Evaluation Manual for OSCE staff and consultants managing and conducting decentralized evaluations - May 2026

Sep 20, 2026

Evaluation Manual for OSCE staff and consultants managing and conducting decentralized evaluations, dated May 2026, provides practical guidance for planning, commissioning, managing, conducting, and using decentralized evaluations. It strengthens decision-making support, accountability, and organizational learning in a rapidly evolving security environment. The manual translates the OSCE Evaluation Policy (Administrative Instruction 3/2022) and international standards into concrete tools and good practices, with emphasis on evaluation quality, independence, use, human rights, and gender equality across all evaluation phases.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages45

Reading Time1 h 53 min

AccessFree to download

Abbreviations

Foreword

Snapshot of the OSCE Evaluation Policy

Overview of the decentralized evaluation process at the OSCE

Overview of responsibilities for decentralized evaluation

Phase 1: Planning a decentralized evaluation

Guidance on planning and budgeting for decentralized evaluations

Phase 2: Preparing a decentralized evaluation

Guidance on evaluability assessment in decentralized evaluation

Guidance for Evaluation Reference Groups in decentralized evaluations

Guidance on integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality

Phase 3: Managing a decentralized evaluation

Guidance on quality assurance in decentralized evaluations

Guidance on granting access to OSCE information and ICT resources to external evaluators

Guidance on the responsible use of AI in decentralized evaluations

Guidance on inception reports for decentralized evaluations

Phase 4: Following up on a decentralized evaluation and ensuring its use

Guidance on follow-up on evaluation recommendations in decentralized evaluations

Guidance on use of decentralized evaluations

Evaluation Manual for OSCE staff and consultants managing and conducting decentralized evaluations May 2026 Table of contents Abbreviations...................................................................................................................................................3 Foreword .........................................................................................................................................................4 Snapshot of the OSCE Evaluation Policy ...........................................................................................................6 Overview of the decentralized evaluation process at the OSCE ........................................................................9 Overview of responsibilities for decentralized evaluation.............................................................................. 10 Phase 1: Planning a decentralized evaluation................................................................................................. 12 Guidance on planning and budgeting for decentralized evaluations ............................................................... 14 Phase 2: Preparing a decentralized evaluation ............................................................................................... 17 Guidance on evaluability assessment in decentralized evaluation .................................................................. 18 Guidance for Evaluation Reference Groups in decentralized evaluations ........................................................ 19 Guidance on integrating Human Rights and Gender Equality .......................................................................... 23 Phase 3: Managing a decentralized evaluation...............................................................................................26 Guidance on quality assurance in decentralized evaluations ........................................................................... 28 Guidance on granting access to OSCE information and ICT resources to external evaluators ......................... 29 Guidance on the responsible use of AI in decentralized evaluations ................................................................ 32 Guidance on inception reports for decentralized evaluations .......................................................................... 38 Phase 4: Following up on a decentralized evaluation and ensuring its use .....................................................39 Guidance on follow-up on evaluation recommendations in decentralized evaluations ................................... 41 Guidance on use of decentralized evaluations ................................................................................................. 43 Abbreviations CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CPC Conflict Prevention Centre DAC Development Assistance Committee DHR Department of Human Resources DMF Department of Management and Finance DSA Daily Subsistence Allowance EA Evaluability Assessment EFP Evaluation Focal Point EM Evaluation Manager ERG Evaluation Reference Group ExB Extrabudgetary (projects) GE Gender Equality GenAI Generative Artificial Intelligence HoM Head of Mission HR Human Rights ICTS Information and Communication Technology Services IR Inception Report OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development OIO Office of Internal Oversight OSCE Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe PESU Programming and Evaluation Support Unit RMCIS Risk Management, Compliance and Information Security SEC Secretariat SMART Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely SSA Special Service Agreement ToC Theory of Change ToR Terms of Reference UB Unified Budget UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights UNEG United Nations Evaluation Group Foreword Evaluation plays a central role in su

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Evaluation Manual for decentralized evaluations at the OSCE?

It provides practical, clear guidance to plan, commission, manage, conduct, and use decentralized evaluations across the OSCE, translating the Evaluation Policy and international standards into day-to-day tools and good practices.

Why does the manual emphasize use, quality, and independence of evaluations?

To ensure evaluations are credible and are planned, resourced, commissioned with clarity, and managed in ways that safeguard quality, independence, and subsequent use for decision-making and learning.

Which themes receive special attention throughout the decentralized evaluation process?

The manual places particular emphasis on strengthening evaluation quality, integrating human rights and gender equality considerations, and ensuring decentralized evaluations are intentionally designed and managed so they will be used.

Sep 20, 2026

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