Community? Evaluation Critical Mass Lending Instruments Fund Pooling for Joint Evaluations Share Evaluation Collective Knowledge Base

19 What Do We Want from the Donor Community? Document & Track Regional Evaluation Cases & Disseminate them Good Practices Virtual Discussion Groups Conferences, workshops and Roundtables

20 What is ECD All About? Some Food for thought!

21 How M&E is 'Perceived' and 'Applied' in MENA? Thank You