International Development The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) has been conducting the ODA evaluation focusing mainly on the policy level to improve the management of ODA and ensure its accountability to the public. The evaluations are conducted by third parties to ensure their transparency and objectivity. On the individual project level, since 2017, MOFA has been conducting third-party evaluations on grant aid projects exceeding one billion Japanese Yen in order to strengthen the feedback system.
The project-level evaluation is conducted in accordance with the guideline for the ODA policy-level evaluation from the developmental standpoint (relevance of the policies, effectiveness of the results, and the appropriateness of the process), as well as from the diplomatic standpoint (diplomatic importance and diplomatic impact). However, both the evaluators and people involved in the projects had pointed out that many of the criteria of the policy-level evaluation are not suitable for the project-level evaluation. The purpose of this study was to propose evaluation methods based on the characteristics of MOFA’s individual grant aid project. The evaluation report is available on the MOFA website.
In response to the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015, the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) carried out emergency medical relief activities in the Sindhupalchok District, which suffered particularly severe damage. Furthermore, JRCS implemented the Nepal Earthquake Recovery Programme, mainly targeting the Sindhupalchok District and consisting of seven projects, namely, shelter; health; water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (WASH); livelihoods; school-based disaster risk reduction; blood service; and the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) capacity building.
As some of the projects were to end in June 2019, JRCS commissioned IDCJ to evaluate the programme in alignment with the evaluation framework of the NRCS and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The purposes of the evaluation were: 1) To conduct the final evaluation of the four projects ending in 2019 and contribute to the effective implementation of future reconstruction projects; and 2) To conduct the mid-term evaluation of the three projects ending in March 2020 and make recommendations for effective and smooth project implementation.