Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) is a crucial aspect of any development programme, ensuring progress towards desired impacts and delivering value for money. The Pacific Community (SPC) has a long history of working collaboratively in the region, emphasising regional ownership and accountability, demonstrating results, and improving development effectiveness.
The Second Pacific MEL (PacMEL) convening was held in Fiji from February 28 to March 3, 2023, with 55 regional representatives. The four-day event focused on leading for change with MEL, enhancing collaborations, addressing data challenges, and strengthening the Pacific MEL network. The convening drew on lessons learned during the inaugural Pacific convening 2019, aiming to strengthen MEL's capacity in member countries and territories, foster knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities, and provide a platform for expert voices to be heard.
The Pacific Va’a team at SPC leads the PacMEL initiative, focusing on Pacific talanoa (dialogue) to assess and prioritise MEL capacity needs described in the PacMEL Rebbilib document. The Rebbilib acts as a navigational tool towards strengthening MEL Capacity in the Pacific by promoting and honouring Pacific methodologies and ways of knowing, offering technical assistance to countries, coordinating opportunities for a strengthened Pacific MEL environment, and enhancing collaboration for improved development effectiveness.
What happened during this year’s second PacMEL convening?
The convening set the groundwork for current and future experts in the Pacific for a more collaborative joint force in MEL. Over four days, participants explored possible futures for the state of MEL in the Pacific, reaffirming the recognition of Pacific knowledge and methodologies and the need for accessible, accredited qualifications to support the growing demand for high-quality MEL professionals in the region.
Bringing together practitioners across national governments, NGOs, the private sector, and development partners, the convening is a safe space to share experiences, challenges, methodologies and approaches across the Pacific.
Symone Esichang Ubedei from the Ministry of State, Republic of Palau said:” coming to this convening, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, SPC and each of the representatives from the Pacific region have been very welcoming. It has been an insightful experience, and I believe now that MEL is needed not just in Palau but all around the Pacific”.
She continued:” We don’t have MEL in Palau. We have systems that mimic it but are not as efficient and accurate. Being here with others is what I want to see happen in my country.”
What do you hope to get out of this convening?
The event offers a significant chance for attendees from the Pacific region to learn from each other and how to develop the systems in their home countries.
Alice Helu Funaki, who works with the Ministry of Fisheries in Tonga, was one of the attendees at the event. “Some experts have a great understanding of MEL, and they are all here. So, how can I take this knowledge to Tonga? How do we apply that? How do we help each other in progressing MEL in the Pacific?”. Alice continued: “A good practice in MEL is adapting because, in this domain, it’s never the same. Something I learned from this convening is that adaptation isn’t bad. It’s something that we can do as often as we want to make our outcomes better. Also, we must remember that when you take care of people, they will take care of you”.
Ruth Maetala, Director of Dignity Pasifik in the Solomon Islands, expressed:” I was a consultant in my country for 30 years, working in policy planning with the government. After I left my job, I went straight into evaluation for several programmes. Now, I want to see continuity. I joined the PacMEL in 2021, and I hope to see an available database of MEL experts in the Pacific.”
“The government in the Solomon Islands should be ready for what we will carry back home from this convening. There’s an enabling environment for this, and now there’s a capacity development plan.”
In a closed deliberation at the 2023 Pacific MEL Convening, country delegates identified eight priorities for strengthening MEL in the 2023 calendar year. These priorities will inform the work plan of the Pacific Va’a team of SPC and collaborating partners at global, regional, national, and sub-national levels.
Increased awareness, particularly in securing buy-in from leaders. Working with SPC, Pacific Islands Forum (PIFs), and development partners to get Leaders on board in developing national-level MEL policy and action plan.
SPC, PIFS and partners provide technical support to national MEL functions through vigorous engagement at the national level, including secondments, adopting organisations and finding champions to support awareness building and capacity strengthening at the national level, including training of trainers, MEL qualifications, and professional opportunities.
Continue to support the development of this cohort of MEL practitioners as champions in the Pacific and in governments.
Improve availability of simple, practical tools and materials, including digital technologies – e.g. surveys, apps, and peer-to-peer benchmarking with other countries, highlighting case studies from other countries in the region which are the most relevant to the ongoing work.
How do we PacMEL (outputs against timeframes) – what does it look like? If this is the space in which we continue to meet, what interventions could we implement to self-evaluate and hold each other accountable for pushing MEL in our sectors?
Host the next MEL Convening and Pacific MEL events sub-regionally to provide opportunities for other regions to strengthen their MEL capacity and create awareness. Palau is identified as the next preferred host to be co-developed with SPC Va’a.
Localisation of consultants with experience in the government sector improves the efficiency of MEL work outputs and completion. Local consultants with government experience are well-equipped to create approaches responsive to national priorities and contextualised.
Establish a Database of MEL consultants in the Pacific and a Collaboration Strategy.
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