The COVID-19 pandemic: How are humanitarian and development cooperation actors doing so far? How could we do better?

The UNFPA Evaluation Office is a member of the COVID-19 Global Evaluation Coalition, which includes evaluation units from countries, multilateral institutions and United Nations agencies. 

The COVID-19 Global Evaluation Coalition has conducted an early evidence synthesis that overviews the initial lessons from bilateral and multilateral COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The synthesis supports policy and decision-makers in humanitarian and development organizations and governments to learn and take actions to improve the ongoing effort and future crisis responses. 

The lessons focus on success factors and challenges related to organizational arrangements and procedures followed in response to the pandemic, including crisis management and reprogramming strategies, communication methods (internal and external), human resources, mainstreaming of gender equality and women’s empowerment, and innovation and risk management practices.

The report draws on the evidence available from the first year of the pandemic March 2020 - February 2021 and includes about 200 evaluations, as well as other lesson-learning exercises such as results monitoring, action reviews, and internal reflection exercises deemed by the partner to be credible and relevant. Future syntheses will look at results and effectiveness, as more evidence becomes available.

Access the synthesis report (in English and Spanish) and a summary note (in English, French and Spanish).