Addressing the lack of evaluation capacity in post-conflict Somalia

This study explores institutional evaluation in Somalia’s NGO sector, detailing how dominance by international organisations and insufficient local professional involvement significantly limit evaluation capacity and impact the effectiveness of development practices.

This doctoral dissertation by Noor (2018) examines institutional evaluation in Somali non-governmental social programs, highlighting the dominance of international evaluators from Nairobi, Kenya, and the limited involvement of Somali professionals. The author argues that this reliance has hindered local evaluation capacity development. The study identifies factors such as inadequate government policies, lack of professional development opportunities, and the outsourcing of evaluations. Using qualitative interviews with eight evaluators and two program managers from local NGOs and public institutions, the research explores their understanding and the broader framework for developing evaluation capacity.

Key content

Key takeaways from the resource include:

Chapter 1: Introduction and problem statement

This chapter establishes the context for the study, focusing on the severe lack of evaluation capacity in non-governmental social programs in Somalia. It highlights the dominance of international organizations in the evaluation process, often excluding local professionals, which limits the development of local evaluation skills and capacity. The problem statement emphasizes the need to build local evaluation capacity to improve development practices in Somalia.

Chapter 2: Literature review

The literature review examines two key bodies of literature: evaluation capacity building (ECB) and developmental evaluation (DE). It discusses the challenges and opportunities for building evaluation capacity in post-conflict environments like Somalia. Key themes include the importance of individual learning, organizational support, and leadership in developing evaluation capacity. The chapter also explores how ECB and DE frameworks can be applied to improve evaluation practices in fragile contexts.

Chapter 3: Methods

This chapter outlines the qualitative research design used in the study, which includes ethnographic, semi-structured interviews. A purposeful sample of eight evaluators and two program managers from local NGOs and public institutions participated in the study. The chapter details the data collection and analysis process, emphasizing the importance of capturing participants' perspectives on evaluation practices and capacity in Somalia.

Chapter 4: Findings

The findings reveal significant gaps in evaluation capacity within Somalia. Key points include:

• Dominance of international evaluators: International organizations conduct most evaluations, often with brief visits, limiting local involvement and capacity building.
• Lack of professional development: There are few opportunities for local evaluators to develop their skills, and existing educational institutions do not offer relevant courses.
• Organizational support and resources: Many local NGOs lack the infrastructure and resources needed to support ongoing evaluation activities.
• Gender imbalance: The evaluation field shows a significant gender imbalance, with minimal participation from female evaluators.
• Opportunities for improvement: As security improves, there are opportunities to develop evaluation capacity through better organizational support, professional development, and involvement of local evaluators.

Chapter 5: Interpretation and discussion

This chapter interprets the findings, discussing their implications for building evaluation capacity in Somalia. It emphasizes the importance of involving local professionals in evaluation processes to ensure sustainability and effectiveness. Key strategies for enhancing evaluation capacity include:

• Professional development: Providing opportunities for local evaluators to enhance their skills through training and education.
• Organizational support: Strengthening organizational infrastructure to support evaluation activities.
• Inclusive practices: Encouraging gender inclusivity and broader stakeholder involvement in the evaluation process.
• Government and international support: Leveraging support from the Somali government and international organizations to build evaluation capacity.

Chapter 6: Conclusions and implications

The final chapter summarizes the key findings and their implications for policy and practice. Recommendations for building evaluation capacity in Somalia include:

• Increasing local involvement: Encouraging greater participation of local evaluators in the evaluation process.
• Professional development: Establishing training programs and educational opportunities to build evaluation skills.
• Supportive policies: Developing government policies that support evaluation capacity building.
• Research and collaboration: Promoting further research and collaboration among stakeholders to improve evaluation practices.

The chapter concludes by highlighting the need for ongoing efforts to develop evaluation capacity in Somalia, emphasizing the role of local and international stakeholders in achieving sustainable development outcomes.