The evaluation provides an independent assessment of the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, coordination, coverage and connectedness of the eighth country programme of UNFPA Malawi. The evaluation also provides a set of clear and forward-looking, strategic and actionable recommendations for the next programming phase. 

The evaluation assesses the progress of the UNFPA Adolescents and Youth Strategy (also known as My Body, My Life, My World) and provides evidence, lessons and actionable inputs to further accelerate its implementation. The evaluation centres on adolescents and youth programming from 2015 to 2022, with a particular emphasis on the duration since the roll-out of the Strategy in 2019.

The evaluation marked a significant milestone as it engaged youth as co-managers via an innovative Youth Steering Committee. Young people were also involved in the evaluation as contributors, evaluators and key informants. This experience promoted intergenerational learning and exchange during the evaluation process.

The evaluation finds that the Strategy lays out a holistic vision for multi-sectoral adolescents and youth programming, but it needs to be fully operationalised. UNFPA has contributed to all three dimensions of the strategy, My Body, My Life, My World, including in humanitarian settings. While adolescent and youth programming is human rights-based, a deeper analysis of inequalities can help reach young people furthest behind. UNFPA can further wield an influence over the global adolescents and youth agenda by leveraging its population dynamics work to address demographic trends and population challenges. However, the effectiveness of adolescent and youth work is hindered by inadequate resources and capacities, and the corporate structure and positioning of this area within UNFPA.  

The evaluation recommends a more robust and effective operationalisation of the Strategy and enhancing the three dimensions, My Body, My Life, My World. UNFPA should fully integrate adolescents and youth within the humanitarian response and leverage youth, peace and security and climate resilience. UNFPA should further define its priorities for adolescent and youth work and review the corporate structure and staff capacity for effective implementation of the Strategy.

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Meaningful youth engagement in evaluation: Multiplying the transformative power of evaluation, Lessons from UNFPA experience

The evaluation assesses UNFPA support to population data, dynamics and development, from 2014 to 2022. This is the first evaluation of this theme at UNFPA and includes a specific focus on the demographic dividend, population ageing and low fertility. The evaluation provides evidence and lessons to inform the mid-term review of the UNFPA strategic plan 2022-2025 and the design of evidence-based population policies, programmes and strategies.

The evaluation finds that UNFPA delivers relevant and timely support to population data, dynamics and development work, including a robust focus on population and housing census and strengthening national and subnational data systems. Human rights and gender have been integrated consistently and strongly across population and development work, however, other megatrends such as migration and climate change are less coherent. UNFPA has strategically positioned and mainstreamed demographic dividend at various levels. Although ageing and low fertility are increasingly incorporated into UNFPA work, the organization should explicitly articulate how these issues relate to its organizational priorities. To strongly position UNFPA as a ‘population data’ agency, the current structure and capacity of population and development work need to be enhanced.

The evaluation recommends creating a fit-for-purpose population and development strategy that centers on data, dynamics and development, including demographic dividend, resilience and policy. The strategy should link to UNFPA priorities, especially in relation to emerging demographic shifts as a mega-trend. UNFPA should promote internal capacities and learning on the demographic dividend, resilience and policy, and continue investments in its population data portal. UNFPA should also develop a corporate data strategy and data quality assurance capacity. The organization should also enhance the human and technical capacity of the population and development work.

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Lessons from the meta-synthesis of United Nations evaluations to advance the United Nations Youth Strategy

The interagency meta-synthesis of United Nations evaluations generates insights and lessons on what works and what does not work in United Nations youth programming in the past five years, specifically related to Priority 5 of the United Nations Youth Strategy focusing on peace and resilience building. The report was formally launched on 27 April 2023, at a side event to the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023. 

The lessons were extracted from the analysis of over 120 evaluations from 23 United Nations entities. The lessons emphasise meaningful engagement of youth as leaders, enhancing inclusion by targeting specific populations, utilizing interactive and experiential methodologies, improving intergenerational trust and solidarity and enhancing strategic and well-defined partnerships.

This comprehensive evidence is a valuable contribution towards the implementation of the United Nations Youth Strategy 2030, a system-wide framework for United Nations programming with, for, and alongside youth.

This inter-agency exercise was co-led by the Evaluation Offices of UNFPA and UNICEF along with the Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, EvalYouth, DPPA/PBSO, IOM, UNDP, UNIDO, UNODC, UNOY, and YOUNGO.

This meta-synthesis is the second in a series of exercises capturing lessons learned on the implementation of the United Nations Youth Strategy. The first exercise ‘What works to amplify the rights and voices of youth?’ focused on youth participation and youth and human rights. The third exercise ‘What works to amplify the rights and voices of youth in education and employment?’ released in 2025.

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