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Emergency Mine Action Final Evaluation

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Evaluation Plan:
2019-2022, Yemen
Evaluation Type:
Final Project
Planned End Date:
10/2021
Completion Date:
07/2021
Status:
Completed
Management Response:
Yes
Evaluation Budget(US $):
50,000

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Download document ToRS_ Mine Action Yemen Terminal Evaluation Feb 2021.pdf tor English 182.89 KB Posted 724
Download document UNDP Yemen Final Evaluation of Emergency Mine Action Project Yemen Phase Five .pdf report English 27469.68 KB Posted 680
Title Emergency Mine Action Final Evaluation
Atlas Project Number: 00099753
Evaluation Plan: 2019-2022, Yemen
Evaluation Type: Final Project
Status: Completed
Completion Date: 07/2021
Planned End Date: 10/2021
Management Response: Yes
Focus Area:
  • 1. Poverty
  • 2. Others
Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021)
  • 1. Output 3.1.1 Core government functions and inclusive basic services4 restored post-crisis for stabilisation, durable solutions to displacement and return to sustainable development pathways within the framework of national policies and priorities
SDG Goal
  • Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
SDG Target
  • 11.5 By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
Evaluation Budget(US $): 50,000
Source of Funding:
Evaluation Expenditure(US $): 29,000
Joint Programme: No
Joint Evaluation: No
Evaluation Team members:
Name Title Email Nationality
Gérard Chagniot International Evaluator chagniotgerard@hotmail.com
Sadek Al-Nabhani National Evaluator sadekalnabhani@gmail.com YEMEN
GEF Evaluation: No
Key Stakeholders:
Countries: YEMEN
Lessons
1.
  • UNDP long-term engagement and being a positive team player yields results.
  • UNDP successfully recruited mine action advisors/experts and contracted INGOs that were able to develop capacity and mentoring.
  • All stakeholders, including national authorities, YMACC, YEMAC, operators and donors must have a commonly defined vision and goal. Plans, results, and the theory of change (ToC) should be regularly assessed, upgraded, and discussed jointly.
  • National ownership of the mine action project, including a capacity development plan, time framework, clear benchmark, risk assessment and sustainable funding, all clearly defined from the start as well as full commitment.
  • Planning based on results must be transparently and constantly presented to donors. Such actions ensure continuous donor interest and reaffirm their belief in the joint vision and plan.
  • Advocacy efforts are crucial to ensuring that focus is maintained on remaining difficulties and on commitment to international conventions.
  • Actual results achieved with donor funds should be readily available during the implementation of the project.
  • Following success in engaging women in MRE and removal activities, the project needs to engage more women with more trainings and high-level tasks.
  • Huge and unprecedented diversification of pollution necessitated increasing the efficiency and further training of field staff to be able to identify and deal with this pollution, which is continuously changing.
  • Improved productivity will be met by the employment of more efficient methodologies for the disposal of mines/UXO and more efficient land release surveys on which the project is working with its INGO partners.
  • YEMAC needs to finalise the review of its organisational structure to achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency and rise to the new challenges in the country, both technical and geographic.
  • YEMAC needs to further organise the field operations to meet both the emergency requirements and address the longer-term impact of the most recent contamination threats.
  • Utilisation of the Mine Action Capability Maturity Self-Assessment tool (IRG area only) allows a better approach to the capacity strengthening process and defining the axis of intervention.
  • Integration of Mine Action into Rule of Law (RoL) programme counters the threat posed by IEDs and provides valuable assistance to mine action through a novel human rights-based approach driven by community consultations and threat analysis.
Findings
1.

The evaluation considers the results of the implementation of the EMA project as satisfactory: ‘the level of results is acceptable and encouraging, despite security environment constraints’), with very encouraging results for a score of 4.60/ 5. This score is obtained from the average of the scores obtained for the various criteria evaluated:

