What does it mean to future-proof national evaluation systems, and what does it entail? Join Patrizia Cocca, Communications and Knowledge Management Lead at GEI, as she reflects on this question with Jos Vaessen, evaluation expert and former GEI adviser. In this conversation, they break down the essential components of effective and sustainable evaluation systems, drilling down on the importance of strengthening evaluation capacities, creating global spaces for knowledge exchange, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

The last decade has brought an important shift toward better integration of the gender lens into development interventions, policies, and evaluations. However, challenges, such as the lack of availability and underutilization of gender data, an absence of robust policies, and political complexities, persist during implementation. Join host Dugan Fraser, Program Manager of the Global Evaluation Initiative, and Elena Bardasi, Senior Economist at the World Bank Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), as they discuss the progress, challenges, and way forward on integrating gender into development, evaluation practice, and national monitoring and evaluation systems. This podcast was recorded live in late 2023, as part of events commemorating IEG’s 50th Anniversary.

As the world grapples with pressing environmental challenges, the importance of integrating environmental considerations into evaluation practices and national evaluation systems has never been more crucial, presenting challenges and opportunities for evaluators and policymakers alike. Join host Dugan Fraser, Program Manager of the Global Evaluation Initiative (GEI), and Geeta Batra, Director of the Independent Evaluation Office of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-IEO), as they discuss a way forward on mainstreaming environmental indicators in evaluations and national evaluation systems. This podcast was recorded live as part of events to commemorate the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group’s (IEG) 50th Anniversary in late 2023.

Join host Dugan Fraser as he chats with Estelle Raimondo, Head of Evaluation Methods at the World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group, about the current state of evaluation. In her thought-provoking keynote address to the 14th European Evaluation Society conference in Copenhagen in June 2022, Estelle Raimondo and her colleague, Peter Dahler-Larsen, proposed that the institutionalization of evaluation has resulted in it becoming a performative practice. Raimondo proposes several approaches for improving the value - and reviving the promise - of evaluation.

How can we transform monitoring and evaluation (M&E) into a more adaptive, emergent process to address uncertainty and complexity in today's world? How do we move from compliance and accountability to learning – to support better, more timely decisions? Join GEI Program Manager, Dugan Fraser, as he discusses these questions and others with Special Guest, Søren Haldrup, from the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Strategic Innovation Unit where he manages UNDP's innovation facility and leads a new initiative called the M&E Sandbox.

What makes monitoring and evaluation systems effective? What approaches should we use to support the building of M&E systems that provide short-term and long-term value? Listen to Dugan Fraser, Program Manager, GEI, and Patricia J. Rogers, Independent Consultant and Founder/former-CEO of BetterEvaluation as they discuss M&E system development, using examples from their decades of experience in the evaluation field.

What is the role of evidence and data in helping us address gender inequities? How can monitoring and evaluation (M&E) efforts help women and girls around the world? Join us for a special episode of “Powered by Evidence” for International Women’s Day. Get ready for a deep dive on topics around data, M&E and gender.

• [02:50] Why is bridging the gender data gap important?
• [09:52] What is women's empowerment and when should we measure this concept when conducting evaluations?
• [17:20] What are some of the challenges in measuring women's and girls’ empowerment and other gender dimensions, and what can we, as evaluators, do to mitigate these challenges?
• [37:02] What kind of capacity development support for evaluators is needed to ensure that these gender dimensions are included in evaluation more broadly?
• [46:33] Examples where successfully integrating gender dimensions into evaluations or research created a change in a policy or program.

Welcome to Powered by Evidence, a podcast by the Global Evaluation Initiative.