EvalSDGs is thrilled to announce the SDGs Spotlights initiative’s launch, “Empowering National Evaluation for SDGs: from Evaluation Capacities toward National Evaluation Capabilities.” This pioneering initiative seeks to redefine the landscape of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) evaluations by shifting the focus from traditional evaluation capacities—such as training, manuals, and policy development—to a broader emphasis on enhancing national evaluation capabilities. We aim to foster a sustainable, country-led evaluation system central to modern public management and instrumental in informing progress towards achieving the SDGs.
Introduction to EVALSDGs
As part of EvalPartners’ pioneering efforts, EVALSDGs is committed to:
- Promoting environments conducive to integrating SDG evaluations into national and global frameworks.
- Serving as a hub for advocacy, dialogue, and the exchange of knowledge related to SDG evaluation.
- Enhancing the capabilities of Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs) and evaluators to support national SDG evaluation efforts.
- Fostering collaborations to establish a unified front for SDG evaluations.
EVALSDGs Spotlights: A New Direction
This initiative aims to:
- Prioritize the development of evaluation capacities, including the necessary knowledge, skills, and professional standards for effective evaluation practices.
- Integrate these cpacities within governance structures, thereby expanding traditional views of national capabilities.
- Highlight the crucial interdependence between advanced evaluation skills and supportive governance mechanisms for sustainable development and policy effectiveness.
Scope and Vision of the EVALSDGs Spotlights
The SDGs Spotlights are designed to:
- Showcase national transformations in SDG evaluations, focusing on both individual competencies and systemic support structures.
- Provide insights into the synergy between enhanced evaluation skills and robust governance frameworks.
- Encourage collaborative efforts among stakeholders to share expertise, resources, and best practices in building national evaluation capacities and capabilities.
Call for Spotlight Submissions
EvalSDGs would like to invite you, Eval SDG Members, or others to join them (Join the EVALSDGs Network – EVALSDGs (wpcomstaging.com)) and contribute to this transformative approach by submitting your experiences, lessons learned, and insights on building national evaluation capabilities. Your submissions (reach out to Denis for the proposed format, soon to be uploaded on our website) will be crucial in creating a rich knowledge repository and fostering a global community dedicated to advancing SDG evaluations through enhanced capabilities.
Please send your submissions or inquiries to Denis Jobin, EVALSDGs Co-Chair, at djobin@unicef.org.