The Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All (the GAP) combines a focus on the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – which are of central importance at both the global and country levels – with a diverse, multifaceted and multi-level inter-organizational partnership of UN and non-UN actors. The 12 signatory agencies of the GAP include Gavi – The Vaccine Alliance, the Global Financing Facility (GFF), The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, Unitaid, UN Women, the World Bank Group, WFP and WHO. 

The joint evaluability assessment was commissioned in recognition of the complexity of multi-stakeholder partnerships, that it is therefore essential to identify, early on in the partnership, any significant gaps in the pre-conditions for success in the GAP and/or in its systems for measuring, reflecting on and addressing performance. This early assessment would help to improve the chances that the health-related SDG targets are met by 2030, while also indicating what frameworks and measurements would need to be put in place to demonstrate the progress and achievements and learn from the experience along the way. Further, given the health-related SDG targets are currently off track – a risk only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic – underlines the importance of an early assessment. 

With an evaluation of the GAP currently planned for 2023, the joint evaluability assessment applied an evaluative lens to the partnership now, so as to pre-emptively course correct any issues that the 2023 evaluation may raise, when it might be more difficult or even too late to address. In this way, the joint evaluability assessment helps the signatory agencies maximize the likelihood of the partnership’s success in supporting countries to achieve the health-related SDG targets. 

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 Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund (MHTF) is a key contributor to the UNFPA presence and leadership of maternal health at the global level. The MHTF was established in 2008, and this evaluation covers its third phase from 2018 to 2022.

The evaluation assesses the extent to which the MHTF has contributed to strengthening health systems, improving quality of care, and advancing equity, human rights and accountability to stakeholders in 32 high-burden countries. It determines MHTF’s ability to scale up integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with maternal and newborn health (MNH) services. The evaluation also identifies key lessons and challenges of the MHTF that will inform its next phase.

The evaluation finds that, with the MHTF, UNFPA is a partner of choice providing visible and valued support to critical MNH priorities. The MHTF is a technically sophisticated tool for supporting MNH in programme countries, especially in its four priority areas of midwifery, emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) and fistula. Midwifery is the anchor of the MHTF and the cornerstone of the UNFPA MNH response. The MHTF delivers value for money, both globally and for individual countries. However, the MHTF is not clearly positioned within a holistic UNFPA MNH strategic framework. If not addressed, critical gaps highlighted by the evaluation will limit the relevance and the sustainability of the MHTF investments.

The evaluation recommends the MHTF to expand into a new phase focusing on SRHR-MNH integration and support. The MHTF should also be positioned within a comprehensive UNFPA maternal health strategy and action plan. 

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.