Evaluation annual report 2022 and two centralized evaluations presented to the Executive Board

On 8 June 2023, Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director, in her address to the Executive Board Annual Session 2023 highlighted the importance of evaluation in providing insights on UNFPA work on the ground. On behalf of UNFPA, she welcomed the 2022 Annual Report on the evaluation function, and two recent centralized evaluations, the evaluation of UNFPA support to population dynamics and data and the formative evaluation of UNFPA support to adolescents and youth. She commended innovative approaches in evaluation, such as leveraging Artificial Intelligence and enhancing intergenerational partnerships with youth in evaluation.

“Evaluation continues to provide important insight into our activities on the ground – what works, what we need to do better and how…We commend the use of innovative evaluative approaches, including the launch of a feasibility study to leverage Artificial Intelligence.” - Dr Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director

Marco Segone, Director, UNFPA Evaluation Office presented the 2022 Annual Report on the evaluation function and the key results of the two centralized evaluations. The Annual Report on evaluation presents the performance, innovation and areas of growth for the evaluation function in 2022. The report captures UNFPA efforts to contribute to the United Nations development system reform process, as well as efforts to build national evaluation capacities, in partnership with youth and parliamentarians.

The evaluation of UNFPA support to population dynamics and data is the first evaluation on this theme at UNFPA, and includes a specific focus on the demographic dividend, population ageing and low fertility. The evaluation of UNFPA support to adolescents and youth assesses the implementation of the UNFPA Strategy on Adolescents and Youth and provides actionable recommendations to advance the Strategy roll-out. The evaluation engaged youth in multiple roles such as advisors, contributors, evaluators, and key informants. An innovative Youth Steering Committee co-managed the evaluation, alongside senior evaluators.

“Evidence and lessons from evaluations have been instrumental to the design and success of UNFPA country, regional and global response. Management commends the Evaluation Office for its continuous efforts to make the evaluation function fit to deliver adaptive, high-quality and relevant evaluations that help improve development results.” - Diene Keita, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director, Programme

Ms. Diene Keita, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director (Programme), delivered the management commentary on the Annual Report on evaluation, and the two centralized evaluations. She commended the Evaluation Office for making the evaluation function fit to deliver adaptive, high-quality and relevant evaluations, that help improve development results. She reiterated that the management had accepted all recommendations of the two evaluations. The recommendations were highly relevant and catalytic to further the achievement of the UNFPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025, and will contribute to the forthcoming global review of the 30th anniversary of the ICPD and the Summit of the Future in 2024.

In a joint statement, 22 Member States (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Moldova, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Türkiye) welcomed the Annual Report on evaluation and the two centralized evaluations. The Member States commended the Evaluation Office on its excellent performance in 2022, and its continued commitment to the reform agenda and system-wide and joint evaluations, support to United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) and the strong push for youth engagement in evaluation.