Kafayat Fakoya and Katie Sproule
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Behind the Evaluations of Science Groups: Piloting Guidelines to Evaluate Gender and Inclusion

Evaluating Science Groups: A Deep Dive into Gender and Inclusion

Independent Advisory and Evaluation Service (IAES) conducted evaluations of CGIAR’s three Science Groups (SGs) - Resilient Agrifood Systems (RAFS), Genetic Innovation (GI), and Systems Transformation (ST). The evaluations put some of the 33 initiatives of the SGs under the microscope and featured thematic deep dives and case studies. The SG Evaluation Synthesis Report and the Gender Equality and Inclusion (GESI) sub-study helped set the stage for transformative learning (portal).

Building from evaluation of the GENDER (Generating Evidence and New Directions for Equitable Results) Platform, CGIAR has been working on the new evaluation guidelines (soon available here) for piloting during the 2024 SG evaluations. 

This blog dives into lessons from the SG evaluations and the trial run of the beta-version of the GESI evaluation guidelines for CGIAR, aligned to the CGIAR-wide Evaluation Framework (2022). Below we highlight key takeaways and offer recommendations to bolster gender and inclusion at CGIAR for shaping future programs and evaluations and paving the way for more inclusive approaches in delivery and evaluations.

Actionable Insights (AKA Recommendations)

The key recommendations from the SG evaluations and the GESI sub-study aim to offer a roadmap. We group strategic and operational actions below by evaluation criteria themes, targeting specific content areas. Selected SG-level recommendations include management responses for tracking progress. We also include selected learning-focused recommendations from the GESI sub-study.

Quality of Science (brief)

  • Each SG (science programs in the next portfolio) should develop its own position paper explaining how it contributes to gender and social inclusion and how gender empowerment and equity support advancements towards program outcomes. (Rec. 15b, RAF SG Evaluation)
  • Social inclusion of marginalized groups and youth should be clearly stated and accompanied by definition, standardized indicators, and protocols to support operationalization. (Rec. 15d, RAF SG Evaluation) A CGIAR-wide framework would facilitate common understanding of concepts and principles, for example the 2024 Partnership Framework.
  • Portfolio 2025-2027 (P25), which was facilitated by the Gender and Social Inclusion Accelerator, should focus more on gender transformative, rather than gender accommodative, research (i.e. identifying interventions to enhance women’s empowerment in food, land, and water systems and support system change toward more equality and inclusion[1]). (GESI sub-study)

Growing In-Country Presence and Integration with National Research Agendas

  • The Gender Equality Initiative (under the ST SG portfolio) should broaden research  beyond food systems and climate change, for inclusion of other sectors e.g., health, environment. Joint research activities to respond to the polycrisis issues at national, sub-regional, and global levels with strategic research partners should be conducted. (Rec. Relevance 2, Annex 2.3: Transformational Agroecology, ST SG Evaluation: List of Annexes)
  • Increase engagement with end users and beneficiaries, particularly the most marginalized, to ensure their needs and priorities are addressed. This approach will help ensure they are both reached by, and benefit from, SG research programming. (GESI sub-study)
  • Prioritize inclusion of the most vulnerable and proactively prevent deepening inequalities. (GESI sub-study)
  • Strengthen feedback loops and foster more inclusive stakeholder participation from diverse stakeholders to ensure all voices are heard and valued. (GESI sub-study)

Strengthening Impact Areas and Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Impact Assessments (MELIA)

  • Align work on gender and social inclusion, recognized as a cross-cutting issue and an accelerator in the 2025-30 Portfolio, with the Gender Strategy, which is now under development. (Rec. 15, RAF SG Evaluation)
  • Dedicate a workplan solely for gender, social inclusion, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) components. (Rec. 15b, RAF SG Evaluation)
  • Embed gender and social inclusion systematically into research design and analysis, ensuring standard indicators are collected and providing clear integration guidance for science programs. (GESI sub-study)

Governance and Management, Human Resources

  • Ensure gender is thoroughly embedded in the science programs [CGIAR’s 2025-2030 Portfolio]. Gender scientists should be involved in design of the science programs. Internal protocols for hiring and the management of gender and social inclusion specialists should be developed (Rec. 15a, RAF SG Evaluation).
  • Allocate 10-15% or more of future science program budgets to gender and social inclusion. Assign gender and social inclusion specialists to programs based on the scale and complexity of research activity to maximize impact. (GESI sub-study)
  • Strengthen CGIAR systems to champion gender equality and go beyond mere gender parity in the workplace. (GESI sub-study)

