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System-Wide Evaluation Office

Kids hold signs of all UN SDGs above their heads and smiling.
UNDP Peru / Mónica Suárez Galindo

The first Annual Report of SWEO is published!

The 2024 Annual Report provides an update on the work and achievements of the office and highlights lessons learned from system-wide evaluation activities. It also sets out the programme of work for 2025 and details of Cooperation Framework Evaluations at country level. The report will be presented at the Operational Activities for Development Segment of ECOSOC, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 79/226.

The official publication is available in all 6 UN languages on the . View the annual report in our document library

About What We Do

The United Nations Sustainable Development Group System-Wide Evaluation Office (SWEO) is responsible for the provision of independent evaluation evidence to strengthen learning, transparency, and accountability, to incentivize joint work and collective learning, and to conduct system-wide evaluations and advance evidence on the United Nations development system’s contribution towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

To ensure independence, impartiality, and credibility, the UNSDG SWEO is a standalone independent office within the United Nations Secretariat. It provides leadership and strategic guidance for the system-wide evaluation function in accordance with the UNSDG System-Wide Evaluation policy. The Office is led by the , reporting directly to the Secretary-General, but exercising operational independence in the performance of the evaluation function.

UN Volunteers from UN Togo Office Celebrating the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
UN DCO Togo

What is a System-Wide Evaluation?

  • A system-wide evaluation is an impartial assessment of the United Nations development system’s overall results and performance.
  • Its goal is to provide comprehensive support to address the challenges of the 2030 Agenda and achieve the SDGs.
  • These evaluations focus on collective results across the UN system, beyond what individual accountability measures can address.
  • Unlike joint evaluations, system-wide evaluations assess the performance of the entire system, not individual agencies.
  • The purpose is to promote accountability and learning, offering credible, evidence-based insights that inform timely decision-making across the UN development system.
A woman holding illuminated lamp in front of a girl.
UNHCR / S. Baldwin

Advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs

System-Wide Evaluations

Conduct system-wide evaluations and advance evidence on the UN development system's contribution towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

Independent Evaluation Evidence

Contribute independent evaluation evidence to strengthen learning, transparency and accountability to inform decision-making across the UN development system.

Collective Learning

Incentivize joint work and collective learning among UN development system entities to achieve the goals and targets set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

UNSDG System-Wide Evaluation Policy

Learn about the rationale, purpose, scope, and definitions for system-wide evaluation, as well as the guiding principles, evaluation procedures, and mechanisms for maximizing the use of evaluation evidence in the UNSDG System-Wide Evaluation Policy.

Latest Evaluation Evidence

SWEO has an important role in strengthening the learning and use of UN evaluation evidence. The latest evaluation reports, digital evidence maps, and summaries of evaluation evidence are here:

Evaluation Reports

Maps

Summaries

Placing a Puzzle Piece into a Puzzle of the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
United Nations / Manuel Elias

Publications

All of our documents are available in English and can be found in our document library.

System-wide evaluation on progress towards a "new generation of United Nations country teams"

This evaluation examined progress towards a “new generation of United Nations Country Teams” mandated by A/RES/72/279. It assessed the alignment/derivation of UNSDG entity programming from Cooperation Frameworks, and the (re)configuration of UNCTs. It covered the period 2019-2025, all UNSDG entities and the Resident Coordinator system (including the Development Coordination Office) at country, regional and global levels. It was theory-based, and triangulated multiple data sources including: interviews with UN staff and external stakeholders, in-depth analysis of 21 UNCTs, extensive document review and analysis of survey data. This evaluation makes seven strategic recommendations to UNSDG, DCO, and Member States.

  • Publications
  • Feature
System-wide evaluation on progress towards a "new generation of United Nations country teams" - Summary Report

This evaluation examined progress towards a “new generation of United Nations Country Teams” mandated by A/RES/72/279. It assessed the alignment/derivation of UNSDG entity programming from Cooperation Frameworks, and the (re)configuration of UNCTs. It covered the period 2019-2025, all UNSDG entities and the Resident Coordinator system (including the Development Coordination Office) at country, regional and global levels. It was theory-based, and triangulated multiple data sources including: interviews with UN staff and external stakeholders, in-depth analysis of 21 UNCTs, extensive document review and analysis of survey data. This evaluation makes seven strategic recommendations to UNSDG, DCO, and Member States.

  • Publications
  • Feature
Value for Money Assessment of the Spotlight Initiative

This assessment analyses the economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity of the Spotlight Initiative, providing action points on how the Initiative can better integrate VFM dimensions in the design and implementation of the Spotlight Initiative 2.0. It also contributes to the body of work on assessment of value for money for complex programmes or initiatives focusing on social and behavioural change. The assessment uses an interdisciplinary approach, combining evaluation theory and practice and economic analysis.

  • Publications
  • Feature
Final Evaluation of the Spotlight Initiative

This evaluation examined the Spotlight Initiative’s overall performance and contribution to the United Nations Reform mandated by A/RES/72/279. This evaluation covers implementation at the global, regional and country levels inclusive of two civil society grant-giving programmes from 2017 to 2023. This evaluation was theory-based, used a mixed-methods approach to draw on qualitative and quantitative data and analysis, and involved stakeholders at all levels in a participatory manner. It focuses on seven areas of investigation which were translated into seven evaluation questions aligned to the evaluation criteria of relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability. This evaluation makes 8 strategic recommendations.

  • Publications
  • Feature
UN System-Wide Evaluation Evidence Summary for the Resident Coordinator System

This summary draws on the extensive knowledge and evidence generated by independent evaluations on the Resident Coordinator system conducted across the United Nations development system between 2021 and 2024. It presents key issues and learning from evaluations for consideration in the context of United Nations system-wide and intergovernmental policy discussions.

  • Publications
  • Feature
UN System-Wide Evaluation Evidence Summary for the UN Development Systems Regional Architecture

This summary draws on the extensive knowledge and evidence generated by independent evaluations on UN development system reform at the regional level conducted across the United Nations development system between 2021 and 2024. It presents key issues and learning from evaluations for consideration in the context of United Nations system-wide and intergovernmental policy discussions.

  • Publications
  • Feature