  1. Relevance 5/5: The project is highly relevant to the priorities and needs of all peoples at individual beneficiaries (including men and women), group, livestock, and national level, while its intervention enables and ensures the movement and access to areas of all programmes and projects implementing life-saving interventions. The relevance is considered high therefore highly satisfactory.
  2. Effectiveness/Outcome (Impact) 4,5/5: Mine action intervention in Yemen enables the building of bridges between immediate humanitarian aid and emergency response in many of the most impacted areas of the country. The project was able to manage the issues much better in the south while not so well in the north due to the on-going conflict and volatile security situation. The effectiveness is valued satisfactory with very encouraging results.
  3. Efficiency 4,5/5: The project was efficient in utilizing the programme’s resources using UNDP efficient rules and regulations. UNDP has established partnerships with different types of actors such as donors, UN agencies, International and national NGOs, and a private company to assist Yemen and they have brought their own relative advantages by implementing training and capacity development interventions. The efficiency is considered overall satisfactory.
  4. Sustainability 4,5/5: By helping to reactivate YEMAC field operations, that were suspended or disrupted by the war and all its consequences, the project contributes to the preservation and the sustainability of the implementation capacity, through the important UNDP procurement of equipment, and of much needed mine and ERW awareness/clearance activities the project contributes to the preservation and sustainability of the implementation capacity, thanks to major purchases of UNDP equipment, awareness-raising/clearance  activities essential to mines and ERWs and secures further action through the participation of INGOs, each bringing their own value added to the sector. The sustainability is appreciated overall satisfactory.
  5. Human Rights 4,5/5: The project promotes a human rights-based approach to mine action whilst creating enough space for communities to report issues of concern within local governance networks, and it has contributed substantially to increased human safety, through the reduction of risk and to improvements in socio-economic recovery conditions. Human rights criteria results are seen as overall satisfactory.
  6. GEWE 4,5/5: Not only has the project succeeded in reaching to women and girls and the most vulnerable are aware of mines and safety measures, but the project has also paved the way for more trainings which has produced some potentially transformative results in encouraging YEMAC Aden to train and deploy an all-women survey team and the first complete bomb disposal squad in the areas under IRG control. Gender equality and women empowerment results are deemed overall satisfactory with promising results.  
Recommendations
1

Capacity development is a key component of mine action development assistance. UNDP should continue to support the national institutions YMACC and YEMAC in developing national capacity to address the long-term humanitarian and development challenges caused by the threat of ERW. This will be realized through the continuation of provision of technical advisors to undertake all aspects of operational management to address the long-term humanitarian and development challenges posed by the presence of ERW, with other United Nations actors and international partners. 
2

UNDP responses should continue to enhance support to national institutions and authorities by building on lessons from the two different areas under IRG/DFA control with different speeds in project progress and achievements. This segmentation should be considered for a sustainable national ownership and utilizing closer engagement with national and international partners.
3

UNDP must multiply efforts into exploring partnerships and fostering cooperation among the UN system actors and agencies such as UNICEF, to leverage comparative advantages as opposed to setting up parallel systems, in the particular domain of mine risk education (MRE), explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) and improvised explosive device education as well as victim assistance (VA) for women and children
4

UNDP Mine Action should reinforce its mechanism for planning, field monitoring and evaluation (M&E), risk management and results achieved or ongoing. This should feed into an updated theory of change (ToC) and their use in results management.
5

UNDP should maintain and reinforce its efforts to strengthen the gender and diversity dimensions - for example persons with disabilities (PWD), the aged, marginalized tribes etc - of its mine action project and further support the structuration and capacities on women’s empowerment.
View Details / Add / Update
1. Recommendation:

Capacity development is a key component of mine action development assistance. UNDP should continue to support the national institutions YMACC and YEMAC in developing national capacity to address the long-term humanitarian and development challenges caused by the threat of ERW. This will be realized through the continuation of provision of technical advisors to undertake all aspects of operational management to address the long-term humanitarian and development challenges posed by the presence of ERW, with other United Nations actors and international partners. 
Management Response: [Added: 2021/11/02]

UNDP recognizes the need to further strengthen the capacity of the national institutions. To this end the new intervention (EMP – Phase II) will focus on this matter as one of its priorities.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Conduct a capacity development assessment analysis to map the current capacity baselines of the YMACC and YEMAC and formulate a joint capacity development strategy
[Added: 2021/11/02] [Last Updated: 2022/02/14] 		Project Team 2022/02 Completed The Project has developed and implemented the ‘Mine Action Capability Maturity Self-Assessment Tool – Yemen’ and the corresponding ‘C-IED Maturity Self-Assessment Tool’. These tools help measure the progress and maturity of the Mine Action and C-IED programmes in Yemen. History
Continue to enhance its support to national institutions via the new interventions
[Added: 2021/11/02] 		Project Team 2023/06 Not Initiated
2. Recommendation:

