Although often grouped together, monitoring and evaluation are two distinct but related functions. Recognizing the difference between monitoring and evaluation helps those implementing interventions understand that the two are indeed complementary, as well as mutually beneficial functions.
Monitoring is necessary to continuously generate information needed to measure progress towards results throughout implementation and enables timely decision-making. Monitoring helps decision makers be anticipatory and proactive, rather than reactive, in situations that may become challenging to control. It can bring key elements of strategic foresight to IOM interventions.
Evaluation is defined as the systematic and objective assessment of an ongoing or completed intervention, including a project, programme, strategy or policy, its design, implementation, and results. Evaluation is about accountability and learning by informing stakeholders on the extent to which resources have been used efficiently and effectively to achieve results and providing empirical knowledge about which elements of an intervention worked or did not work and why. Evaluation can be used to improve IOM’s work through evidence-based decision-making as a promotion tool for IOM activities and as a tool for fundraising and visibility.
Evaluation is also critical to assess the relevance and performance of the means and progress towards achieving change. Effective conduct and the use of credible evaluations go hand in hand with a culture of results-oriented, evidence-driven learning and decision-making. When evaluations are used, they contribute not only to accountability, but also to creating space for reflection, learning and the sharing of findings, innovations and experiences. They are a source of reliable information to help improve IOM’s service provision to beneficiaries, migrants, Member States and donors. Findings, lessons learned and best practices from previous evaluations can also help enhance an intervention design and enrich the formulation of results and the results framework. Evaluations have their own methodological and analytical rigour, determined at the planning stage and depending on their intention and scope.20
Monitoring and evaluation are to be included at the conceptualization and development stage of the intervention.21 The inclusion of monitoring and evaluation activities can be designed and implemented by IOM and/or an IP. The provision of restricted CBI does require monitoring to ensure that contracted vendors adhere to rules and regulations and to the rights of beneficiaries under the interventions. This is unique to market-based interventions.
In either case, it is of utmost importance to assure objectivity and a degree of independence. Therefore, it is essential to ensure a separation of duties between operations and monitoring and evaluation: Individuals involved in the direct implementation and/or design of the intervention should not monitor and/or evaluate it.
Protection: Only the implementers can conduct the M&E in work aimed at supporting individual protection services, such as case management and individual counselling.
Monitoring and evaluation require appropriate resources (human and financial) in order to be properly undertaken. This needs to be planned and taken into account during the development stage of the intervention. Exercises need to be developed based on, and respond to, contextual limitations and opportunities as well as the commitments of the organization to the donor (e.g. result framework/matrix). This will act as a basis for all monitoring and evaluation exercises.22 It is important that all units are informed on the findings of monitoring exercises and relevant information is shared across units.
CALP Network CVA Monitoring Guidance
20 For more information on monitoring and evaluation, please see Chapters 1, 3 and 5 of the 2021 IOM M&E Guidelines.
21 Adjustments may need to be made to ensure that the results matrix and tools are relevant as the intervention progresses.
22 For more information on planning resource allocation for M&E, please see Chapter 2 of the 2021 IOM M&E Guidelines.