- Evaluation Plan:
- 2017-2021, Mozambique
- Evaluation Type:
- Final Project
- Planned End Date:
- 08/2021
- Completion Date:
- 09/2021
- Status:
- Completed
- Management Response:
- Yes
- Evaluation Budget(US $):
- 20,000
SUPPORTING ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES OF MOZAMBIQUE TO ENHANCE THE TRANSPARENCY AND CREDIBILITY OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS (SEAM)
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) developed the “Supporting Electoral Authorities of Mozambique to Enhance the Transparency and Credibility of the Electoral Process” (SEAM) Project to support the country with the 2018/2019 electoral cycle. UNDP Mozambique decided to conduct an evaluation of the SEAM project in Spring 2021 as its activities are concluding, with the potential and interest of partners and UNDP in developing a new project to support the 2022/2023 electoral cycle. The purpose of evaluation is to assess the progress made by the project in its four components and to examine the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of the assistance provided. The evaluation has focused on the relevance, sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency of the assistance provided by SEAM to STAE, CNE, the Constitutional Council, Supreme Court and National. The evaluation assesses the impact of the project towards strengthening the capacity of electoral authorities to support credible, transparent electoral processes that are accepted by the electorate.
UNDP has supported electoral processes in Mozambique since the country’s first multiparty elections in 1994. The country still faces challenges in its efforts to ensure credible and transparent elections that are known and understood by the EMBs, UNDP, and other key stakeholders. The electoral cycle in Mozambique in 2013/2014 exemplified some of these challenges. The 2018/2019 electoral cycle was seen as particularly important for the stability of the country, which could either contribute to a lasting peace or alternatively trigger more conflict. When the project was developed in 2017 and 2018, optimism was rising that the political and military crisis in the country between the two main political parties could be resolved.
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Title | SUPPORTING ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES OF MOZAMBIQUE TO ENHANCE THE TRANSPARENCY AND CREDIBILITY OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS (SEAM) | ||||||||
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Atlas Project Number: | 00113673 | ||||||||
Evaluation Plan: | 2017-2021, Mozambique | ||||||||
Evaluation Type: | Final Project | ||||||||
Status: | Completed | ||||||||
Completion Date: | 09/2021 | ||||||||
Planned End Date: | 08/2021 | ||||||||
Management Response: | Yes | ||||||||
Focus Area: |
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Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021) |
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SDG Goal |
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SDG Target |
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Evaluation Budget(US $): | 20,000 | ||||||||
Source of Funding: | UNDP | ||||||||
Evaluation Expenditure(US $): | 20,000 | ||||||||
Joint Programme: | No | ||||||||
Joint Evaluation: | No | ||||||||
Evaluation Team members: |
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GEF Evaluation: | No | ||||||||
Key Stakeholders: | |||||||||
Countries: | MOZAMBIQUE |
Lessons | |
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1. |
2. The legal framework for elections needs to be prioritised for reform. The legal framework has become so complicated as years of election legislation are piled on top of each other. The framework needs a deep cleaning to address contradictions from accumulating amendment upon amendment, which has end up with ”a Frankenstein monster.” 3. UNDP electoral cycle projects need to retain flexible and be adaptive. Project metrics need to not be rigid, and project planning should allow for flexibility in implementation, as was the case with the SEAM project. |
Findings | |
1. | 1. SEAM technical and operational assistance was relevant in addressing the needs and strategic priorities of STAE, CNE and other electoral stakeholders 2. Interventions informed by gender and social inclusion analyses to enhance women, youth, people with disability and marginalized groups’ meaningful participation in the electoral processes as voters and candidates 3. SEAM assistance was relevant in making the election management bodies (CNE and STAE) and the electoral system and processes more inclusive, credible and transparent. 4. Ability to cater the needs of the beneficiaries in the changed context/project flexibility 5. Good Evidence that the project advanced key national human rights, gender or inclusion policies and the priorities of UN & UNDP, including the UNDAF 6. Relevance of geographical coverage in all of the ten provinces of the country 7. Effectiveness in enhancing the institutional and professional capacity of STAE to conduct democratic, an inclusive, credible and transparent elections 8. The objective of developing a new Result Management System was not achieved but SEAM was able to work with STAE prior to the elections and afterwards towards improving the RMS and preparing STAE for a revision of the system in the future. 9. The project has a mixed record on meeting the targets set for its indicators in this component. 10. SEAM supported the development and use of inclusive products for civic and voter education through STAE, and later the use of STAE resources for COVID-19 education with SEAM-produced materials on pandemic awareness. 11. Evidence and extent planned outputs contributed towards achievement of the UNDAF outcome 12. Implementation of the project was challenged by unprecedented challenges Mozambique faced after the country was hit by two major cyclones in early 2019. 13. SEAM project activities were seen as successful and impactful for the 2019 election. 14. project’s focus on increasing credibility, transparency, and inclusiveness produced more credible electoral processes at STAE and CNE and in how the Constitutional Council and Supreme Court managed their electoral responsibilities. STAE was seen as having done better outreach to people towards registration and voting, stronger training for temporary staff, and better administration of VR and the polls themselves. |
Recommendations | |
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1 | UNDP should consider developing a successor, longer- term electoral support project in Mozambique using an electoral cycle approach that can start with assessment and capacity building with EMBs and other electoral stakeholders well in advance of the elections in 2022/2023 |
2 | UNDP should fundraise early in the process of developing an electoral cycle to ensure that funds are available to implement programming as planned well before the elections. |
Key Action Update History
- Management response Electio Project.docx Management response template
- Management response template_revised.docx
UNDP should consider developing a successor, longer- term electoral support project in Mozambique using an electoral cycle approach that can start with assessment and capacity building with EMBs and other electoral stakeholders well in advance of the elections in 2022/2023
Management Response: [Added: 2021/09/19] [Last Updated: 2021/12/02]
Fully accepted - UNDP Mozambique is designing the next project in support to electoral process
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UN Needs Assessment Mission for the electoral Assistance (UN Electoral Assistance Division DPPA)
[Added: 2021/12/02] [Last Updated: 2021/12/12] |
UN Electoral Assistance Division DPPA | 2021/06 | Completed | See evidence enclosed History | |
Formulation of New Electoral Assistance Project
[Added: 2021/12/02] [Last Updated: 2021/12/12] |
UNDP Joint Task Force on Electoral Assistance and UNDP Country Office | 2021/11 | Completed | See enclosed minutes of LPAC History | |
Completion and Endorsement of Project Document
[Added: 2021/12/02] [Last Updated: 2021/12/12] |
UNDP CO | 2021/11 | Completed | See enclosed History |
UNDP should fundraise early in the process of developing an electoral cycle to ensure that funds are available to implement programming as planned well before the elections.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/09/19] [Last Updated: 2021/12/02]
Fully accepted - UNDP is committed to fundraise early in the process
Key Actions:
Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
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UNDP Electoral Support Project initiated a Fundraising Strategy
[Added: 2021/12/02] [Last Updated: 2021/12/12] |
UNDP Electoral Support Project | 2021/09 | Completed | See enclosed evidence History | |
UNDP Electoral Support Project initiated a branding of the new project,
[Added: 2021/12/02] [Last Updated: 2021/12/12] |
UNDP Electoral Support Project | 2021/10 | Completed | See enclosed evidence History | |
UNDP CO and Electoral Support Project initiated conferences and meetings with the development partners
[Added: 2021/12/02] [Last Updated: 2021/12/12] |
UNDP CO and Electoral Support Project | 2021/11 | Completed | Action completed History |