UNDP responses should continue to enhance support to national institutions and authorities by building on lessons from the two different areas under IRG/DFA control with different speeds in project progress and achievements. This segmentation should be considered for a sustainable national ownership and utilizing closer engagement with national and international partners.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/11/02]

UNDP will support the strengthened links among its interventions as per the recommendation. It will also step up its efforts in the areas of C-IED and training national counterparts’ staff on how to manage new threats, among other maritime contamination

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Focus efforts on YMACC responsibilities regarding policy, through the monitoring and coordination of mine action that bring about change management and foster sustainable long-term challenges
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		Project/Programme team 2023/12 Not Initiated
Enhance the link between Mine action, Peacebuilding and Rule of Law and inclusive sustainable recovery and development.
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team 2023/12 Not Initiated
Pursue dialogue with mine action partners to take necessary corrective and adaptative measures, and to reinforce synergies and coherence of interventions within and between portfolios and to consolidate achievements with a focus on C-IED and even maritime threat interventions
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team 2023/12 Not Initiated
3. Recommendation:

UNDP must multiply efforts into exploring partnerships and fostering cooperation among the UN system actors and agencies such as UNICEF, to leverage comparative advantages as opposed to setting up parallel systems, in the particular domain of mine risk education (MRE), explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) and improvised explosive device education as well as victim assistance (VA) for women and children
Management Response: [Added: 2021/11/02]

UNICEF and UNDP have been the two UN organization that have continuously supported their national counterparts with risk awareness efforts. The cooperation will continue and increase.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Continue to support the development of national mine action frameworks and monitor protection needs using the indicator of number of civilians killed or injured by ERW as planned in the HRP 2021
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team 2023/12 Not Initiated
Reinforce the coordination and learning of YMACC and effectiveness of YEMAC
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team 2023/12 Not Initiated
4. Recommendation:

UNDP Mine Action should reinforce its mechanism for planning, field monitoring and evaluation (M&E), risk management and results achieved or ongoing. This should feed into an updated theory of change (ToC) and their use in results management.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/11/02]

The Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanism will focus on improving the communication on results, further showing local improvement in living conditions and community resilience including GEWE aspects. UNDP will provide additional support to the project through the advisors of its Country Office.

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Reinforce its mechanisms for planning and monitoring and evaluation so that it can provide information based on concrete data and analysis on the outcome and impact
[Added: 2021/11/08] [Last Updated: 2022/02/14] 		project/programme team M&E Analyst 2022/02 Completed the Project has included in its new Phase a revised set of indicators (attached file containing the revised Results Framework) which should improve the monitoring of the achievements in the field. In addition, the project has strengthened its team with an information management specialist with the support of Sweden’s MSB and has re-instated the post of Planning and Monitoring Specialist. These actions will respond to the matter raised during the terminal evaluation of the Project. History
Greater emphasis on communicating the positive changes resulting from Mine action supported interventions will be considered with a dedicated action plan.
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team Comms Unit 2023/12 Not Initiated
5. Recommendation:

UNDP should maintain and reinforce its efforts to strengthen the gender and diversity dimensions - for example persons with disabilities (PWD), the aged, marginalized tribes etc - of its mine action project and further support the structuration and capacities on women’s empowerment.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/11/08]

acknowledged

Key Actions:

Key Action Responsible DueDate Status Comments Documents
Pursue the gender and diversity dimension, continuing to advocate for and facilitate women’s and other marginalized groups’ participation in Mine action and seek to increase the percentage of women in all activities
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team Gender Analyst 2023/12 Not Initiated
Aim at training of trainers for risk awareness sessions are gender balanced and work on introducing female quality assurance/quality control officers.
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team Gender Analyst 2023/12 Not Initiated
Raise the awareness of the targeted communities on gender to enhance their local acceptance of women to work in this field.
[Added: 2021/11/08] 		project/programme team Gender Analyst 2023/12 Not Initiated

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