Evaluations at UNODC are undertaken according
to the Norms
and Standards for Evaluation developed by the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG),
ensuring thereby the main principles of good evaluation practice: 1. independence and impartiality; 2.transparency, participatory
and inclusive; 3. robust methodological approach; 4. utilization focused; and, 5. ethically conducted.
The Independent Evaluation Section at UNODC (IES) coordinates
with other evaluation functions in the UN system through active participation in UNEG, contributing thereby to the continuous
development of the standard and norm-setting network of UNEG.
IES further adheres to the UNEG
Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation, revised in June 2020. The guidelines aim to support UN entity leaders and governing
bodies as well as those organizing and conducting evaluations for the UN to ensure that an ethical lens informs day to day
evaluation practice.
UNEG is an interagency professional network that
brings together the evaluation functions of the UN system, including UN departments, specialized agencies, funds and programmes,
and affiliated organizations. It currently has 50 such members and observers. UNEG's current operational strategies are outlined
in the UNEG Principles of Working Together (PWT) (2019) and UNEG Strategy 2020-2024.
The
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Network on Development
Evaluation (Evalnet) revisited the definitions and use of the OECD DAC evaluation criteria in 2019. The definitions were adapted
for relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability and one new criterion on coherence was added. UNEG is
currently developing a dedicated guidance document.
Following best practices within the UN system, UNODC further volunteered
to undergo an OECD-DAC-UNEG Professional Peer Review in 2016, where UNODC's maturity on terms of evaluation was assessed.
The OECD-DAC Network on Development Evaluation (EvalNet) and UNEG maintain a Joint Task Force to support professional Peer
Reviews (PRs) of the evaluation functions of UN organizations. Final
Peer Review Report; Links: UNEG Framework for Peer Reviews.
