13.2 Monitoring and evaluation in the OWNP

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E), first introduced in Study Session 7, are critically important aspects of planning and management of any programme. Monitoring is the systematic and continuous assessment of the progress of a piece of work over time, in order to check that things are going to plan. Evaluation is an assessment of the value or worth of a project or programme and the extent to which the stated objectives have been achieved. Evaluation is not continuous and usually takes place periodically through the course of project/programme, or after completion. Together, monitoring and evaluation are a set of processes designed to measure the achievements and progress of a project or programme. The two terms are closely connected and are frequently combined, and therefore the abbreviation M&E is widely used.