Evaluation tools and guidance
Resources for evaluators and partners.
Tools
GEROS Handbook [2025]
This handbook aims to orient UNICEF personnel with the Global Evaluation Reports Oversight System (GEROS) – the UNICEF evaluation quality-assessment system.
Quality Checklist for Evaluation Terms of Reference [2017]
This checklist outlines key elements to include in the terms of reference of an evaluation, in alignment with United Nations Evaluation Group norms and standards.
Guidance
An operational framework for Machine Learning in evaluation [2024]
The UNEG Evaluation Synthesis Guidance provides a comprehensive framework for conducting evaluation syntheses within the UN system and beyond. It outlines key concepts, methodological approaches, and practical considerations for planning, managing, and using evaluation synthesis products. The document addresses different types of synthesis, data sources, analytical methods, quality considerations, and ethical principles, with attention to credibility, transparency, and use. It is intended to support evaluators, commissioners, and users of evaluation synthesis in producing robust, timely, and policy-relevant evidence across diverse contexts.
This document offers practical guidance on how to apply Machine Learning (ML) analytical approaches in evaluations. It presents an operational framework that was developed after a thorough literature review and UNICEF Evaluation Office’s (EO) experiments with application of ML methods. Additionally, it discusses potential use cases of these methods, along with associated risks and limitations.
The UNICEF Evaluation Office has launched this strategy to enhance visibility and use of evaluative evidence, influencing decision-makers and stakeholders. This will include selected campaigns and knowledge management to foster an institutional environment supportive of evidence use, resource allocation, and learning.
The revised evaluation policy of UNICEF outlines evaluation purposes, principles and a theory of change; sets out key procedures and accountabilities for the governance of the function; establishes expectations for the coverage and use of evaluations; describes contributions to evaluation partnerships and national evaluation capacity development; highlights resource requirements; and concludes with a note on the implementation, reporting and periodic review of the policy.
On 26 April, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/77/283, encouraging countries to conduct SDG evaluations to strengthen their Voluntary National Reviews and use evaluative evidence for their decision-making.
This guidance note was developed to guide the organization on the progress toward achieving the UNDIS Indicator 10 standards. The note presents tailored UNICEF considerations, good practices, and specific key considerations for action for disability-inclusive evaluations.
The UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation were first published in 2008. This document is a revision of the original document and was approved at the UNEG AGM 2020. This document aims to support UN entity leaders and governing bodies as well as those organizing and conducting evaluations for the UN to ensure that an ethical lens informs day-to-day evaluation practice.
This paper constitutes the continued effort of the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) to promote the use of evaluation.
This guidance note is intended for UNICEF headquarters, regional, and country office staff for planning, managing, and participating in a Real-Time Evaluation Plus of UNICEF’s Humanitarian Responses.
This guidance is intended as a “how-to” for integrating a gender lens in UNICEF evaluations.
The objective of this guidance note is to introduce the concept of evaluability by providing a set of concise, practical, and user-friendly tools to support UNICEF, HQ, Regional, and Country Offices in the conduct of Evaluability Assessments.
This guidance note was created in response to that challenge, to assist UNICEF staff in determining what form of Adolescent Participation in Monitoring and Evaluation can best add value; how adolescents can be meaningfully, safely, and ethically involved in different contexts; what practical issues should be considered when designing and implementing participatory M&E activities; and what tools and resources can be used to support such a process.
These standards serve as a guideline for UNICEF staff in the preparation and assessment of evaluation reports.
The quadrennial comprehensive policy review (QCPR) is the mechanism through which the General Assembly assesses the effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, and impact of the United Nations operational activities for development, and it establishes system-wide policy orientations for operational activities for development.
These norms and standards from the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) serve as a key reference for evaluators around the globe.
The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) in its 2014 – 2019 strategy identified the use of evaluation as one of the key strategic objectives and set as a goal that “UN entities and partners use evaluation in support of accountability and programme learning”. The working group under this strategic objective has gathered data from within the UN system and contrasted these findings with academic research from outside the UN system. This document, “Evaluation use in the UN system” presents the results of this effort.
These principles from the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) define the group's mission and approach.
This resolution emphasizes the importance of building capacities for the evaluation of development activities at the country level.
This document from the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) guides and promotes the integration of human rights and gender equality in evaluation practice.
This document covers all aspects related to ethical research involving children’s participation in evaluation processes.
These ethical guidelines from the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) apply to all evaluation staff and consultants in the United Nations system.
