Donor Reporting Harmonisation Initiative for the Advisory Commission Sub-Committee 2 May 2012 David de Bold Senior Monitoring & Evaluation Officer 1

Outline (i)Update on Monitoring & Evaluation (“M&E”) (ii)Update on the implementation of the Donor Reporting Harmonisation Initiative (“Initiative”) (iii)Questions and/or Comments 2

Update: Financial Chart of Accounts M&E 1 Background and Update The evaluation coordination function was transferred to the independent Department of Internal Oversight Services (per Advisory Committee on Internal Oversight recommendation in 2010)

Background Information Strengthening of M&E was part of OD to improve Programme Cycle Management and started in 2009 which following: Establishment of an Agency-level Senior Monitoring & Evaluation post; Support to the planning process through indicator development and improve methodology; Identify and lead the development of an Agency-wide results-based monitoring system; Consolidate and improve the quality and consistency of monitoring and external reporting; Introduce management processes to support regular implementation monitoring of plans 4

Status Update Established and improved the Agency-wide Common Monitoring Matrix for biennium plans (i.e., FIPs); Established Agency-wide M&E Community of Practice and support knowledge externalization; Implemented an Agency-wide Results-based Monitoring system for programmatic, financial and human resource data and analytical information on results; Implementing Quarterly Management Reviews and and annual Results Reviews; and Implemented the Donor Reporting Harmonisation Initiative to consolidate, improve quality and align internal an external reporting 5

Update: Financial Chart of Accounts The UNRWA-Donor Reporting Harmonisation Initiative Improving quality and streamlining of reporting for funding agreements 6

Background on the Initiative An opportunity to improve the quality and streamline the information provided and reduce transaction costs. Inconsistent periods for reporting; Wide variety of indicators; Measures for indicators at various levels (i.e., activities or outputs and/or outcomes); Differences between internal UNRWA reporting and external donor reporting and duplication of reporting; Follow the principles embodied in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action 2 2 The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) and Accra Agenda for Action (2008), OECD 7

Donor Reporting Harmonisation Initiative A summary of the methodology is as follows:  Engage with donors through an informal donor reference group for content;  Reporting would take place once per calendar year within 90 days of calendar year-end;  Template standardisation containing quantitative data and narrative results analysis;  Indicators aligned with UNRWA biennium plans including baselines and targets;  Include indicators for monitoring processes or Agency- wide initiatives; and  Indicator disaggregation by Field Office, Agency and Gender identified when applicable. 8

Donor Reporting Harmonization Initiative Before, as an example, the largest three contributors (in absolute terms) to the General Fund, required over 30 different indicators. Less than 10% of these indicators were exactly the same across all these agreements Information analysis, templates and frequency all different. 9 Examples: Average daily medical consultations per doctor; Mean score from testing; Graduate employment rates Establish a referral system for victims of violence

The Report

Reporting Template 11

Going Forward i.Establish a regular dialogue through the reference group (technical) forum; ii.Managing expectations of further strengthening of M&E in UNRWA; and iii.Incorporate lessons learned with each Report publication iv.Leverage successes like: -Donors using the Report to fully satisfies reporting requirements in the spirit of the Aid Effectiveness Agenda -The 2010 External Review of UNRWA Programmes funded by the EU recommendation of the Initiative -The Initiative is cited as an example of best practice in United Nations in the Joint Study of Common Principles of Results Reporting (UNDG-HLCM, 2011) 12

comments and questions 13