The Evaluability Assessment and Formative Evaluation of UNICEF’s Approaches to Advocacy furnishes vital insights to refine advocacy as a change strategy. It is a promise for a higher probability of advocacy success and better measuring the impact of evaluation in the current Strategic Plan, 2022-2025. Developed with inputs from children, communities, governments, UN counterparts, private entities, and civil society, the Strategic Plan delineates core goals, results areas, and strategic enablers. Advocacy is a pivotal change catalyst woven into all of UNICEF’s goal areas to support acceleration towards the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It is the bedrock of impactful outcomes for children.
With this background, the evaluation delineates UNICEF's readiness to achieve its objectives and forwards a strategic roadmap for successfully protecting child rights. The evaluation concludes that UNICEF has firmly embedded advocacy at its heart, spearheading structural modifications and initiatives to bolster advocacy capacities at every tier. Notable advancements are enhanced staff cognizance, acknowledgement of advocacy's criticality and capacity development across the organization. However, the efforts for effective advocacy demand finely tuned resource designs that align with UNICEF's ambition. As UNICEF’s advocacy work continues to grow, implementing germane and well-established strategies is imperative. The organization should strategically bridge identified gaps to optimize advocacy initiatives across various levels and contexts.
The evaluation process and resulting insights are not just theoretical exercises; they carry profound implications for improving institutional effectiveness to achieve better results for children. When organizations like UNICEF undertake comprehensive evaluations, they are mapping out potential trajectories for maximal impact. Absorbing the recommendations and lessons from such exercises ensures that UNICEF remains adept at navigating the ever-changing international development and humanitarian landscape. This constant evolution, informed by evaluative insights, strengthens institutional resilience and enables the achievement of set objectives for children, ensuring that interventions are timely, pertinent, and efficacious.
The evaluation made significant insights into the emerging perception of advocacy within the organization. The prevailing notion that UNICEF must have profound programmatic expertise in an area to champion it effectively is being redefined. With the adoption of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and policies such as the Gender Action Plan (GAP), it’s becoming clear that strong advocacy can thrive with the aid of thematic specialists, advocacy connoisseurs, UNICEF's data-driven approaches, and external research analytics. MHPSS improves the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children, adolescents, and their caregivers globally and the advocacy strategy for MHPSS charts UNICEF’s way forward with a series of time-bound results that deliver lasting, transformative change for children, adolescents, and women worldwide. The swift adaptation to the COVID-19 scenario, where UNICEF began campaigning against school closures after hesitating to do so, further exemplifies this shift. Historically programme-centric, UNICEF now recognizes the weight of global advocacy, even in realms not directly tied to its traditional programmes. This represents a paradigm shift, demonstrating the organization's agility and commitment to addressing new and upcoming issues.
The ultimate strategy for an organization-wide integrated advocacy approach is strategy itself, the evaluation finds. The cornerstone of a unified advocacy approach across an organization is the strategic thinking that feeds organizational design. While understanding the essence of advocacy is crucial, professionals and staff across tiers concur that a strategic outlook is vital for mutual comprehension across various sectors and teams. A strategic approach involves meticulous planning and astute tactics, ensuring alignment in advocacy pursuits. Such coordination fosters efficient teamwork and magnifies the collective impact of advocacy initiatives.
In the evaluation of UNICEF's advocacy, it is clear that while theoretical models and global advocacy priorities form a solid foundation to measure the impact of advocacy’s efforts, they can be further enriched by adopting complexity-aware approaches. Such alignment is paramount, given the intricate nature of advocacy. This approach adeptly navigates the multifaceted nature of development and humanitarian programmes, accounting for unpredictable environments, ambiguous causal paths, and diverse stakeholder viewpoints. Fortunately, UNICEF has demonstrated adaptability and a commendable understanding of the complexities and uncertainties inherent in advocacy change strategy.
To conclude, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our valued stakeholders for their unwavering commitment to advancing UNICEF's advocacy efforts. Recognizing the pivotal role of advocacy in achieving our mission, our commitment to its continuous evaluation and improvement remains steadfast. This evaluation has reached the key finding that UNICEF, on nearly all fronts, has elevated advocacy as a critical organizational function. As we work to bridge these gaps, we operate and move forward with the confidence that we can continue to make lasting impacts in the lives of children worldwide.
This evaluation, commissioned by UNICEF Evaluation Office, was conducted by Artival Research and Evaluation. Internal and external stakeholders were integral to its completion, and we wish to thank all those who contributed to this evaluation and UNICEF’s advocacy work that informs it.