Internal and External Capacity Development

  • Enhance internal and partners’ capacities on gender, social inclusion, and intersectional analysis. (Rec. 7 and Rec. 15c, RAF SG Evaluation)
  • Empower the GENDER Impact Platform with a stronger decision-making role within CGIAR. (GESI sub-study)
  • Develop clear guidance to strengthen capacity building in gender and social inclusion. Offer foundational training and resources to all scientists to enhance the quality and impact of scientific research outputs. (GESI sub-study)
  • Strengthen the capacity of partners for gender and social inclusion so they can drive collaborative progress. (GESI sub-study)

Synergies in Action: Cooperation for Change 

  • Amplify CGIAR’s focus on social inclusion and intersectionality, acknowledging the diversity within groups such as women and youth. (GESI sub-study)
  • Establish formal partnerships between the GENDER Impact+ Platform and science programs to streamline collaboration and drive impact. (GESI sub-study)

Unpacking the Evidence behind Insights: Key Findings, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

  • Progress on integrating the 2021 Synthesis recommendations for gender and social inclusion in SGs has been inconsistent. Many initiatives do not systematically address the needs of poor women and other vulnerable groups. Social inclusion lacks a tagging or targeting system, which puts more vulnerable groups at risk of being excluded.
  • Participatory research often focuses on donors and partners, with beneficiaries consulted indirectly rather than directly, leaving a gap in addressing their needs and priorities.
  • Consultations with stakeholders during project implementation, both internal and external, do not always translate into meaningful or equitable participation in the design and implementation of initiatives.
  • Gender lacks a clear, unified definition across the CGIAR portfolio. Key concepts are often confined to specific work packages, initiatives, or gender focal points, with no standardized approach to gender or social inclusion across initiatives.
  • Budget constraints and uneven resource distribution often hinder gender and social inclusion efforts. Tracking funding is challenging, with inconsistent financial support across initiatives. A strategic minimum allocation for gender and social inclusion is urgently needed.
  • Over one-third of gender tagging in 2022-23 knowledge products were inaccurate, impacting the quality of gender-related outputs and outcomes. The absence of social inclusion tagging further limits monitoring and application and leaves CGIAR without a quantitative metric to track progress.
  • While ‘significant’ and ‘principal’ gender tagging increased in SG knowledge products, most activities remain ungendered. Outputs with gender tagging rose to 38% in 2023, but systematic gender targeting (stemming from the same understanding of why/how) in activities is still lacking.

Notably, many of these recommendations echo those from the evaluation of the GENDER Platform (brief). Their status, and of recommendations from SG evaluations, is available in the CGIAR’s MR tracker. 

Towards Excellence: Lessons for Evaluation Guidelines 

Gender, equality, youth and social inclusion (GEYSI) focuses on evaluating the research portfolio, while assessing gender equity, diversity and inclusion (GDI)focuses on who conducts the research and associated processes. Evaluation guidelines would aim to recognize their distinct mandates while prioritizing systematic evaluation and cross-cutting approaches. Testing the guidelines on SG evaluations included targeted evaluation questions in the GESI sub-study, useful for assessing gender and inclusion as a cross-cutting theme, aiming for adaptable guidelines. At the heart of it, adaptable evaluation guidelines would center on two key aspects: what is being evaluated and how the evaluation is conducted. 

We identified the following lessons learned for finalizing and using the Guidelines:

  • SG Evaluation Terms of Reference included a targeted question: How well were the cross-cutting themes of gender and climate change integrated into design and implementation (tagging)? The approach was grounded in the GDI principle of the Evaluation Framework, prompting the team to apply a gender lens throughout the evaluation process for meaningful conclusions.
  • The strategic level of evaluative inquiry at the Science Groups and limited time and resources hindered the ability to provide real-time and consistent feedback on gender integration across three evaluations.
  • Covering all phases of an evaluation, the gender and inclusion guidelines proved adaptable. However, the usefulness of the guidelines varied depending on the scope of each SG and specific evaluation objectives, team leader evaluator involvement, and commitment and skill levels.
  • The request from the RAFS SG to include a deep dive on social inclusion and participatory research processes as part of evaluation helped connect the downstream and upstream focus on such an important topic.

The gender and inclusion evaluation guidelines would aim to bridge this gap between gender, equality, youth and social inclusion (GEYSI) and gender equity, diversity and inclusion (GDI) workstreams by offering a comprehensive tool for incorporating approaches and themes into CGIAR evaluations. It will emphasize an evaluative process that is inclusive, participatory, and respectful. It will integrate gender and inclusion into the evaluation’s rationale, design, and methodology and analysis with rigorous attention to these critical themes. 

Stay tuned for the Guidelines [resource hub]. 

Consider these additional resources

[1] Example from CGIAR 2025-30 Portfolio Narrative. 20th CGIAR System Council Meeting. 12-13 June 2024, Brasilia, Brazil.

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