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.

#PopulationEval

The Inter-Agency Humanitarian Evaluation (IAHE) is an independent assessment of the preparedness and response of Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) members to the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2022. It is the first-ever evaluation of the IASC's humanitarian response to infectious disease events. It is also the largest IAHE of a humanitarian response to a pandemic. 

The evaluation assesses the humanitarian system’s response to COVID-19, identifies best practices and lessons learned, and highlights challenges and opportunities to improve responses to global crises in the future.

The evaluation team conducted 640 interviews; 169 focus group discussions and reviewed over 3,500 documents. Eight case studies were conducted in Bangladesh, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Syria, and Türkiye.

The IAHE highlights the humanitarian community’s strong response in expanding and adapting its programming to meet the needs of a large affected population during the pandemic. However, the worldwide restrictions on international aid highlighted the need for long-awaited reforms in locally-led humanitarian action and accountability to affected people. Progress in these areas could have improved the COVID-19 humanitarian response to vulnerable people; expanded delivery capacities; prevented the risks of sexual exploitation and abuse and built trust with affected communities. The main challenge to advancing these areas is a lack of leadership, incentives, and commitments from major players to change the current aid architecture. 

The IAHE recommends the IASC accelerate humanitarian reforms and improve pandemic preparedness. The global humanitarian community should also prioritize a people-centred, locally-led response that places affected individuals at the forefront of response efforts. 

The evaluation was undertaken by the IASC-associated Inter-Agency Evaluation Humanitarian Steering Group, chaired by OCHA. UNFPA Evaluation Office was part of the management group, including ALNAP, DRC (on behalf of the ICVA), IOM, SCHR, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP and WHO. The Global Evaluation Advisory Group included Action Aid, Asia Pacific Network of Refugees, AUB, FCDO, German Federal Foreign Office, Ground Truth Solutions, GMI, McGill University, UN, USAID, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Chad, and the World Bank.

The evaluation provides an assessment of the relevance and performance of the UNFPA country programme in the Republic of Moldova from 2018 to 2021. The evaluation also assesses the Country Office’s ability to respond to national priority needs, while adding value to the national development results including in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The evidence and recommendations emerging from the evaluation will inform the design of the next country programming cycle.

The evaluation assesses the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of UNFPA support to Sierra Leone. It also assesses the geographic and demographic coverage of UNFPA humanitarian assistance, and the role played by UNFPA in enhancing the United Nations collective contribution to national development and humanitarian results in Sierra Leone. The evaluation also provides forward-looking and actionable recommendations to support the development of the eighth UNFPA Country Programme in Sierra Leone. 

The reform of the United Nations development system (UNDS) is changing the way United Nations agencies collaborate and operate at all levels to deliver the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the years, UNFPA has remained fully committed to the reform agenda and its operationalization. In this context, the formative evaluation of the UNFPA engagement in the reform of the UNDS assesses the contribution and adaptation of UNFPA to the reform, and analyses the effects of the reform on the ability of UNFPA to deliver better to the people it serves.

The evaluation finds that UNFPA support for repositioning the UNDS has been outstanding, and  UNFPA has capitalized on the reform to deliver its mandate. However, the engagement with the reform comes with risks and costs that need to be reduced and managed.

Quick facts

The evaluation recommends UNFPA provide stronger strategic direction for its engagement with the UNDS reform, in a way that better institutionalizes the reform at all levels of the organization. UNFPA should also ensure broader ownership and better integration of the reform in humanitarian work and contexts.

The evaluation assesses the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and coordination of UNFPA support to Ukraine from 2018 to 2022. The evaluation aims to enhance the accountability of UNFPA and its country office regarding the relevance and implementation of its country programme, and provide a broadened evidence base for the design of the next programming cycle.