About the UNICEF and WFP Global Impact Evaluation Forum 2024 at the United Nations
Discover the rationale and objectives of the forum
The significance of impact evaluation
The current global landscape is defined by rapidly evolving events that present urgent challenges on multiple levels. The needs are particularly acute in fragile contexts, where challenges are heightened by regional conflicts, population displacements and climate-related issues.
The United Nations is uniquely positioned to convene the broadest array of stakeholders, leading the way around a shared impact evaluation agenda dedicated to achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, working towards a world of peace and prosperity and improving the lives of millions worldwide.
Impact evaluation uses robust methodological approaches to test whether an intervention works and provides crucial evidence to help make better decisions on whether and how interventions should be continued (either as is or in modified form), scaled up or discontinued.
UNICEF and WFP Global Impact Evaluation Forum at the United Nations
In 2023, the first Impact Evaluation Forum under the auspices of the United Nations was convened. Hosted in Rome by the World Food Programme (WFP), the 2023 forum represented an important step forward in promoting and facilitating the use of impact evaluations in humanitarian settings. The event sparked considerable interest across United Nations agencies, governments, donors, non-governmental organizations and academia to advance a joint impact evaluation agenda.
The 2024 forum, hosted by UNICEF in partnership with WFP, will carry forward the momentum from 2023 WFP event, but bring in a stronger focus on child and gender outcomes in fragile settings as well as increased global vulnerabilities associated with climate fragility.
The forum will bring together participants from UNICEF, WFP, other United Nations agencies, governments, donors, non-governmental organizations, philanthropies and academia, who will have the opportunity to showcase impact evidence from climate-prone and poly-crisis environments, learn from each other’s experiences and identify concrete areas of potential collaboration on impact evaluation. An increased focus will be placed on ensuring participation from low- and middle-income countries.
The objectives of the forum are to:
Stimulate and join up work on rigorous impact evaluation among the wider United Nations community and its partners across sectors, regions and Global North and South
Foster innovation, exchange and excellence for impact evaluation in fragile and multi-crisis settings
Bridge the gap between rigorous evidence generation and policy and programme uptake
