Joint UN evaluations
UNF-WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund (SRF) Joint Evaluation (2021)
The SRF, jointly launched on 13 March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Foundation (UNF) and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation (SPF), was created as an innovative resource mobilization mechanism, grounded on solidarity principles, that needed to respond very quickly to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. It was intended to facilitate direct financial contributions from companies, organizations and individuals to the COVID-19 response efforts of WHO and its partners in alignment with the three pillars of the 2020 WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) for COVID-19. The WHO Evaluation Office and the UNF commissioned, and co-managed, the evaluation. The overarching objective of this formative evaluation, designed to strengthen accountability and learning, was to assess the architecture, functioning and results of the SRF; examining the SRF’s set-up, management, administration and overall functioning in order to assess what has been achieved, how efficiently the SRF has been operating in pursuit of its objectives and to inform the on-going administration of the SRF, and WHO and UNF’s future fundraising efforts, respectively. It documented key achievements, best practices, challenges, gaps and areas for improvement in the set-up and administration of the SRF; assessed key factors responsible for the achievements and gaps; identified key lessons of use by the WHO Foundation (WHOF) and for future similar mechanisms; and, made recommendations for WHO, UNF and partners to consider.
Joint Evaluability Assessment of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (2020)
The Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (SDG GAP) was agreed in 2018 by 12 global organizations that are working to advance the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The GAP is intended as an opportunity to more effectively leverage the 12 agencies’ individual mandates, comparative advantages and capacity to enhance collaboration and thus accelerate progress on the health-related SDG targets at country level. This joint evaluability assessment (JEA) was commissioned and managed by a coalition of the 12 GAP partners’ independent evaluation offices. Taking a broader approach than traditional evaluability assessments, this JEA sought to not only assess the technical dimensions of evaluability (e.g., the existence of a theory of change, key performance indicators, a monitoring plan), but rather more meaningfully assess the strategic dimensions as well – that is, whether the partnership itself has the elements in place to succeed in achieving its objectives. As an early, rapid, light-touch and formative exercise, the JEA’s objective was to help the partners identify and address any key gaps before issues might become harder-to-address problems later on; its ultimate aim was to help strengthen the partnership itself through a process of joint learning and action, and thereby help maximize the likelihood that this crucial partnership will succeed in achieving its ambitious goals. A management response and update to the JEA’s recommendations have been developed and approved by the GAP signatory agencies’ Principals. It presents the action steps the agencies plan to take to address the gaps identified in the JEA.
Evaluation of a WHO Grade 3 Emergency: the Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation of the Response to Cyclone Idai in Mozambique (2019-2020)
This evaluation represented the first inter-agency evaluation (IAHE) of the new scale-up mechanism of the Inter-agency Standing Committee (IASC). This was a joint evaluation commissioned by the IAHE Steering Group of which WHO is a member. The WHO Evaluation Office actively participated in a small Evaluation Management Group together with evaluation counterparts from IOM, OCHA, UNICEF and WFP. The evaluation found that the scale-up enhanced leadership and increased in-country capacities in the early stages of the response to Cyclone Idai, thus facilitating the provision of relevant and timely assistance. The report nonetheless identifies key findings, critical gaps and lessons learned, resulting in 13 recommendations directed to various actors in the humanitarian system in order to improve collective responses in similar contexts. A joint management response is currently being prepared.
FAO/WHO Project and Fund for Enhanced Participation in Codex (Codex Trust Fund) Final Project Evaluation (2015)
A final project evaluation of the FAO/WHO Project and Fund for Enhanced Participation in Codex (Codex Trust Fund) was carried out between June 2014 and February 2015. The purpose of the final project evaluation was to evaluate the functioning and results of the Codex Trust Fund after ten and a half years of its twelve year lifespan. The results of the final project evaluation will be used, along with other sources of information, to inform discussions in FAO/WHO and among Codex Member States on possible future measures that may be necessary to enhance further effective participation of developing and transition economy countries in Codex.
WFP/FAO/UNICEF/WHO/DFATD Canada Joint Evaluation of Renewed Effort Against Child Hunger and Under-nutrition (REACH): A Strategic Evaluation (2015)
This evaluation of the United Nations Renewed Efforts Against Child Hunger and Undernutrition (REACH) was managed by a joint Evaluation Management Group composed of Evaluation Offices of WFP, FAO, WHO, UNICEF and DFATD Canada. Covering 2011 to 2015, the evaluation focused on the role of the REACH secretariat and its work in Bangladesh, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Serving the dual purpose of accountability and learning, it assessed REACH's relevance and appropriateness, performance, the factors explaining results, and sustainability.