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Pathways to Gender-Responsive and Inclusive NDCs, July 2026

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If you are interested in how GESI is being integrated into climate action, this report is definitely worth a read. It provides a useful overview of progress across countries and the gaps that still need attention. Developed under UNDP’s Climate Promise by the Pledge to Impact Program, the report takes stock of how countries supported through UNDP’s Climate Promise integrated GESI into their NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) planning and implementation between 2019 and 2024. NDCs are national climate plans that set out countries’ efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. They reflect national priorities, capacities, responsibilities, and climate risks. This stocktake looks at how GESI has been integrated into the policies, tools, processes, and systems used for NDC planning and implementation through UNDP’s climate policy support. It highlights how countries are addressing structural inequalities and gender gaps while also identifying areas where c...
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MONITORING VS EVALUATION

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Monitoring tracks ongoing implementation and progress and provides the team with timely updates to help address emerging challenges. Evaluation examines the results achieved, explores the factors that influenced those results, and draws lessons to inform future programming. Hnin Ei Lwin #Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL #social #development #humanitarian #publichealth    A collection of my Research and MEARL insights is available  at :   https://hnineilwinnotes.blogspot.com .
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Research Methodology: A Roadmap for Research

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Research methodology is like a roadmap for research.   Hnin Ei Lwin #Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL #social #development #humanitarian #publichealth  A collection of my Research and MEARL insights is available at:  https://hnineilwinnotes.blogspot.com .
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Nexus Between Climate and Gender

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The report, Quantifying the Nexus Between Climate and Gender, produced by The Equality Institute with financial support from the Gates Foundation and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, examines how climate change can deepen gender inequalities, and I highly recommend reading it. Drawing on existing evidence, country case studies, and expert interviews, this report highlights gaps in current climate and gender metrics and calls for more intersectional, gender-responsive, and locally grounded indicators that reflect people’s lived realities, not just policy discussions. On the one hand, current metrics often miss how different forms of marginalization overlap, including the experiences of Indigenous and other marginalized groups. They also tend to overlook how climate impacts are connected to broader issues such as land rights and resource extraction, which are not always reflected in existing measurement frameworks. On t...
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Evaluation: A Key Component of Learning and Accountability

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Evaluation is a key component of a learning and accountability system, whether in a project, an organization, or our personal lives.  It helps us reflect on what we have done, learn from our experiences, and hold ourselves accountable for how we can improve. Hnin Ei Lwin #Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL #social #development #humanitarian #publichealth    A collection of my Research and MEARL insights is available at:  https://hnineilwinnotes.blogspot.com .
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A Short Guide to Determining Sample Size and Statistical Power

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S tatistical power depends on factors such as sample size, expected effect, participation, and variation in outcomes. Larger samples and stronger effects increase power, while low participation, unequal group sizes, and cluster randomization can reduce it.  The guide published by  t he Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)  provides  six ‘rules of thumb’ that affect sample size and statistical powe r. In brief ,  this guide   explains that sample size should be determined based on the expected effect, outcome variation, participation, and study design .  Consequently, cluster-based studies usually require a larger total number of participants to achieve the same level of statistical power. Link to the doc:  https://www.povertyactionlab.org/sites/default/files/research-resources/2018.03.21-Rules-of-Thumb-for-Sample-Size-and-Power.pdf Citation:  The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), 2018.   Six rules of thumb for deter...
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GESI Toolkit for Counter-Trafficking, Winrock and USAID Asia

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If you  are  interested in gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) or your work involves integrating GESI into program s , this is a resource worth reading.  The   GESI Toolkit for Counter-Trafficking, developed by Winrock and USAID Asia CTIP (Counter-Trafficking in Persons)  project team , provides practical guidance on integrating GESI into counter-trafficking programming and reporting.  It offers practical approaches tailored to the specific context of CTIP, along with guidance on embedding gender equality and social inclusion throughout program design, implementation, monitoring, and reporting. Link to the doc:  https://winrock.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Asia-CTIP-GESI-Toolkit.pdf Hnin Ei Lwin #Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL #social #development #humanitarian #publichealth    A collection of my Research and MEARL insights is available  at :   https://hnineilwinnotes....
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LOCALIZATION AND LOCALLY-LED ACTION

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Having worked on several projects focused on localization and localization strategies informed by research and M&E, I couldn't agree more with the points mentioned in this document. Localization is not just another activity or policy. It is about shifting power through shared decision-making, equitable partnerships, mutual accountability, and stronger local leadership. While local organizations are increasingly included in coordination structures, decision-making is still largely driven by international actors, raising concerns that their participation is often more symbolic than meaningful. Project-based funding and top-down capacity-building approaches can also limit local ownership, overlook local knowledge, and reinforce dependency. These realities show that localization is still a work in progress and raise important questions about power, partnerships, and the future of humanitarian and development aid. Link to the doc: https://alnap.hacdn.io/media/documents/ALNAP_Explain...
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RECONSTRUCTING BASELINE DATA

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The lack of baseline data is a recurring challenge in M&E that I have encountered throughout my experience, especially when frameworks require a direct comparison between baseline and endline data to measure changes over time. In practice, there are situations where baseline data are not collected at the beginning of a project, and implementation moves forward based on immediate contextual needs and operational priorities, without fully considering the data requirements outlined in the M&E framework. To address this, I would like to share an old but still useful resource by Michael Bamberger that offers practical strategies for "reconstructing" baseline data. These include using recall methods and key informant interviews to capture early conditions, leveraging secondary sources, reviewing project-specific administrative records, and conducting group interviews to understand past socioeconomic characteristics and behaviors of the target population.  These techniques c...
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EVALUATION STRATEGY

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Evaluation should be part of an organization's broader learning and accountability system, rather than an ad hoc reporting exercise or merely a requirement for donor compliance. Hnin Ei Lwin #Monitoring #Evaluation #Reporting #Research #MEARL #social #development #humanitarian #publichealth 
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