Our Projects
RESULTS-ORIENTED MONITORING AND EVALUATION.
Managing Core Contributions to Multilateral Organizations
2011: Alison King assessed SDC’s Core Contribution Management tool, an instrument for results-oriented planning and monitoring of un-earmarked financial contributions to its major multilateral partners.
At the beginning of 2011, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) contracted Alison King to assess its Core Contribution Management tool. The Core Contribution Management tool was initially conceptualized and introduced with the support of King Zollinger in 2008/2009. The assessment identified some scope for improvement, both in terms of implementation and design. The instrument was adapted based on recommendations made. Contact: Alison King
Quality Assessment of UN Evaluation Reports
2011: Urs Zollinger was engaged by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to conduct a quality assessment of evaluation reports from across the United Nations.
The purpose was to assess the quality of selected evaluation reports completed by the UN Secretariat departments during 2008-2009. 45 reports were assessed along 27 quality criteria. The assessment included reports from DPKO, DESA, UNCTAD, UNEP, UNHCR, UNRWA, the UN Regional Commissions and other entities. The findings of the assessment were included in a report to the UN General Assembly (A/66/71). Contact: Urs Zollinger
Evaluation of UNDP Contribution at the Regional Level to Development and Corporate Results
2010: Urs Zollinger was mandated by the UNDP Evaluation Office to co-lead a six-person team to evaluate UNDP’s regional programmes and presence.
This strategic evaluation looked at the regional work of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 2000 and assessed the Organization’s contributions to achieving development results and corporate objectives. Its scope included the five UNDP regional programmes for Asia, Africa, Latin America, Arab States and Europe/CIS and the relevant institutional arrangements, in particular the work of the Regional Service Centres in Bangkok, Dakar, Johannesburg, Panama, Cairo and Bratislava. The evaluation results were presented to the UNDP Executive Board in January 2011. Contact: Urs Zollinger
External Review of UNIFEM Sub-regional Strategies
2010: Alison King was asked to facilitate and participate in a review of 15 UNIFEM Sub-regional Strategies.
In 2008, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) developed Sub-regional Strategies (SRS) how to implement the corporate Strategic Plan at sub-regional levels and to providing programme and accountability frameworks for UNIFEM’s 15 Sub-regional Offices around the world. Based on a senior-management decision, Alison King was asked to work with a team of seven UNIFEM staff to review the usefulness of the SRS as a strategic framework on the one hand and as an implementation tool on the other. The team also took stock of progress made towards stated sub-regional development and management results. The Synthesis Report provides recommendations in view of producing guidelines for next generation SRSs under the newly created UN Women. Additional recommendations emerged for improving the corporate annual reporting system. Contact: Alison King
Results-oriented Monitoring of EC-funded Programmes/Projects
2008-2010: Alison King monitored EC-funded programmes and projects in Africa and recommended actions for improvement.
In 2010, Alison King continued her work as senior international expert to monitor EC-funded programmes and projects in Africa in areas such as rural development, agriculture, democracy, child protection, disabilities, education and training, aid effectiveness and institutional capacity development. The Results-Oriented Monitoring (ROM) system of the European Commission scores development programmes and projects against internationally agreed criteria: relevance and quality of design, efficiency, effectiveness, impact prospects and potential sustainability, for which knowledge of project cycle management and the logical framework approach is essential. In 2010, Alison conducted missions to Ghana, Swaziland and South Africa. Previously, she carried out results-oriented monitoring in Ethiopia, The Gambia (mission leader), Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (mission leader). Contact: Alison King
Peer Review of the Evaluation Function of the Council of Europe
2010: Urs Zollinger was appointed as one of two experts to peer review the evaluation function of the Council of Europe.
In May 2010, the Council of Europe decided to organize a peer review of the institutional set-up and functioning of its recently established Evaluation Division. The purpose of the review - headed by the Swiss Foreign Ministry - was to suggest ways to strengthen the Organization’s evaluation function based on initial experience gathered. The expert team reviewed a number of policy documents and met with several key staff and government representatives in Strasbourg. Its recommendations were well received by the Evaluation Division and the top management of the Council of Europe. Contact: Urs Zollinger
Review of DPA Follow-up to Evaluation Recommendations
2010: Contracted by OIOS, Urs Zollinger conducted a triennial review of the implementation of evaluation recommendations.
In 2006, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) conducted several evaluations of the work of the UN Department for Political Affairs (DPA), which plays a central role in peace building and preventive diplomacy, and supports among many other things the work of the UN Security Council. In 2010, based on an inter-governmental decision, Urs Zollinger was asked to review and assess the extent to which DPA has implemented the evaluation recommendations. The review was well received by DPA management, and acknowledged for establishing a clear path to conclude unfinished business. Contact: Urs Zollinger
External Assessment of UNIFEM Quality Assurance Process and Project Design
2009: Alison King was asked to assess UNIFEM’s quality assurance process and appraise the quality of its programmes/projects and strategies approved under the corporate Strategic Plan 2008-2013.
