Vice Versa’s Post

It was great to be part of the 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗳𝗲 debate on whether the current MEL practices in international cooperation genuinely provide the insights we need for accountability to society. I presented perspectives from our Landscape analysis of Equitable Evaluation. Global Change Center Ford Foundation There is the need for “turning the gaze”—shifting focus back onto funders and questioning who truly sets the standards in evaluation. Too often, metrics defined far from the communities themselves take precedence over the community's priorities, sidelining people’s lived experiences. At Praxis Institute for Participatory Practices, we've seen that centering evaluation around community-defined needs can yield more sustainable outcomes. But this requires funders to take a deeper, introspective approach—one that values learning alongside communities rather than reinforcing rigid frameworks. Evaluation as an industry is powerful, political, and far from neutral. It has historically drawn on methods that privilege “objective” truths while downplaying context and power dynamics. Evaluation should be seen as an intervention, one that raises critical questions about who is interpreting, who decides, and who holds power. Can we, as evaluators, look at our own role and responsibility in reinforcing these norms? We spoke of epistemological justice: how Global North-centric perspectives shape evaluation frameworks. In a field that claims objectivity, whose truths are being upheld, and whose voices are left out? Ensuring diverse voices in conceptualisation and design, not just in local insights, is key for transformative change. This debate was only the start, but it underscored the urgency for reflection and re-evaluation within the evaluation field. As we continue these conversations, I hope we challenge ourselves to ask: 🎇 How can we embed accountability toward communities as a central feature in evaluations? 🎇 In what ways can funders take an adaptive, rather than prescriptive, approach to support and learning? 🎇 How do we recognise and dismantle the implicit biases that persist in this work? Grateful to have been part of this, and excited to see where these conversations lead! Thank you to Vice Versa, Wilde Ganzen, Josje van de Grift and especially Lori Cajegas, Clara Bosco and Peter van der Knaap, PhD for such an open and essential dialogue. A big shout out to Ama van Dantzig for making PMEL fun! and Eunice Mwaura for highlighting the great work being done by Vice Versa Global. The room was filled with engaging questions, both during and after the discussion—a sign that these issues urgently need our collective attention. Thank you to everyone who contributed questions and reflections that deepened the discussion. Here’s to many more dialogues—and actions—to come! Pradeep Narayanan Cecilia Milesi Joes de Natris Nils Simonsen Sunanda Poduwal #Decolonising #Evaluation #Measuringwhatmatters