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Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning
Sajid Ayyub – MEAL Manager
STRATEGY
MEAL Strategy
- Global MEAL Framework is in-place but MEAL Strategy does not exist
- Country MEAL Strategy does not exist and it is awaited to be designed, once Country Strategy of Islamic Relief gets final
- Previously, in Country Strategy, KPIs were not set and hence the achievements could not be measured exactly
- MEAL Strategy is envisaged to be aligned with Country Strategy and it’s a fact that without Strategy the overall mechanism can be hardly defined.
STRUCTURE
- Earlier overshadowed under management and was assumed to support the program planning, data collection and reporting
- The horizontal structure tended to compromise the neutrality, impartiality and independence to play effectively the role of MEAL
- The top management devised a steady shift from horizontal to mix of vertical & horizontal reporting
- Commensurate to the organizational and programmatic requirements, the overall role needs to be strengthened in spirit & letter
- The Internal Structure is further disintegrated into two pillars of MEAL that includes M&E and Accountability and Learning
MEAL
Structure
Monitoring & Evaluation
MEAL Mechanisms
Consistent endeavors are made to track the projects w.r.to the KPIs and Quality parameters. The findings are shared with respective teams for remedial actions and follow ups are made. There is visible improvements in Monitoring and it needs to be strengthened with holistic paradigm. Monitoring is conducted as per OECD-DAC critera for development assistance
At National and Global level, there was a unanimous emphasis on gauging the Impact of Interventions. The whole exercise is tailored with assessments, baseline, endline/Evaluation and Impact studies. The adventure is methodical, systematic and thorough with continuous improvements
Accountability, Learning and Knowledge Management
For Quality and Accountability, the Community Feedback & Complaint Redress Mechanism has been improved. Coherence and sharing mechanism with Internal Audit has expedited the overall functionality.
IR Pakistan is on Top in IHSAN quality management system and conducted successful CHS Audit.
Right-holders are encouraged to share their feedback and to raise complaints as their inherent right.
Learnings are shared in the form of Debrief sessions, Reviews, Evaluations and Lesson Learnt Workshop. More emphasis will be paid to it.
MEAL department fosters the feelings of utmost delight to launch the “PRISM” application to systematically and effectively reflect upon the key dimensions of Project Management Cycle of all the programs and projects of Islamic Relief. IR other Country Offices have demonstrated their interest to be replicated there.
Mechanisms Cont..
Program Support:
In addition, MEAL does play a dynamic role in supporting the Programs and projects planning and designing
Capacity Building:
MEAL perceives the need to strengthen the capacities of all MEAL staff at field offices to bridge-over the gap in quality and performance
Way Forward
Way Forward
- Country Level MEAL Strategy commensurate to Country Strategy
- Ensuring the Structural Changes for improved performance
- Improved focus on Organizational Learnings for Continuous Improvements
- Effective implementation of PRISM
- Showcasing the Impacts and overall Changes brought by Interventions
- Capacity Building of MEAL staff and Programme staff
- Stregthening of Community Feedback Mechanism