Formative evaluation of UNFPA approach to South-South and triangular cooperation

The purpose of this formative evaluation was to take stock of initial progress, lessons learned and enabling factors and report on the challenges facing the UNFPA journey in South-South cooperation (SSC) since 2017 as well as to provide evaluative input for the strategic direction of SSC and implementation of the UNFPA South-South Cooperation Strategy within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). The evaluation is the first one on SSC at UNFPA. The objectives of the evaluation are to: assess the strategic approach of UNFPA to SSC, including the vision for future direction and how this fits into achieving the strategic plan and its transformative results; assess the appropriateness of the SSC strategy in terms of conceptual framework, principles, implementation mechanisms, monitoring mechanisms and evaluation plan; take stock and provide key learning and inputs to managers regarding the operationalization of the SSC strategy and implementation of SSC interventions at UNFPA; inform the next strategic plan in relation to SSC; and identify SSC approaches at other United Nations organizations that could be adjusted and applied to UNFPA. The key users of the formative evaluation include the UNFPA Inter-Country Cooperation Office (ICCO), senior management at UNFPA, other UNFPA business units at the global, regional and country levels, the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), UNFPA partner countries, and other stakeholders in the area of SSC.