Svetlana Negroustoueva, the CGIAR CAS Evaluation Senior Manager, leads technical and operational support to develop and execute the CGIAR’s multi-year independent evaluation plan. Svetlana is a PMP Certified professional with over 15 years of experience designing and conducting evaluations, assessments, monitoring and research activities, include quantitative and qualitative data collection and analyses. She works at the intersection of sustainable landscapes, energy, health, food security and social inclusion, for projects across funders and implementing entities. She has served at African Development Bank, World Bank, the GEF and Climate Investment Funds in positions concerned with independent and demand-driven evaluations. Furthermore, Svetlana has been an independent evaluator herself, leading and participating in evaluation teams for a variety of clients during consultancy assignments. Svetlana has made her mark in many ways, and notably in the domain of gender and evaluation; she is the co-chair of EvalGender+, the global partnership to promote the demand, supply and use of Equity Focused and Gender Responsive Evaluations. Svetlana is a Russian and US national, and holds a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin in the US, and Advanced BA in Public Administration and Social Research from Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU).
My contributions
Better together: Reflections for EvalForward from Rome-based agencies on the 15th EES Conference
BlogLast month, evaluation practitioners and users gathered in Rimini for the 15th Biennial Conference of the European Evaluation Society (EES) under the theme of “Better Together 2024: Collaborative Thought and Action for Better Evaluation”. Colleagues from Rome-based agencies, steering EvalForward, reflected on key takeaways from the conference in strengthening our evaluation practice to better inform learning and decision making.
©EES24
Takeaway 1: ‘Knowledge is only powerful when shared’ underscores the importance of networks and communities of practice (COP), which must reflect the needs and contexts of their stakeholder, and in collective – help advance evaluation profession. This is
Neutrality-impartiality-independence. At which stage of the evaluation is each concept important?
Discussion
Svetlana I Negroustoueva
Lead, Evaluation Function CGIARDear colleagues,
it is exciting to see such an insightful and passionate discussion. I represent CGIAR’s evaluation function and we developed and have implemented EAs with Amy under advisory of Rick Davies. Rationale for conducting EAs in CGIAR is summed up in the blog. Complementing and in response to some items raised here, it is important to note that all contexts are not created equal and level of unquestionable preparedness for an evaluation cannot be assumed in any type and size of intervention in any context. In the evolving contexts, some aspects may not be prioritized in time and to meet the needs of everyone involved. EA thus they have already brought us one step closer to facilitate learning and ensure that accountability mechanisms, you can even call it an evaluative baseline, are in place before an intervention is launched or progresses too far. EAs have helped builds confidence among stakeholders, including MEL professionals (often disempowered) and funders, that the aspirational goals and objectives are not only feasible to implement and measure, but also that MEL colleagues are a key stakeholder for us and towards reconciling accountability and transparency with those who fund. EAs have helped enhance the sense of ownership and credibility of processes and results, and thus can be crucial for securing funding and support. By recommending funders around timing and evaluation scope expectation can be set properly also at which level the evaluation can be funded, to set up expectations on the depth of inquiry and evaluative learning.