Evaluation under occupation: The role of evaluators in protecting and promoting social justice and equality in conflict-affected and fragile contexts (the case of the occupied Palestinian territory)

This paper explores the role of evaluators in promoting social justice in conflict-affected settings, focusing on the occupied Palestinian territory.

It offers practical strategies for M&E practitioners in FCV settings to overcome challenges of complex environments while also promoting social justice and equality.

This case study by Bitar (2015) explores the role of evaluators in promoting social justice and equality within conflict-affected and fragile contexts, focusing on the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). It highlights the political, logistical, methodological and ethical challenges that evaluators face in this complex environment and discusses how their role has evolved over the past 20 years. The paper provides insights into the strategies evaluators in the oPt use to protect vulnerable populations while assessing the effectiveness of development interventions. It also suggests how these lessons could apply to other fragile settings.

Key features

• Challenges of evaluation under occupation: Evaluators in the oPt face unique political, logistical, and ethical challenges, including restricted mobility, political instability, and difficulty accessing key stakeholders.
• Restricted access and mobility: Evaluators face significant mobility constraints due to the political division between Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, often resulting in incomplete data and underrepresentation of key populations.
• Promoting social justice and equality: The paper emphasises how evaluators in the oPt have shifted from focusing solely on technical evaluation outcomes to promoting social justice by advocating for the inclusion of marginalised groups, such as the poor, women, and people with disabilities.
• Evaluation culture: The document discusses the lack of a strong evaluation culture in the oPt, with evaluation initially seen as a donor requirement rather than a tool for learning. However, evaluators have worked to shift this perception over the last decade.

How would you use the resource?

This resource is particularly useful for M&E practitioners in FCV contexts who need to navigate complex political environments. It provides practical lessons on how evaluators can promote social justice even when political challenges and limited access impede comprehensive data collection. The analysis of restricted mobility and internal divisions within the oPt can guide practitioners facing similar access issues in other conflict-affected areas. For instance, using this resource, evaluators could consider the inclusion of local stakeholders to overcome challenges of mobility, and learn to push for the integration of social justice and gender equality in evaluation frameworks, even if they are not explicitly included in the terms of reference.

Why are we recommending it?

This resource is recommended because it offers concrete strategies for evaluators in FCV contexts to address political, ethical, methodological and logistical challenges. It demonstrates how evaluators can play a crucial role in promoting social justice, even in politically charged environments, making it highly relevant for practitioners working in fragile settings.