The intention of the external assessment of the quality of UNIFEM programmes/projects and strategies on the one hand, and of the rigour and effectiveness of its quality assurance process on the other, is to monitor institutional performance and to recommend measures for improvement. Contact: Alison King
Quality Assessment of OIOS Evaluation Reports
2009: Urs Zollinger was engaged by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to assess the quality of its evaluation and inspection reports.
The purpose of this external assessment was to assess the extent to which the Inspection and Evaluation Division of OIOS meets its organizational performance reporting requirements as well as to recommend measures to improve the quality of its reports. Evaluation and inspection reports were assessed along 42 standards derived from the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG) evaluation and other quality standards. Contact: Urs Zollinger
Evaluation of UNIDO’s Field Mobility Policy
2009: UNIDO contracted Urs Zollinger to evaluate its Field Mobility Policy.
The process evaluation assesses the extent to which the UNIDO Field Mobility Policy has resulted in increased staff mobility and strengthened the organisation’s field presence. It also looks into design and implementation issues. Contact: Urs Zollinger
Evaluation of Strategic Partnership between UNIDO and UNDP
2009: Urs Zollinger was one of two international consultants contracted to evaluate the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement between UNIDO and UNDP.
The joint terminal evaluation covers UNIDO-UNDP joint private sector development initiatives as well as the effectiveness of the expanded UNIDO country presence, inter alia in the context of ongoing UN reforms. The UNDP Executive Board and the UNIDO General Conference acknowledged the evaluation findings and recommendations in September and December 2009 respectively. View full report. Contact: Urs Zollinger
Assessment of Strategic Planning Documents
2009: Contracted by the SDC Controlling Division, King Zollinger assessed SDC strategic planning documents from a “Managing for Development Results” point of view.
In July/August 2009, King Zollinger analyzed randomly selected strategic planning documents to assess the extent to which the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is applying its corporate “Managing for Development Results” criteria. A traffic light system visualizes the findings for the attention of SDC management. Contact: Urs Zollinger
Advising the Peer Panel Review of the United Nations Evaluation Function
2009: Urs Zollinger is co-author of the Peer Review Report on the Evaluation Function of the Office of Internal Oversight Services of the United Nations (OIOS).
In 2008/2009, Urs Zollinger was one of two international advisors to the Peer Panel reviewing the Inspection and Evaluation Division (IED) of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) of the United Nations. OIOS/IED is located within the UN Secretariat in New York and covers all United Nations activities under the UN Secretary-General's authority. The professional peer reviews of selected multilateral organisations are a joint undertaking of the OECD/DAC Network on Evaluation and the UN Evaluation Group (UNEG). Their scope is to assess the independence, credibility and utility of the evaluation functions of multilaterals. Members of the Peer Panel to review the IED are the Governments of Norway and Switzerland, the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Peer Review Report was published in early 2009. Contact: Urs Zollinger
Evaluating UN Reforms at Country Level
2007/2008: Alison King was part of an international consultant team charged with assessing the evaluability of UN reforms at country level.
In November 2006, the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence in the Areas of Development, Humanitarian Assistance and the Environment published its report entitled "Delivering as One". In order for the UN system to become more coherent, effective and efficient, the report recommends that it introduce the concepts of one leader, one programme, one budgetary framework and one office at the country level. In 2007 and 2008, Alison King participated in United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) missions to 3 of the 8 pilot countries, i.e. Viet Nam, Albania and Rwanda. The scope of the visits was to assess whether the ongoing UN reform processes can be evaluated at a later point in time and what might be the barriers to its effective and useful evaluation. Contact: Alison King
Assessing Multilateral Effectiveness at Country Level
2004-2008: King Zollinger supported the Annual MOPAN Survey of multilateral partnership behaviour. The Multilateral Organisations Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN) is a network of like-minded donors.
From 2004 to 2008, King Zollinger supported the Annual MOPAN Survey of partnership behaviour of multilateral organizations towards national stakeholders on the one hand and other international development organizations on the other. The focus of the Survey on multilateral contributions to policy dialogue, advocacy, capacity development, alignment, information sharing, inter-agency coordination and harmonization at the country level reflects the emphasis of the international community on the quality and effectiveness of aid. King Zollinger managed the hotline for MOPAN country teams, wrote the Synthesis Reports and suggested improvements to the Survey methodology. Contact: Alison King