About UNEG

About UNEG

The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) is an interagency professional network that brings together the evaluation units of the UN system, including UN departments, specialized agencies, funds and programmes, and affiliated organizations. It currently has 50 such members and  observers. UNEG's current operational strategies are outlined in the UNEG Principles of Working Together (PWT) (2022) and UNEG Strategy 2020-2024.

UNEG's Vision

UNEG envision...

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About UNEG

The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) is an interagency professional network that brings together the evaluation units of the UN system, including UN departments, specialized agencies, funds and programmes, and affiliated organizations. It currently has 50 such members and  observers. UNEG's current operational strategies are outlined in the UNEG Principles of Working Together (PWT) (2022) and UNEG Strategy 2020-2024.

UNEG's Vision

UNEG envisions that evaluations, at all levels, produce evidence that is used to: inform relevant, efficient and effective delivery of the Agenda 2030 and other UN commitments and compacts; contribute to good governance and oversight of the UN system; and ultimately impact the lives of the people we serve (UNEG PWT 2022)

UNEG's Mission

UNEG’s mission is to promote, strengthen and advocate for a robust, influential, independent and credible evaluation function throughout the UN system for decision-making, accountability and learning. UNEG aims to:

  • Set the UN evaluation normative framework to reflect emerging or innovative developments as well as good practices in evaluation.
  • Provide a forum for professional engagement, support and exchange globally and locally.
  • Advocate for the strategic use of evaluations in all UN entities and beyond to inform decision-making and enhance results. 
  • Influence evaluation practices in all entities of the UN system.
  • Encourage partnerships for joint evaluation.

UNEG Partnerships

A partnership is a collaborative relationship and/or a strategic alliance between two or more entities which are committed to work towards mutually agreed objectives with a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities based on the comparative strengths of each entity. 
 
Nowadays, the global landscape and demands are changing and there is a larger need for broader participation of United Nations (UN) agencies, multilateral organizations, governments, civil societies, academia, financial institutions and the private sector to engage in monitoring and evaluation, assessing progress towards the SDGs and decision-making in development initiatives, both locally, nationally, regionally and internationally. To this end, partnerships are critical for bringing the relevant actors together in a strategic and coordinated manner and for contributing to the Sustainable Development Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, with the aim of transforming the world into a better place by 2030. 
 
The UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) Partnerships Working Group, consists of a team of dedicated professionals representing various UN entities who acknowledge the importance of partnerships and voluntarily contribute expertise and ideas to facilitate partnership building among different stakeholders. For this purpose, we have developed a Partnerships Strategy, a Partnerships Matrix and other resources. We develop tools and conduct activities, such as events aimed at maintaining and renewing existing UNEG partnerships or at building new ones. 
 
At present, the forms of partnerships which we envisage are in the form of: 

  • Collaborations: organizational partnerships for sharing knowledge and information as well as coordinating efforts. Organizations operate with greater autonomy and with no permanent organizational commitment. There is no shared governance, resources or programmes. 
  • Cost-sharing alliances: partnerships which occur when one partner provides certain resources and the other brings different ones. Both partners have shared benefits and costs.
  • Strategic alliances: partnerships where partners have shared decision-making power and there is joint programming. Partners manage a programme (set of activities) of mutual interest to achieve shared goals and respective organizational missions.

 
The types of partners which we engage with can include:

  • Umbrella organizations
  • Network coalitions
  • Regional or international evaluation associations 
  • Academia (universities)/research institutions/global think tanks
  • Intergovernmental and other international organizations
  • Global or regional training institutions
  • Governments
  • Foundations
  • Private sector.

 

The UNEG Executive Steering Committee (ESC) is composed of the UNEG Chair and Vice-Chairs who are responsible for guiding UNEG's work in line with UNEG Strategy, and monitoring the progress towards expected results. The ESC is supported by the UNEG Secretariat. 

UNEG Chair

Eddie Yee Woo Guo

Director, Inspection and Evaluation Division, Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS-IED), OIOS

UNEG Vice-chairs

Lori Bell

Head of Evaluation, UNHCR

Alan Fox

Deputy Director, UNDP

Anne-claire LUZOT

Director, WFP
and UNEG vice-chair for professionalisation

Deborah McWhinney

Evaluation Advisor, UNFPA

Adan Ruiz Villalba

Head of Evaluation Section, WIPO

UNEG's first Strategy 2014-2019 was published in November 2013. It focused on a results-oriented and outward-looking approach, meant to increase the efficiency and accountability of UNEG. It set out UNEG's four strategic objectives, namely:

  • Evaluation functions and products of UN entities meet the UNEG Norms and Standards for evaluation;
  • UN entities and partners use evaluation in support of accountability and programme learning;
  • Evaluation informs UN system-wide initiatives and emerging demands; and
  • UNEG benefits from and contributes to an enhanced global evaluation profession.

