aes24 International Evaluation Conference

Authors: Allan Mua Illingworth (Mua'akia Consulting), Chris Roche (La Trobe University), Kaita Sem (Pacific Community (SPC), FJ),Mereoni Chung Chung (Talanoa Consulting Fiji, FJ),Epeli Tinivata (Balance of Power Program, FJ)

In recent years there have been a number of Pacific driven initiatives designed to promote monitoring and evaluation practice which is culturally and contextually appropriate. These have occurred with projects and programs as well as at national and regional levels. At the same time geo-political interest in the Pacific region has resulted in an increased number of bi and multilateral donor agencies becoming present in the region and/or funding development programs, local organisations, national governments and regional bodies. This has in turn led to an evaluation landscape where notions of 'international best practice' as well as donor policies and practices and associated international researcher and consulting companies, risk crowding out emergent Pacific led evaluation initiatives.

This panel will bring together key participants who are leading three examples of these Pacific experiences: the Rebbilib process initiated by the Pacific Community (SPC - ideally if this submission panel and SPC's presentation proposal were to be successful they would both feature in the same session at the conference as they would complement each other well and add greater depth to the session), Insight Pacific (an emerging Pacific led and owned collective focused on evaluation in the first instance) and the Balance of Power program (a Pacific-led initiative, supported by the Australian Government, focused improving the political, social and economic opportunities for women and girls) each of whom are seeking to create space for processes of monitoring, evaluation and learning which are consistent with Pacific ways of knowing and being. They will share their experience, the challenges they face and ideas about what forms of support might be provided by international donors, consultants and advisors which are enabling rather than undermining.

Moderated by Prof. Chris Roche the panel and audience will also draw out the lessons from these three cases about what might contribute to more systemic change in the evaluation landscape more generally.