- Evaluation Plan:
- 2018-2022, Moldova
- Evaluation Type:
- Outcome
- Planned End Date:
- 02/2021
- Completion Date:
- 02/2021
- Status:
- Completed
- Management Response:
- Yes
- Evaluation Budget(US $):
- 40,000
Effective Governance Outcome Evaluation
| Document | Type | Language | Size | Status | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 TOR EG_Outcome Evaluation.pdf |
tor | English | 313.28 KB | Posted | 1005 |
| UNDP Moldova Governance Outcome Mid-Term Evaluation report.pdf |
report | English | 1049.01 KB | Posted | 1243 |
| Title | Effective Governance Outcome Evaluation | |||||||||
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| Atlas Project Number: | 94503,62264,109897,88088,101965,46278,85117 | |||||||||
| Evaluation Plan: | 2018-2022, Moldova | |||||||||
| Evaluation Type: | Outcome | |||||||||
| Status: | Completed | |||||||||
| Completion Date: | 02/2021 | |||||||||
| Planned End Date: | 02/2021 | |||||||||
| Management Response: | Yes | |||||||||
| Focus Area: |
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| Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021) |
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| SDG Target |
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| Evaluation Budget(US $): | 40,000 | |||||||||
| Source of Funding: | Country Office Budget and projects' budget | |||||||||
| Evaluation Expenditure(US $): | 12,000 | |||||||||
| Joint Programme: | No | |||||||||
| Joint Evaluation: | No | |||||||||
| Evaluation Team members: |
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| GEF Evaluation: | No | |||||||||
| Key Stakeholders: | UN Women; OHCHR; Parliament; National Institute of Justice; Ministry of Interior; General Police Inspectorate; Customs Service; | |||||||||
| Countries: | MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF |
| Lessons | ||||
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| 1. | Relevance
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| 2. | Efficiency
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| 3. | Effectiveness
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| 4. | Sustainability
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| 5. | Partnerships
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| 6. | Post-Pandemic Programme Delivery
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| Findings | ||||
| 1. | Relevance: The EG Programme is well-aligned with the National Development Strategy, the UNDAF and CPD and is focused on the same objectives as those documents. However, the programme lacks some foundational documents, such as a programme document and monitoring plan that would better anchor the work of the programme at the outcome level. There is also a need to consider how all programme indicators can be more specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). |
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| 2. | Efficiency: The programme has a model of delivery that is well appreciated by national beneficiaries, donors and partners. There was value for money in the delivery of technical advice and the procurement of infrastructure for government beneficiaries. Where project employed long-term technical advisers, strong and trusted relationships were established with counterparts that allowed for even more results. One component of a sound programme that could be enhanced is a programme-level monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan to analysis of aggregated data and information is focused on programme-level work planning and allows for adjustments as required in a dynamic sector such a governance in Moldova. |
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| 3. | Effectiveness: The programme is on-track to achieve all results, both at the output and outcome level. This can be attributed to the strong team at the programme and project levels. But the programme may wish to consider how it can be more adaptive and nimbler in how it delivers the programme. Whether it was the constitutional crisis of 2019 or the pandemic in 2020, the governance field in Moldova is ever-changing and the ability to deliver high quality, timely advice and support to the Government will require UNDP to consider how it can adjust its programming on a routine basis. |
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| 4. | Sustainability: There are clear indications that UNDPs work has been implemented with a desire to ensure results are sustainable. In some cases, this has meant changes to sectoral policies or legal frameworks. In other cases, it has been the installation and transfer of maintenance of vital infrastructure. Certain projects have also developed useful assessment tools that have been adopted by national beneficiaries to improve their work. |
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| 5. | Partnerships: The support to small CSOs and partnering with them allows for the transfer of knowledge and skills that will have a lasting impact on their work. It has also resulted in the extension of UNDPs work to smaller and marginalised communities. There were indications that UNDP was using its role as a broker or convene to facilitate closer links between civil society and government ministries and/or agencies. Yet there could be more done to ensure partnerships were utilised at the strategic as well as the technical level of delivery of the programme. |
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| 6. | Post-Pandemic: Having established strong relationships with national beneficiaries, project teams were able to leverage these relationships for rapid adjustment required during the pandemic. The focus on digitalisation was also an important foreshadowing of what was required to allow for certain adjustments, such as online training. Yet looking forward, the programme will need to consider how resilience can be built into national planning, along with the more established goals of accountability, inclusivity and transparency. |
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| Recommendations | ||
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| 1 | Establish a programme document to guide and promote outcome-level interventions. Develop a systems-wide Theory of Change to define the governance interventions that must be implemented for outcome-level results and impact. Establish mechanisms for regular context analysis (political; gender; corruption; risk) as part of a programme-level monitoring system. |
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| 2 | 2.1 Leverage UNDPs strong relationship with the Government of Moldova to promote space for a more robust partnership and relationship between government and civil society. 2.2 Redesign the indicators for the programme that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (i.e. – SMART) |
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| 3 | Develop a more adaptive approach to programming by piloting various modalities and approaches. Promote UNDPs role as an incubator of new approaches to governance |
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| 4 | UNDP’s future work in the field of effective governance should be based on core values, such as resiliency, transparency, accountability and inclusivity, and not thematic areas of work. Support for the Government of Moldova should include a focus on achieving the SDGs through the Moldovan National Development Strategy. |
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| 5 | Leverage UNDP’s strong relationship with the Government of Moldova to promote space for a more robust partnership and relationship between government and civil society. Ensure ownership of project and programme outputs by Government beneficiaries. Plan for sustainability |
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| 6 |
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| 7 | Focus on resiliency, transparency and accountability, business continuity or contingency plans of the Government partners, including through digitalization |
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1. Recommendation:
Establish a programme document to guide and promote outcome-level interventions. Develop a systems-wide Theory of Change to define the governance interventions that must be implemented for outcome-level results and impact. Establish mechanisms for regular context analysis (political; gender; corruption; risk) as part of a programme-level monitoring system.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
