By Itgemjit Gankhuyag
Board Member, Membership Chair, Mongolian Evaluation Association
Mongolia’s rapid socio-economic transformation requires evidence-based policies to ensure efficient resource allocation and sustainable development. Evaluation plays a critical role in this process by informing decisions that address the country’s most pressing needs. Mongolia is no stranger to evaluation, as early as 1996, the Law on the Government of Mongolia included monitoring and evaluation as part of government officials' duties. Within this context, empowering young professionals to actively engage in evaluation is essential for their personal growth and the broader development landscape.
In Mongolia, there is a growing recognition of the importance of engaging youth in evaluation, mainly through the activities of the Mongolian Evaluation Association (MEA) and EvalYouth Mongolia, which aim to amplify the role of Young and Emerging evaluators (YEEs). The MEA's efforts in supporting youth involvement were recognized on a global level when the association received the prestigious Evall4Action Super Champion award for upholding the Youth in Evaluation standards, becoming one of six Champions in July 2024. This honor recognized our commitment to empowering young people in evaluation on a global stage and served as motivation for further action.
To advance youth involvement in the evaluation field, MEA and EvalYouth Mongolia initiated several actions since its establishment. The MEA and EvalYouth Mongolia are actively working to amplify youth voices to promote youth participation in evaluation through advocacy initiatives and have already made significant strides by appointing two YEEs as Board Members responsible for membership and communication, giving young professionals a seat at the decision-making table.
MEA enabled the connection of Mongolian YEEs with global peers through the EvalYouth network, enhancing the exchange of ideas and best practices. For instance, in 2024, the MEA received a seed grant from the Asia Pacific Evaluation Association to support the "Elevating Tsaatan Voices: Sowing the seeds of Indigenous Evaluation in Mongolia" project. This initiative not only empowers indigenous communities but also includes YEEs as researchers, giving them valuable hands-on experience.
However, more advocacy and capacity development initiatives are needed to unlock youth's potential in this field. YEEs offer several advantages to the evaluation field. They bring fresh perspectives that challenge existing methodologies and introduce new approaches. Additionally, as digital natives, YEEs are adept at using technology for data collection, analysis, and reporting.
By encouraging youth participation throughout the stages of evaluation, these young professionals can become better equipped to influence policies and contribute to policy and programme implementation processes. Therefore, increasing public awareness and initiating advocacy efforts to expand the understanding of evaluation are needed to further flourish the participation of young professionals in evaluation and MEA along with EvalYouth Mongolia.
Capacity development: Building a strong foundation for young evaluators
While advocacy efforts are crucial, capacity development is equally important to empower young evaluators with the skills they need to succeed. In Mongolia, capacity development can take several forms:
1. Education and training programmes
Initiatives like the MEA’s “Summer Evaluation Bootcamp” offer hands-on training, fostering both technical competence and a sense of community among young evaluators. Moreover, MEA is working and forming Topical Interest Groups (TIG) to further develop tailor-made evaluation courses for its members and youth interested in evaluation. TIGs and their members will contribute to the development of evaluation courses, offering evaluation courses and workshops in cooperation with universities, VOPEs and professional organizations. Also, we are expanding our network with international VOPEs and professional evaluation associations to partner with international experts and institutions who can provide knowledge on globally recognized evaluation methodologies and trends.
Mongolian Evaluation Association Summer Evaluation Bootcamp
2. Mentorship and peer learning
Peer learning networks also played a crucial role by enabling YEEs to share their experiences and challenges. For example, YEEs in Mongolia, through the MEA, organized the global online event “Youth in Evaluation Champions: Good Practices by VOPEs and Youth Organizations” in July. This event not only provided young people with valuable experience in organizing such initiatives but also allowed them to learn from other countries' best practices. Also, MEA annually supports YEEs in participating in the World Evaluation Case Competition (WECC), of which, in 2022 and 2023, the Mongolian team was awarded Asia’s Evaluation Champion. Currently, the Mongolian team is participating in the WECC for the third time.
The role of organizations and stakeholders
Advancing youth involvement in evaluation requires collaboration among various stakeholders. This includes partnering with government bodies, NGOs, development agencies, private sector and VOPEs.
The MEA has embraced the principles of the Youth in Evaluation manifesto, integrating them into its operations. Additionally, the MEA translated international standards for youth engagement in evaluation into Mongolian to promote their adoption by local institutions. Standards for government entities, international organizations and academic institutions were translated into Mongolian language and over 50 organizations were encouraged to apply the Youth in Evaluation manifesto to their operation during Youth in Evaluation week 2024. As we are meaningfully spreading the importance of involving youth in evaluation, we always introduce the manifesto and the standards to organizations that are willing to cooperate with MEA.
Advancing youth involvement in evaluation requires collaboration among various stakeholders.
Conclusion: A path forward for young people to engage in Mongolian evaluations
Upholding advocacy efforts and capacity development for youth in evaluation is not just a matter of professional development—it is an investment in Mongolia’s future. Equipping young people with the skills to assess programmes, policies, and initiatives fosters a generation of engaged citizens ready to shape the country's development.
To increase the awareness of youth voice in evaluation, the following efforts can be implemented:
1. Policy advocacy: National policies should explicitly promote youth engagement in evaluation roles. The inclusion of youth in significant initiatives, such as government evaluation policies,[1] will ensure that young evaluators contribute to strategic decision-making.
2. Public awareness campaigns: The MEA and EvalYouth Mongolia can launch campaigns to highlight the contributions of young evaluators, fostering greater public support for their involvement in evaluation.
3. Increasing access to resources: Providing access to evaluation tools, frameworks, and case studies is essential for capacity-building. Developing an online Evaluation Resource Hub in Mongolia, where young evaluators can access the latest evaluation literature, tools, and methodologies, would be a game-changer. Additionally, partnerships with international donors and development agencies, government bodies, and the private sector could ensure funding for research, training, networking opportunities, and active involvement of YEEs in their evaluation activities, as stated in the Youth in Evaluation manifesto and standards.
Realizing this vision requires all stakeholders to support the next generation of evaluators. With robust advocacy and comprehensive capacity development, young Mongolian evaluators can transition from participants to leaders, driving evidence-based change.
Itgemjit Gankhuyag is a young and emerging evaluator and Membership Chair at the Mongolian Evaluation Association (MEA). Since joining the MEA in August 2023, Itgemjit has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing her expertise and improving evaluation practices in Mongolia. She has been actively involved in several MEA initiatives, including her role in the organizing team for the 2nd Summer Evaluation Bootcamp. Connect with Itgemjit via LinkedIn and email.
Disclaimer: The content of the blog is the responsibility of the author(s) and does not necessarily reflect the views of Eval4Action co-leaders and partners.
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