The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) Annual General Meeting was held in New York, at the UN Headquarters, from 17 to 19 April 2013.

As in previous years, the Annual General Meeting was structured around presentations by UNEG Task Forces on several specific evaluation topics related to the main areas of work covered by UNEG:

• Evaluation Approaches and Methods
• Evaluation Capacity Development
• Harmonisation of Evaluation
• Strengthening the evaluation function

In addition, an extraordinary session was dedicated to discuss the recently completed independent assessment of UNEG's contribution to its mission. Main discussions and deliverables relevant to IOE work presented at this year's General Meeting included:

Independent Assessment of UNEG (2004-2012). The report concluded that UNEG has contributed to promote independence, credibility and utility of the evaluation function across the UN system. It also underlined challenges related to governance, need to strengthen partnerships and focus.

Draft Peer Review Study Report, which presented lessons learned from the experience of peer reviews of evaluation functions in the UN during the last five years. It discussed inter alia approach and methodology, roles and responsibilities, process, planning and budgeting.

International Year of Evaluation 2015. The Evalpartners group (partnership between regional and national evaluation actors, UN and MDB evaluation offices, private foundations, and others) will declare 2015 as the International Year of Evaluation. UNEG supported the initiative and will explore the possibility of UN endorsement through a UN General Assembly declaration.

Draft Guidance Documents on Integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality in Evaluations. The discussion centered about the role and responsibilities of evaluation vis-à-vis the System Wide Action Plan (SWAP) on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Impact Evaluation in UN Agency Evaluation Systems. The document provided an introduction to the topic, as well as guidance on selecting, planning and managing impact evaluations.

Revision of UNEG Norms and Standards (N&S). UNEG N&S (2005) are considered UNEG's flagship, as they inter alia lead the establishment of the evaluation function in the UN, guide the development of an evaluation policy, and enhance professionalization in the system. The review (Estelle Raimondo and Osvaldo Feinstein) focused on changes necessary to the N&S to better reflect current needs and requirements in relation to issues such as independence of the evaluation function, quality assurance, and resource allocations.

The final session of the Annual General Meeting on Friday 19 was dedicated do discuss UNEG way forward taking into consideration conclusions and recommendations from the Independent Assessment.

A UNEG extraordinary meeting will be organized in September 2013 in Rome hosted by IOE at IFAD Headquarters to finalize the strategy.

Further information or clarification on the Annual General meeting can be obtained by sending an email to [email protected].