Evaluation Office year in review 2025-2026
Evaluation Office year in review 2025-2026
UNHCR's Evaluation year in review covers the reporting period of the 2026 Executive Committee (ExCom) Report, from July 2025 to June 2026. In the past year, UNHCR completed 20 evaluations, of which eight were centralized evaluations directly managed by the Evaluation Office.
This page outlines the progress made in strengthening the evaluation function across UNHCR with respect to the implementation of the evaluation policy, the evaluation strategy and its pillars (coverage, capacity and culture) as well as key findings emerging from evaluations that should be considered for the organization’s next global strategic plan.
2025-2026 in review
Eight centralized evaluations, directly managed by the Evaluation Office, were completed.
12 decentralized evaluations were completed, of which 11 were donor-mandated, reflecting a growing trend in donor-required project evaluations.
The Evaluation Office's budget was $5.2 million in 2025 and 3.3 million in 2026, representing 0.14% of UNHCR’s total organizational expenditure.
UNHCR evaluations completed in 2025 achieved an overall quality rating of 67 per cent, an improvement from 65 per cent in 2024, based on independent external assessment. As financial constraints limited the use of some external quality assurance mechanisms, the Evaluation Office strengthened complementary approaches to safeguard quality and support learning. These included the introduction of a peer review system and the piloting of a UNDP-developed AI-enabled quality assessment tool. These innovations are intended to maintain rigorous quality standards while increasing the efficiency and sustainability of quality assurance processes.
Overview of evaluations completed
Centralized evaluations
Commissioned by the Evaluation Office. Asterisks indicate joint evaluations.
Organizational policy, strategy, thematic
- Climate action readiness assessment
- Independent review of the UNHCR management of tightly earmarked donor funding (internal)
- Evidence Summary Strategic Directions 2017-2026 (to be published)
Country strategy
- Bulgaria country strategy evaluation
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (to be published)
- Republic of Korea country strategy evaluation
Joint/inter-agency evaluations
Decentralized evaluations
Commissioned by UNHCR management at regional and country level. Asterisks indicate joint evaluations.
Regional and multi-country level
- Implementation of the stepped-up livelihoods and economic inclusion strategy 2021-2024 in the UNHCR southern Africa region
- Joint evaluation of the Southern African Migration Management Project (European Union)*
Country level
Americas
- At once! Transforming my community in El Salvador (Peacebuilding Fund)*
- Improving the self-sufficiency and resilience of refugees and migrants from Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and host communities in Colombia through labour market integration - final evaluation (Generalitat Valenciana)
- Protecting my neighbourhood in Honduras (Peacebuilding Fund)*
Asia and the Pacific
- Multi-Year Resilience Plan II Programme in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh (2022 - 2024) (Education Cannot Wait Fund)*
- Mid-term and final evaluation of Protection and Solutions for Afghan refugees, asylum seekers, host communities and stateless persons in Pakistan (the Kingdom of the Netherlands) (to be published)
Eastern and Southern Africa
- Climate-smart agriculture and market development for enhancing livelihoods of refugees and their host communities in Rwanda – Phase 2 (baseline) (IKEA Foundation)
- Pathways to economic inclusion and self-reliance of the refugees and host communities in Rwanda through scaling up graduation approach (DANIDA)
- Mid-Term Evaluation of the Self-Reliance and Resilience for Refugees and Host Communities in Uganda Project (IKEA Foundation) (to be published)
Europe
West and Central Africa
Evaluation coverage map July 2025 - June 2026
Capacity to evaluate and use evidence
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The funding decrease between 2025 and 2026 reduced capacity-building activities undertaken and, in some cases, eroded operational capacity to conduct evaluations, while donor-mandated requirements for evaluations of tightly earmarked funding continue to increase.
The Evaluation Office continued to promote the use of evaluations for both learning and accountability purposes, holding two Member States briefings on major evaluations and providing evaluation briefings internally to senior management and staff.
As budget reductions require greater selectivity in the implementation of country strategies at the operational level, the need to use evidence to support prioritization has become more acute. To reinforce a culture of evidence-based decision-making, management is establishing a system for tracking and reporting on the follow-up to evaluation recommendations.
Evaluation use
The Country Strategy Evaluation of DRC was used as a platform to discuss and draft the new Multi Year Strategic Plan 2027-2030. Main recommendations from the evaluation included a shift from fragmented humanitarian response toward nationally anchored systems.
The Evidence Summary Strategic Directions 2017-2026 was conducted by the Evaluation Office to inform the new organizational Strategic Directions. The synthesis brought together evaluation evidence to inform the most strategic questions facing UNHCR.
In Panama, the evaluation of UNHCR's Multi-Country Office strategy was deliberately timed to feed into the design of the new strategy. A dedicated session was set aside during the PLAN phase so that the evaluation team could present its findings and discuss the recommendations directly with the operation's team. This allowed the evidence from the evaluation to serve as an input to the new strategy as it was being developed.
Findings from selected evaluations
Click through the tabs to read findings from eight key evaluations.