To establish the Programme Document, Theory of Change and a mechanism for regular context analysis to define the governance interventions that must be implemented for outcome-level results and impact within the next CPD formulation process.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design a programme document with a more holistic approach and a clear articulation of how various projects interact and impact the overall results within the next CPD formulation process
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/10/31] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2022/12 | Initiated | History | |
| Establish mechanisms for regular context analysis (political; gender; corruption; risk) as part of a programme-level monitoring system
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/01/06] |
Effective Governance Custer | 2022/12 | Initiated | History | |
| Develop a Theory of Change for the Governance Outcome in the next CPD formulation process
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/10/31] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2022/10 | Completed | All pillars under the new 2023-2027 CPD, including the Governance one, have robust Theory of Changes, which are anchored in the UNSDCF framework. History |
2. Recommendation:
2.1 Leverage UNDPs strong relationship with the Government of Moldova to promote space for a more robust partnership and relationship between government and civil society. 2.2 Redesign the indicators for the programme that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (i.e. – SMART)
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
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2.1 The new projects will be designed with a due consideration of the opportunities for the CSOs to engage as part of the governance mechanism and lso as partners and beneficiaries 2.2 SMART indicators to measure the progress on the Governance Outcome will be developed within the next CPD formulation exercise |
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design the programme and projects to create opportunities for the civil society to be part of the project management and an active partner in achieving programme outputs
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/10/04] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2022/09 | Completed | Civil society organizations engaged in project implementation through the responsible party modality within the A2J project and UNPRPD. History | |
| Ensure the indicators for measuring the progress under the Governance Outcome are identified in the next CPD formulation process
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/05/09] |
Effective Governance Cluster, M&E Specialist | 2022/04 | Completed | The CPD pack has been finalized and went through Quality assurance and PAC processes. History |
3. Recommendation:
Develop a more adaptive approach to programming by piloting various modalities and approaches. Promote UNDPs role as an incubator of new approaches to governance
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
To include piloting of innovative approaches to Governance as part of all new interventions and to collect, codify and widely circulate to the partners the lessons learned and knowledge obtained through the pilots thus strengthening trusted and strategic relationships and positioning UNDP as an incubator of new approaches to governance.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensure that innovation and new approaches to governance are embedded into the project concepts and project documents, the pilots’ results analyzed and circulated to partners for scaling up.
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/01/06] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2022/12 | Initiated | History |
4. Recommendation:
UNDP’s future work in the field of effective governance should be based on core values, such as resiliency, transparency, accountability and inclusivity, and not thematic areas of work. Support for the Government of Moldova should include a focus on achieving the SDGs through the Moldovan National Development Strategy.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
The Effective Governance programme will have a strong focus on the core values, support to the Government in achieving SDGs and engaging CSOs as partners and beneficiaries under the next CPD.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provide support to the Government in financing for SDGs area
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/10/04] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2023/06 | Initiated | DFA completed; new areas of interventions on SDGs financing are being identified. History | |
| Ensure the Effective Governance programme under the next CPD is based on the core values are at the heart of UNDP’s work in the field
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/11/01] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2022/10 | Completed | The 2023-2027 CPD has been endorsed by the Executive Board and all pillars under the CPD, including the Effective Governance programme are based on the core values. History | |
| Ensure the Effective Governance programme under the next CPD is based on the core values are at the heart of UNDP’s work in the field
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/10/31] |
Effective Governance Cluster | 2022/10 | Canceled | History |
5. Recommendation:
Leverage UNDP’s strong relationship with the Government of Moldova to promote space for a more robust partnership and relationship between government and civil society. Ensure ownership of project and programme outputs by Government beneficiaries. Plan for sustainability
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
To strengthen the engagement with the Government partners towards enhancing the ownership over the joint interventions and engagement with the civil society, thus increasing the sustainability of investments
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consult the new interventions under the Governance Outcome with the Government and CSOs partners for enhancing the ownership and include and promote participation, inclusiveness, communication and collaboration between the Government and the Civil Society. Build in sustainability plans
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/01/06] |
Effective Governance Cluster, Project managers | 2022/12 | Initiated | History |
6. Recommendation:
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Consider more peer-to-peer knowledge transfer beyond study visits and regional conferences with a greater focus on opportunities for building strong bilateral relationships with counterparts from other countries. |
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
To diversify the methods for capacity development, including short-term fellowships and invitation of peers as short-term experts, as relevant and possible, and reflect this in the AWP and in the new Project Documents
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term Fellowships or internships for staff of beneficiary institutions are wider used as capacity development tools in the projects, while short-term consultants are recruited, as possible, from the professionals that worked in similar roles in neighboring countries
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/05/09] |
Effective Governance Cluster, Project Managers | 2022/12 | Initiated | History |
7. Recommendation:
Focus on resiliency, transparency and accountability, business continuity or contingency plans of the Government partners, including through digitalization
Management Response: [Added: 2021/03/02]
To support the Government in strengthening transparency, accountability and in establishing business continuity or contingency plans, including through digitalization in the on-going and future projects
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen the focus on digitalization as a means for strengthening transparency, accountability and resilience of the government functions in the on-going projects and in project design
[Added: 2021/03/02] [Last Updated: 2022/10/04] |
Effective Governance Cluster Project Managers, Policy Specialist | 2023/06 | Initiated | Support is currently being provided in the design and implementation of the Digital Transformation Strategy 2030 with particular focus on the digitalization of public services, cybersecurity and data ecosystem modernization. History |