This report brings together the findings from a sample of 30 UNFPA Country Programme Evaluation (CPE) reports, conducted and quality-assessed between 2010 and 2013. During this period, there was a wide variety in the quality of the reports: relatively few reports were assessed as 'good quality'. However, a larger number were considered to have positive features and were thought to contain useful evidence that could contribute to organizational learning.

Evidence from the reports was drawn out and distilled according to UNFPA evaluation criteria as well as other areas of particular importance to UNFPA.

It should be noted that the sample of reports was illustrative rather than statistically representative of UNFPA country programmes. Although the lessons learned that are presented in the report are still highly relevant, the period covered by all of the CPEs in the sample reflects performance under the previous UNFPA Strategic Plan: performance should not be inferred for the current UNFPA Strategic Plan.

The Evaluation Offices aims to schedule an evidence synthesis of learning from CPEs every two years.

Bringing together the findings of 26 country programme evaluations conducted between 2014 and 2015 and quality-assessed as “good” or higher, this exercise, the second undertaken by the Evaluation Office, represents a continued effort by the Evaluation Office to periodically undertake syntheses. To facilitate use for programming, lessons learned are organized by UNFPA 2014-2017 Strategic Plan outcome areas, with lessons surfaced in several other areas particularly important for organizational learning and strategic development, as well, such as UNFPA engagement in humanitarian settings and the use of a human rights based approach to programming.

Watch Karen Cadondon and Natalie Raaber, synthesis managers, outline key highlights of the good practices

The synthesis validates effective programmatic approaches and those that limit progress to accelerate UNFPA and partners’ efforts to achieve the organization’s three transformative results: zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence and all harmful practices against women and girls.

The aggregation and validation of good practices involved a systematic review and analysis of evidence captured in 57 UNFPA country programme evaluations, conducted between 2012 and 2018.

With this exercise, the Evaluation Office provides usable and accessible evaluative knowledge for the organization, to better understand what kinds of programmatic interventions work to accelerate results. This rich evidence coincides with the Nairobi Summit as the global community reflects on the next steps to finally and fully implement the ICPD Programme of Action by 2030.

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To enhance coherence among UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women in support of results, a common chapter was embodied in the organizations’ strategic plans, 2018-2021. Through the common chapter, the agencies have defined programme areas that require multi-sectoral approaches and where their combined added value and collaborative operationalization modalities can achieve greater synergy and higher efficiency. The four organizations also committed to continue harmonizing their approaches to results reporting, capturing their contributions to collective outcomes and the Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2019, an evaluability assessment of the common chapter was undertaken, which aimed to provide clarity on the operationalization of the common chapter in the first years of implementation and assess the existence of basic parameters that would make an evaluation of the common chapter possible.

The Republic of Cabo Verde is a lower middle-income country with a stable democracy. It faces some structural economic challenges, mostly due to its location and topography, which were exacerbated by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, the sector the country depends on for income and jobs.

In Cabo Verde, UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF work together as a Joint Office, with the aim of presenting a unified presence and integrated programme delivery. The implementation of this model still faces challenges due to the lack of integrated financial and accountability instruments.

The Common Country Programme rolled out by the Joint Office made some important contributions to the country’s development results. Notable successes are in its support for new education, health and energy policies, provision of cash assistance and COVID-19 vaccines, and the promotion of gender equality.

Moving forward, as the three agencies continue their support to Cabo Verde, the next Common Country Programme should fully establish the Joint Office governance model, with all of its checks and balances. In addition, the Joint Office should step up its efforts to assist the Government to identify new sources of financing to support sustainable and equitable recovery post-pandemic.

This Joint Independent Common Country Programme Evaluation was jointly commissioned by the Independent Evaluation Office of UNDP, UNFPA Evaluation Office and the Evaluation Office of UNICEF. The evaluation covers the United Nations Common Country Programme interventions implemented between 2018 to 2022.

The evaluation of the eighth UNFPA Nigeria country programme demonstrates accountability in achieving results, supports evidence-based decision-making; and contributes key lessons to accelerate the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action. It provides an independent assessment of the eighth country programme of UNFPA Nigeria and broadens the evidence base for the design of the ninth programme cycle.

The purpose of the country programme evaluation was to demonstrate accountability to stakeholders on the contribution of the country programme on agreed results; generate evidence and lessons to support evidence-based programming in UNFPA; and provide necessary evidence for the design of the UNFPA 10th country programme in Sri Lanka.

The purpose of the country programme evaluation is to demonstrate accountability to stakeholders for results achieved; support evidence-based decision-making; contribute important lessons learned to the knowledge base at UNFPA; and to provide independent inputs to the next country programme in Tanzania.

The goal of the country programme evaluation was to demonstrate accountability to stakeholders for the results achieved; to support evidence-based decision-making; to contribute important lessons to the organisation's knowledge base; and to provide independent inputs to the next UNFPA country programme cycle in Ghana.