Evaluation of Delivering As One
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INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF DELIVERING AS ONE United Nations MAIN REPORT INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF DELIVERING AS ONE United Nations MAIN REPORT CONTENTS Acronyms . v 1 . Introduction . 1 1.1 Report structure and content ..................................... 1 1.2 The origins of Delivering as One ................................... 1 1.3 Mandate and modality of the independent evaluation ............. 3 1.4 Purpose, objective and scope of the independent evaluation ...... 4 1.5 Evaluation criteria used ........................................... 4 1.6 Key evaluation questions .......................................... 5 1.7 Defining the challenges that Delivering as One aimed to address .. 5 1.8 Evaluation methodology: using a theory of change analytical approach at country level ......................................... 8 1.9 Methodology, data collection and analysis ......................... 13 1.10 Stakeholder consultations ........................................ 16 1.11 Limitations ........................................................ 16 2 . Context and configuration of Delivering as One as part of UN processes 17 2.1 Introduction ....................................................... 17 2.2 Delivering as One as part of a larger UN reform process ........... 17 2.3 Configuration of Delivering as One in the pilot countries ........... 21 3 . Key findings from the eight pilots and the wider UN system . 37 3.1 Introduction ....................................................... 37 3.2 Progress towards enhanced national ownership ................... 37 3.3 Progress towards better delivery of support by the UN system to programme countries. 40 3.4 Progress towards reduced transaction costs ...................... 64 4 . Conclusions . 73 4.1 Introduction ....................................................... 73 4.2 Conclusions on the strategies ..................................... 73 4.3 Progress towards the immediate outcomes ....................... 75 4.4. Progress towards the intermediate states ......................... 77 4.5 Progress towards the overall objective of Delivering as One ....... 79 4.6. Conclusions on the performance of Delivering as One against evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability. 79 5 . Recommendations . 81 5.1 Enhancing national ownership and leadership ..................... 81 5.2 UN system to deliver better support to programme countries ..... 81 5.3 Simplification and harmonization of business practices to reduce transaction costs ............................. 82 6 . Lessons Learned . 83 6.1 Lessons from the performance of Delivering as One at country and systemic levels. 83 6.2 Lessons of interest to senior management of the UN system within existing intergovernmental mandates ...... 83 6.3 Lessons to be addressed through intergovernmental decision-making, e.g. the new quadrennial comprehensive policy review resolution ..... 84 7 . Final Remarks . 85 Annexes I. Note on the ad hoc arrangements for the independent evaluation of the Delivering as One pilot initiative endorsed by General Assembly resolution 64/289 II. Evaluation management group, evaluation team and evaluation secretariat III. Framework terms of reference for the independent evaluation IV. List of persons met V. Documents consulted VI. Questionnaire covering issues related to funding and business practices VII. Country information sheets VIII. Governance of resource allocation and programme management in pilot countries IX. Tables with evidence X. Reform of funding and business processes at country level as key elements of Delivering as One INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF iv DELIVERING AS ONE ACRONYMS CCA Common country assessment IOM International Organization for Migration CEB Chief Executives Board IPSAS International Public Sector Accounting CET Core Evaluation Team Standards CLE Country-led evaluation ITC International Trade Centre CPAP Country programme action plan ITU International Telecommunication Union CSO Civil society organization JIU Joint Inspection Unit DaO Delivering as One JP Joint programme DOCO Development Operations Coordination LTA Long-term agreement Office MCDGC Ministry of Community Development, ECA Economic Commission for Africa Gender and Children (Tanzania) ECE Economic Commission for Europe MDG Millennium Development Goal ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America MDG-F Spanish Millennium Development Goal and the Caribbean Development Fund ECOSOC Economic and Social Council MDTF Multi-Donor Trust Fund EFW Expanded Delivering as One Funding NGO Non-governmental organization Window for Achievement of the OCHA Office for the Coordination of Millennium Development Goals Humanitarian Affairs EMG Evaluation Management Group ODA Official development assistance EPTA Expanded Programme of Technical OECD/DAC Organisation for Economic Co-operation Cooperation and Development/Development ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Assistance Committee Asia and the Pacific OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for Human Rights Western Asia OPEC Organization of the Petroleum FAO Food and Agriculture Organization Exporting Countries FTOR Framework terms of reference OSCE Organization for Economic Co-operation HACT Harmonized approach to cash transfers and Security in Europe HLCM High-Level Committee on Management PAHO Pan American Health Organization HLCP High-Level Committee on Programmes PMORALG Prime Minister’s Office: Regional HLP High Level Panel Administration and Local Government HR Human resources (Tanzania) IADG Internationally agreed development PUN Participating UN agency (Tanzania) goals QAP Quality Assurance Panel IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency QCPR Quadrennial comprehensive policy IASB International Accounting Standards review on operational activities for Board development IASC Inter-Agency Standing Committee RC Resident coordinator ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization SWC (United Nations) System-Wide ICT Information and communication Coherence technology TCPR Triennial comprehensive policy ICTR International Criminal Tribunal for review on operational activities for Rwanda development IDP Internally displaced person UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on IFAD International Fund for Agricultural HIV/AIDS Development UNCDF United Nations Capital Development IFRS International Financial Reporting Fund Standards UNCT United Nations country team ILO International Labour Organization UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade IMF International Monetary Fund and Development IMO International Maritime Organization MAIN REPORT v UNDAF United Nations Development Assistance UNIC United Nations information centres Framework UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNDAP United Nations Development Assistance UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Plan Organization UN-DESA United Nations Department for UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Economic and Social Affairs Women UNDG United Nations Development Group UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and UNDP United Nations Development Crime Programme UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency UNDSS United Nations Department of Safety UNV United Nations Volunteers and Security UN Women United Nations Entity for Gender UNEG United Nations Evaluation Group Equality and the Empowerment of UNEP United Nations Environment Women Programme UPU Universal Postal Union UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific USAID United States Agency for International and Cultural Organization Development UNFPA United Nations Population Fund WFP World Food Programme UN-Habitat United Nations Human Settlement WHO World Health Organization Programme WIPO World Intellectual Property UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Organization Refugees WMO World Meteorological Organization INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF vi DELIVERING AS ONE 1 . INTRODUCTION 1 1. Report structure and content 1. This report summarizes the work of the independent evaluation of lessons learned from the Delivering as One (DaO) pilot countries. Chapter 1 introduces the initiative and describes this evaluation, including its methodology. Chapter 2 presents the context of Delivering as One and the way it has been implemented across the eight pilot countries and in the wider UN system. Chapter 3 discusses the key findings of the evaluation.1 It aims to give an empirical account of the eight pilots. Chapter 4 presents the evaluation’s conclusions,2 Chapter 5 the recommendations and Chapter 6 the lessons learned from the pilots.3 Some final remarks are included as Chapter 7. 2. Chapters 1 to 4 reflect the work of the team of consultants tasked with the evaluation, which was over- seen by the Evaluation Management Group.4 Chapters 5 to 7 (recommendations, lessons learned and final remarks) were crafted by the Evaluation Management Group on the basis of the evidence and analysis presented by the evaluation team. 1 .2 The origins of Delivering as One 3. The Delivering as One approach emerged from a process of intergovernmental decision-making on the UN system’s operational activities. Triennial comprehensive policy review resolutions adopted in 2001, 2004 and 20075 called for a strengthening of the UN development system. Delivering as One initiatives can be considered attempts to respond to these provisions on a pilot basis. 4. The 2005 World Summit Outcome document6 suggested approaches to make the UN development sys- tem more coherent, effective and relevant. UN Member States recommended implementation of opera- tional reforms