INTEGRATING A TRANSFORMATIVE EQUITY CRITERION INTO EVALUATIONS FOR PROMOTING TRANSFORMATIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE

The purpose of this guideline is to support evaluation commissioners and evaluators to incorporate a new evaluation criterion and lens on transformative equity in the process of all evaluations, regardless of the objectives of the intervention or evaluation type.

As such, the guideline:

• Unpacks what is meant by transformative equity;
• Argues that evaluation has a role to play in promoting transformation;
• Motivates why it is important to incorporate the new transformative equity criterion and lens when planning and conducting evaluations;
• Defines the transformative equity criterion: description and dimensions;
• Explains the principles guiding transformative equity and how these principles can be adopted and applied by commissioners and evaluators;
• Presents how transformative equity can be mainstreamed into the planning, commissioning, design, undertaking of, and follow-up use of evaluations;
• Provides some case studies and practical examples.

The first part of the guideline provides an overview of the transformative equity criterion and the motivation for its consideration. From PART B: INTEGRATING EQUITY INTO EVALUATION: Commissioning, Designing and Undertaking Evaluations, we use the structure of the DPME guideline on terms of reference (TORs) to explain how equity can be applied during commissioning and implementation, including adaptations to evaluation questions and inclusive evaluation design.