Evaluation as a mechanism to foster an equitable society in the Global South

This second volume in the Evaluation: African Perspectives series from CLEAR-AA advances a critical conversation about the role of evaluation in addressing inequality and fostering equitable development across Africa. It builds on the first volume by focusing on practical, epistemological and institutional challenges of equitable evaluation.

Key features

Chapters are authored by a range of researchers and practitioners from Africa and beyond, combining theoretical reflections with practical case studies from countries such as Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria and broader pan-African experiences.

The book features chapters that interrogate:

• The meaning of inequality and equity in African contexts

• The implications of adopting equitable evaluation principles

• Lessons from evaluations of equity-focused interventions

• The role of evaluation systems, power dynamics, and epistemologies in either reinforcing or challenging inequality

• The need for transformative approaches that centre African voices and experiences

Authors explore a diverse range of case studies and thematic areas – including gender equity, unintended outcomes, human rights-based approaches, and the design of national evaluation systems – with a strong critique of conventional donor-driven evaluation practices. Several chapters call for epistemological transformation and advocate for Afrocentric and decolonial evaluation approaches and a number of chapters offer case-based evidence, such as equity in cash transfer programmes, gender mainstreaming in South Africa, and the limits of donor-aligned evaluation systems.

How can this resource be used?

Strengthening equity-focused design in evaluations of development programmes
The book provides a robust conceptual and practical foundation for designing evaluations that prioritise equity. Chapters such as Ch. 1 and Ch. 6 explicitly define what equitable evaluation means in the African context and outline the roles of commissioners, evaluators, and communities in embedding equity into evaluation design, implementation and use. The discussion of values, power, and marginalisation helps evaluation practitioners rethink conventional evaluation criteria and approaches in favour of those that challenge inequality.

Teaching or training on decolonial and transformative evaluation approaches

The volume includes multiple chapters (especially Ch. 4, Ch. 8, and Ch. 10) that critically interrogate dominant evaluation paradigms and call for an epistemological shift towards Afrocentric and transformative approaches. These discussions, grounded in African political and social contexts, are well suited for inclusion in academic curricula or professional training programmes focused on decolonising evaluation and promoting equity.

Donors and international organisations aiming to reassess their commissioning and evaluation practices to better serve marginalised groups
Chapters such as Ch. 2 offer a direct critique of donor-driven evaluation systems, highlighting how power imbalances in commissioning processes limit evaluations’ ability to address inequality. The book encourages donors and international organisations to reconsider whose interests are prioritised, and to adopt commissioning practices that are inclusive, transparent, and community-centred. Ch. 10, the concluding chapter, outlines concrete responsibilities for funders, evaluators and implementers, making it particularly relevant for global development actors seeking to operationalise equity commitments.