The second UNEG Strategy 2020-2024 outlines UNEG's self-defined role, vision and mission, and Strategic Objectives for 2020-2024. It was prepared by an internal Working Group and underwent extensive consultation with the UNEG membership. The new Strategy reflects the current situation and thinking across the UN development system, in particular with regards to working as one, delivering as one and being held accountable as one but also in the context of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. It also reflects increased interest in evaluation from Member States and senior management. The Strategy also provides a framework for UNEG's work over the next five years, whereby each work plan will focus on three Strategic Objectives:

  • SO1: Develop and safeguard professional norms, standards and guidance;
  • SO2: Enhance professionalization and capacity; and
  • SO3: Influence policy-making and operational work through evaluations.

Partnerships, knowledge management and collaboration on evaluation are considered major enablers of UNEG's work and, as such, contribute to the achievement of all three SOs.

The Strategy is a living document and will be updated on an as needs basis.

UNEG membership is institutional with each UN entity represented by the office responsible for the evaluation function within that entity. Where applicable, this central evaluation office also represents the decentralized evaluation functions or regional offices of the UN entity.

A UN system entity refers to the departments or offices of the Secretariat, UN Funds and Programmes, UN Specialized Agencies, the IAEA and organizations institutionally related to the UN.

Organizations which do not enter in these categories engage within UNEG through partnerships (see UNEG Partnership Strategy 2018).

Ex- officio members do not have voting rights. JIU, in its capacity as a system-wide oversight body with a mandate on system-wide evaluation and oversight over evaluation function is an ex- officio member of UNEG.

Membership is divided in two categories: Full Members and Observers. All UNEG Members must support, promote and play an active role in the implementation of UNEG’s Vision and Strategy.

At the institutional level, the individual who heads the evaluation function represents each UNEG member. This individual is referred to as a UNEG Head and should have professional competence in evaluation. 

To qualify for Full Membership, the evaluation function must: 

  • Have an approved evaluation policy (or another form of equivalent document) that subscribes to the UNEG Norms and Standards and to the UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation; 
  • Commit to represent UNEG in relevant fora; 
  • Contribute financially and/or in-kind to UNEG’s work.

Through their participation in UNEG, full members are entitled to: 

  • Benefit from the support of UNEG and its members in evaluation-related matters; 
  • Vote in UNEG elections and other specific matters; and, 
  • Participate in identifying and prioritizing UNEG’s strategic direction and activities.

At the operational level, all UNEG Members are expected to actively engage in UNEG work. Staff within UNEG member offices, including those from decentralized offices, may engage in UNEG’s work activities through its Working Groups, Task Forces, Organizing Committees, etc. with approval from their respective UNEG Head.

All UNEG Members are entitled to attend, and are strongly encouraged to contribute actively to the Evaluation Practice Exchange (EPE) seminars and Annual General Meetings (AGM) and receive free copies of UNEG publications. UNEG members are also entitled to attend seminars or other events organized by the Working Groups and Task Forces.

A UNEG Observer is a member that agrees with and contributes to UNEG’s mission, but does not yet meet the membership criteria for Full Membership. Observership is a transitional status and observers are expected to comply with full membership criteria within a two-year period. 

Observers may participate in one or more of the various UNEG fora, in UNEG Working Groups and joint work. They ideally support UNEG work through financial support or in-kind support. Observers do not hold voting rights and do not participate in closed business sessions of the AGM.

Access the full list of UNEG Members and observers.

(Last updated Dec 2023)

The UNEG Secretariat facilitates UNEG's work by providing:

  • A platform for communication and discussion among the members, including the UNEG website and communities of practice;
  • A focal point for information, including on its members and activities, and for external communication;
  • Operational support to facilitate UNEG activities, such as publications and meetings;
  • Financial management of UNEG funds;
  • Information on and support during membership application processes; and
  • Technical support to UNEG activities (when resources are made available for such purpose).

The Secrtariat was previously housed by the UNDP Independent Evaluation Office (from 2006 to 2018). Since May 2018, the Secretariat is managed by a part-time, Europe-based consultant. 

Bo Weston

UNEG Secretariat, UNDP