Mapping the engagement of young and emerging evaluators in UNEG member agencies

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UNEG Reference Document 2025

Mapping the engagement of young and emerging evaluators in UNEG member agencies

Overview

The United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s “Our Common Agenda” and follow-up policy briefs stress the importance of meaningful youth engagement in policy and decision-making, highlighting their role in achieving sustainable development goals and rejuvenating the UN workforce. The international community gathered at the 2024 Summit of the Future renewed its commitment to meaningful youth engagement in the Pact for the Future, including through active engagement of youth in UN processes. Accordingly, it is crucial to assess youth involvement in UN decision-making, and the specific role of young and emerging evaluators (YEEs) in shaping future UN programmes in general, and its evaluation function in particular. During the last eight years, different UN agencies have made efforts to support YEEs through internships, mentorship programmes, training opportunities, participating in conferences and workshops, development of materials for more meaningful youth engagement, as well as organizing advocacy campaigns and knowledge sharing sessions. However, YEEs still face barriers such as limited job access, uneven competition with experienced evaluators for junior positions, insufficient integration of YEEs in evaluation teams, and a lack of institutional commitment and resources.