Tool 9: Policy Evaluation

The evaluation is the analysis that leads to identifying the degree of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impacts and sustainability of a public policy. This tool could help users quickly assess these aspects in integration or reintegration policies or programmes, and is essential to consider whether a holistic and integrated approach was taken. This also allows users to rethink objectives or adjust policy implementation.

When should this tool be used?

This tool should be used towards the end of an intervention or after its completion, during the closing phase of the intervention. Just like Tool 8: Policy Monitoring, this tool could be a part of the intervention’s monitoring and evaluation plan.

How should this tool be used?

Users can refer to the questions in this tool to see to what extent a holistic approach to (re)integration was adopted during policy implementation. Questions are taken from section 5.4 Managing an evaluation, of the IOM 2020, Reintegration Handbook, although they are adaptable to migrant integration. The recommendation is to supplement it with:

Annex 4C. Model evaluation mandate of the Reintegration Handbook which could be the basis to guide evaluation.
Chapter VII: Monitoreo y evaluación de políticas y programas sociales (Monitoring and evaluation of social policies and programmes), ECLAC document, (2021), Gestión e institucionalidad de las políticas sociales para la igualdad en América Latina y el Caribe. Specifically Section C. Examples of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for social policies and programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, which will allow users to understand in greater depth how Monitoring and Evaluation are implemented.

Model questions to assess an integration-targeted public policy

Criteria	Questions
Relevance: The extent to which the objectives and goals of an intervention remain valid and pertinent, either as originally planned or as subsequently modified.	Pregunta1 Do integration assistance measures meet migrants’ needs and preferences? Were integration activities designed in coordination with the host communities to meet their needs and priorities? Are integration activities adjusted to the needs and priorities indicated by the governments of host countries?
Efficiency: It helps analyze how well human, physical and financial resources are used to undertake activities and how well these resources are converted into outputs.	Pregunta2 Has the necessary coordination been established to avoid duplication of efforts between partners and to foster complementarity and consistency across integration activities?
Effectiveness: The extent to which a project or programme achieves its intended results	Pregunta3 Did migrants receive assistance through the entities they were referred to? Are migrants satisfied with the referral process and the assistance received after referral?
Impact: The criteria that help assess the positive or negative, and primary or secondary long-term effects produced by an intervention, directly or indirectly, and intentionally or unintentionally	Pregunta4 Did integration activities establish a link between migrants and the host communities (social cohesion)? Did integration activities have an impact on the socio-economic conditions of migrants (employment, well-being)? Did integration activities have an impact on the socio-economic conditions of the communities (employment, well-being)?
Sustainability: Refers to project outcome durability or the continuation of the project’s benefits once external support ceases.	Pregunta5 Are there structures, resources and processes in place so that the benefits produced by integration policies persist when external support ceases? Did the project contribute to the sustainable integration of migrants? Did the project strengthen national and local capacities (governmental and non-governmental) to provide integration services to migrants?

Model questions to assess a reintegration-targeted public policy

Criteria	Questions
Relevance: The extent to which the objectives and goals of an intervention remain valid and pertinent either as originally planned or as subsequently modified.	Pregunta1 Are reintegration support measures responding to the needs and preferences of returnees? Were reintegration-related activities designed in coordination with the communities in the countries of origin, so as to meet their needs and priorities? Did reintegration-related activities align with the needs and priorities identified by governments in the countries of origin?
Efficiency: Helps analyze how well human, physical and financial resources are used to undertake activities and how well these resources are converted into outputs.	Pregunta2 Has the necessary coordination been established to avoid duplication of efforts between stakeholders, and to foster complementarity and consistency across reintegration-related activities?
Effectiveness: The extent to which a project or programme achieves its intended results	Pregunta3 Were returnees assisted by the entities they were referred to? Are returnees satisfied with the referral process and assistance received after referral? Does the reintegration counselling offered to migrants upon their arrival to the country of origin allow them to make an informed decision with regard to the reintegration path they would like to engage in?
Impact: The criteria that help assess the positive or negative, and primary or secondary long-term effects produced by an intervention, directly or indirectly, and intentionally or unintentionally	Pregunta4 Did reintegration activities link returnees and return communities (social cohesion)? Did reintegration activities have an impact on the socio-economic conditions of the communities to which migrants returned (employment, well-being)? Did reintegration activities have an impact on the socio-economic conditions of returning migrants (employment, well-being)?
Sustainability: Refers to project outcome durability or the continuation of the project’s benefits once external support ceases.	Pregunta5 Did the project contribute to the sustainable reintegration of returning migrants? Did the project strengthen national and local capacities (governmental and nongovernmental) to provide reintegration services to returning migrants? Are there structures, resources and processes in place so that benefits produced by the project persist when external support ceases?

Tool 8: Policy Monitoring

Download Tools