Evaluation Programme 2009-2011

The rolling evaluation programme is based on our Evaluation Department’s evaluation policy document (2006-2010). The evaluation objects were selected according to the Norwegian Government criteria of significance, uniqueness and risk.

The programme runs along several different lines. The Department aims to evaluate the main parts of the development cooperation budget over a period of four to five years. During the 2006-2008 period emphasis was on humanitarian aid, from 2007 to 2009 Norwegian peace efforts were key elements of the programme, and in 2009-2010 an emphasis will be on evaluation of foreign aid to promote human rights.

The Evaluation Department aims to continue with geographically focused evaluations. Such an evaluation will normally cover all aid provided to one country. Our support to the Western Balkans will be evaluated in 2009-2010. For 2010 we plan a country-specific evaluation of our aid to East Timor, to be carried out in collaboration with the World Bank and possibly other donors. An evaluation together with Sweden and possibly others of our efforts in Afghanistan has now been scheduled for 2011.

The Rattsø Commission on aid through civil society organisations pointed out that the results of the work performed by Norwegian NGOs have been insufficiently evaluated. In response to the Commission’s request for more such evaluations, we have so far evaluated NGO work in Guatemala and Northern Uganda. In 2010 we will move on to the project level in order to survey the results of selected representative projects and programmes in East African countries.

We also continue to carry out sector evaluations. Norwegian development cooperation in the private sector is being evaluated in 2009-2010, while the agricultural sector will be looked at in 2011. We have also become more systematic in our evaluation of earmarked contributions through multilateral agencies. In 2009-2010 we will be evaluating aid to promote democratisation through UN agencies, and in 2010-2011 we shall look at education aid through multilateral agencies.

Finally, we would like to point out several evaluations concerning democracy and good governance. A multi-donor evaluation of programmes to strengthen the voice of the citizens and government accountability (Voice & Accountability) was presented in the spring of 2009. A report on the Norwegian Centre for Democracy Support and another on support to legislative assemblies will be presented in the autumn of 2009. The evaluation of Norwegian earmarked contributions to democratisation through the UN will add to knowledge collection in this area.