Bellagio-Report-Vs-Apr-14

AFREA through other development stakeholder’ssupport is expected to play a critical role instrengthening of individual and institutionalcapacities for these Associations where they exist,reviving dormant ones and establishing new oneswhere they do not. Accordingly, AFREA’sregional representatives is to work towardaccomplishing this. Currently the EvalPartnersinitiative by UNICEF/IOCE in partnership withAFREA is one such initiative aimed atstrengthening capacities for national evaluationprofessional associations.Further, AfrEA assists national associations foreffective institutionalization of evaluation withstate institutions (government, parliament, Courtof Auditors, Economic and Social Council etc) invarious forms, and develops programs to supportemerging national association formalization(EvalMentors program providing organizationalstrengthening to nascent professionalassociations)Mentoring in evaluation. The initiative aims atproviding opportunities for young and juniorprofessionals to gain practical evaluation skillsand experience in the continent. It aims atsupporting development that is anchored inevidence, learning, and mutual accountability tobridge the gap between the supply and demandfor evaluation in the continent. Current efforts onthis by AFREA include an EvalMentors initiative,launched by AfrEA in partnership with theCanadian Evaluation Society (CES) and theQuebec Society for Evaluation of Programs(SQEP) to provide support and mentoring toemerging African national evaluationassociation, as well as emerging publishers, andprofessionals through peer to peer support.Strengthening of AFREA’s institutionalcapacities. Since 2009 formal and independentelections have been held by AFREA as part of theefforts aimed at strengthening its institutionalcapacities. A strategic plan to guide AFREAoperations has been developed and a draftconstitution is under consultative development.An institutional needs assessment and report wasconducted to guide its institutional strengthening.As a follow-up on this, plans for an institutionalcapacity strengthening project are underway withfunding support pledged by the Gates foundationConferences: Biannual conferences have beenorganized since 1999 as part of efforts ofstrengthening evaluation capacities in thecontinent through peer learning and experiencesharing as well as networking. To date AfrEA hasorgaznied 7 internationla conferences in CapteTown, Kenya, Niamey,Policy Advocacy and lobbying for Evaluation:Evaluation champions at regional and global highpolicy level (governments, AU , the African peerreview Mechanism,and the Aid Effectivenessnetwork group, G7, Climate Change fora).Additionally, through a multi-stakeholderapproach support its national associations toorganize round table discussions and policydialogue with national government technocratsand other policy makers (parliament; cabinetMembers of parliament) to champion Evaluation.This may also include the preparation andpresentation of M&E positional papers on topicalissues including the national budget and foodsecurityMedia and citizenship engagements: Throughnational associations seek collaborations with themedia to create awareness on M&E among thecitizenry including its role in developmentefficiency and effectiveness. In particular the useof social media in development engagement hasbecome a necessary tool especially whenengaging with the youth.CONCLUSIONAll these will build-up on existing efforts by otherdevelopment partners aimed at Strengtheningnational Evaluation capacities in the Continent. Itwill also raise AFREA’s visibility and contributetowards efforts of creating national M&E cultureacross the continent, including itsinstitutionalization.African Thought Leaders Forum on Evaluation and Development, Bellagio, Nov 2012 42