What is evaluation?

Formal evaluation processes have been an integrated part of Danish development cooperation since 1982, when Danida established the Evaluation Department as an independent, specialised unit responsible for evaluation.

Danida adheres to the OECD/DAC’s definition of evaluation, as presented in its Quality Standards for Development Evaluation (2010): “Development evaluation is the systematic and objective assessment of an on-going or completed development intervention, its design, implementation and results.”

All Danida’s evaluations are carried out by a team of external experts, selected on the basis of their professional competence, independence and experience in relation to the topic and in conducting evaluations. Upon completion, all evaluation reports are made available to the public. Evaluations thus differ from other less resource-demanding monitoring activities (reviews), which are mainly intended as management tools in the ongoing monitoring of development activities. An evaluation may cover one or more projects or programmes, a strategy etc. The entire Danish  portfolio of aid modalities is subject to evaluation – including i.a. bilateral and multilateral assistance, NGO cooperation , research cooperation, business instruments, support to climate change adaptation and mitigation, and support to fragile states. In line with the Paris declaration on aid effectiveness, some evaluations are conducted in cooperation with other donors, and almost all evaluations actively involve local actors from the concerned partner country or countries.

There are two overriding purposes of evaluating development cooperation. One is to provide politicians, the general public in Denmark and the Danish partner countries with documentation for the use and results of aid resources (accountability). Evaluations constitute a tool for assessing the potentials and limitations of development cooperation in terms of promoting economic and social development. At the same time, the evaluation process is an important tool for furthering the effectiveness of development cooperation. By means of in-depth analysis, evaluations may help explain why some activities are successful while others are not, and this information can be used to improve approaches and methods in development cooperation (learning aspect).

Further information can be found in Danidas evaluation guidelines, which are available under ”Reference documents” in the menu on the left.