Executive Summary
Introduction
The System-Wide Evaluation (SWE) of the UNDS Socio-economic Response to COVID-19 was
conducted for the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) of the United Nations under the
guidance and management of the Senior Coordinator for SWE. It builds on experience gained during
the Early Lessons and Evaluability Study of the UN COVID-19 Response and Recovery Multi-Partner
Trust Fund (MPTF) carried out from October 2020 to April 2021. The report benefits from the
application of a system-wide lens to assess the effectiveness of the UNDS response to COVID 19
over an extended time frame.
Purpose and Focus of the System-Wide Evaluation of the UNDS Response
The evaluation serves to provide an assessment of the UNDS socio-economic response to COVID19, supported by an analysis of how UNDS reforms have enabled and/or constrained that response.
It also provides an assessment of how well the UNDS response has integrated action on the core UN
values of Human Rights, Gender Equality, Inclusion (including persons with disabilities) and Leave
No-One Behind (HR/GE/LNOB). Finally, by addressing the socio-economic response from 2020 to
mid-2022, the evaluation was able to identify barriers and recommend changes which can better
position the UNDS to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs and the realization of Agenda
2030.
The evaluation is of direct interest to senior managers in the UN, including heads of agencies, all
member states and the general public. It identifies important lessons not only for responding to
future global development emergencies, but for building on achievements during the pandemic to
accelerate progress toward the SDGs through cohesive and coherent UNDS support to national
stakeholders. While the scope of the evaluation is global, its primary focus is the coherence and
strategic focus of the UNDS response at country level. The evaluation was designed and carried out
in full recognition of the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity which guide the operation
of the SWE function. It builds on and complements the work of UN entity evaluation offices.
Evaluation Evidence
The evaluation draws on wide ranging sources of evidence. These include interviews with key
stakeholders at global and regional level and field-based case studies in eight countries (Argentina,
Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Indonesia, Jordan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and
Uzbekistan). In addition, the evaluation examined completed agency-level evaluations of the COVID19 response carried out by United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) members as well as select
UNDS entity Strategic Plans. Finally, the evaluation included a structured document review of
evaluative and analytical reports, guidance and quantitative results reports regarding the UNDS
response to the social and economic impacts of COVID-19.
Read More: Final Report: System-wide Evaluation of the UNDS Response to COVID-19, October 2022 – World