What is participatory evaluation?

Participatory evaluation is characterized by the active involvement of stakeholders throughout the evaluation process. This approach emphasizes collaboration, allowing stakeholders—including program staff, beneficiaries, and community members—to engage in various stages of the evaluation, from planning and data collection to analysis and reporting. This engagement ensures that the evaluation is relevant to the needs and interests of those affected by the program, which can lead to more meaningful and actionable results.

The benefits of participatory evaluation include increased ownership of the findings among stakeholders, enhanced understanding of the program context, and the potential for capacity building as stakeholders learn about evaluation methods. By directly involving those who are most affected by the outcomes, the evaluation can provide insights that are grounded in the community's experiences and perspectives.

In contrast, an evaluation driven solely by external experts would lack the nuanced understanding that stakeholders can provide. Methods focusing only on quantitative data ignore the qualitative dimensions of stakeholder experiences and perspectives, which are crucial for a comprehensive evaluation. Finally, a framework that eliminates stakeholder input would not reflect the participatory ethos or leverage the valuable insights that stakeholder engagement can foster.