African monitoring and evaluation systems: Exploratory case studies

This publication is an analysis of six monitoring and evaluation (M&E) case studies from Benin, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda.

Written in either French or English, the case studies presented are used as a tool for reflection on the rapidly changing terrain of African governance systems and their ability to respond effectively to the increased demand for results and accountability from citizens. The paper proposes that M&E systems are capable of generating information that can be used by civil society, the executive, and the legislature, and that substantive case studies such as these are useful in providing a strong evidence base for learning for future development.

The case studies compiled in this document formed the basis of discussion at an African M&E Systems Workshop held in March 2012, in Pretoria, South Africa. The workshops were hosted in partnership with the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results (CLEAR) housed at the Graduate School of Public and Development Management at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.While by no means claiming to offer an exhaustive diagnosis of the M&E in the African continent these case studies and the resulting workshop are viewed as steps in building an evidence-based approach to M&E across the continent.

The focus of analysis of the six studies is on the capacity of the relative governments to demand results-orientated monitoring and commission evaluation appropriate to the policy context. The discussion at the beginning of the paper in English unpacks the concept of demand; then the six cases are examined in relation to trends emerging in institutional design, monitoring, and evaluation systems; finally, an overall conclusion is presented.

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