1
Climate action readiness assessment
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Climate-related hazards are a major driver of displacement and human mobility, contributing to over 220 million internal displacements over the last decade (Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre – IDMC, 2024). In 2023, more than 25 per cent of weather-disaster displacements occurred in fragile and conflict-affected settings, where populations already lack the resources to adapt.
Against this backdrop, UNHCR commissioned an independent readiness assessment of its corporate Focus area strategic plan for climate action (2024–2030). The review concluded that the strategic plan is overly ambitious in light of recent funding contractions, organizational changes and staffing losses that have weakened specialized climate financing capacity. The review also identified inconsistent integration across core systems and a disconnect between headquarters’ ambitions and operational realities.
To navigate this constrained environment, the report emphasizes that UNHCR must fundamentally reprioritize its efforts, focusing tightly on operations where high climate vulnerability, conflict and displacement intersect. By anchoring the UNHCR response in its core protection mandate and field presence, and by deepening strategic partnerships to pool resources and expertise, UNHCR can turn climate action into a viable opportunity to advance protection outcomes.
2
Independent review of the UNHCR management of tightly earmarked donor funding (internal)
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The independent (internal) review of the management of tightly earmarked donor funding was commissioned by the Evaluation Office, in collaboration with the Division of External Relations, at the request of the Senior Executive Team. The review aimed to provide a light but systematic assessment of whether the current policies, procedures, systems, capacities and organizational culture of UNHCR are fit for purpose to secure, manage and sustain tightly earmarked, project-based funding going forward.
The review found that UNHCR retains important strengths that can facilitate adaptation to a more projectized funding environment, including the centrality of protection, a dedicated and skilled workforce and a long-standing operational presence. At the same time, readiness to deliver against more tightly earmarked funding is constrained by a range of interrelated internal factors, including fragmented guidance; unclear roles and accountabilities; systems and processes unfit to manage such funding; and the need for clearer strategic direction and an organization-wide resource mobilization strategy.
3
Evidence Summary Strategic Directions 2017-2026
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With the support of artificial intelligence, the Evaluation Office conducted a major synthesis of the organization’s evaluation evidence to inform the new Strategic Directions. Drawing on 2,381 findings, including conclusions, lessons and good practices from 120 independent evaluations conducted between 2016 and 2026, the synthesis brings together evaluation evidence to inform the most strategic questions facing UNHCR. Artificial intelligence was used to identify patterns across operations, regions and thematic areas that individual evaluations cannot reveal.
Organized around protection, emergency, solutions, and self-reliance, as well as the roles of UNHCR and the populations under its mandate, the papers highlight where the organization's contribution is strongest and inform decisions on priorities. The thematic analysis will be published as a series of short papers on the Evaluation Office webpage.
4
Bulgaria country strategy evaluation (2022–2024)
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The Bulgaria country strategy evaluation (2022–2024) assessed the country office’s strategic positioning and performance in line with the evaluation criteria developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Development Assistance Committee and provides recommendations to inform the next phase of the country strategy.
Between 2022 and 2024, UNHCR Bulgaria adapted its role in line with evolving needs, moving from advocacy to more operational support in response to the Ukraine refugee crisis, and subsequently refocusing on inclusion and solutions. This flexibility strengthened its credibility and strategic engagement with government counterparts and European Union institutions. While UNHCR expanded its partnerships and played an important coordination role, the evaluation identified scope to strengthen coordination mechanisms and internal coherence across workstreams. Key recommendations highlighted:
- transitioning to more structured, inclusive and locally-owned coordination mechanisms
- clearer delineation of responsibilities among United Nations agencies
- investing in long-term strategic partnerships
- reinforcing support for protection-sensitive access to territory at the external borders of the European Union.
5
Democratic Republic of the Congo country strategy evaluation
Mbusi Nyakata Emmanuella, 24, does her daily chores in front of her house in the ecological houses programme in the Telega camp for displaced people in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on 24 September 2024.
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo country strategy evaluation (2022-2025) assessed three areas: effectiveness, efficiency and coherence. While cash transfers, income generating activities and development efforts showed progress in the assessed areas, their reach and sustainability were constrained by design, monitoring and community engagement challenges. In 2025, a 30 per cent funding decline resulted in 200 job cuts and six office closures, prompting UNHCR to prioritize resources in the most critical areas in the eastern part of the country and Ubangi. Partnerships with the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization and the Government advanced, though coordination challenges persisted and localization efforts remained below expectations. Key recommendations of the evaluation included
- improving activity sequencing and targeting
- strengthening consideration of government and community contributions in self-reliance initiatives
- aligning staffing structures with programmatic priorities
- reinforcing the role of UNHCR in sector coordination.
6
Republic of Korea country strategy evaluation
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The Republic of Korea country strategy evaluation (2021-2024) assessed the strategic positioning of UNHCR in a high-income country context with an emerging donor profile. The evaluation found that UNHCR strengthened its institutional credibility with the Government, enhanced public visibility, and cultivated a loyal private donor base that generated highly flexible income. These efforts contributed to the Republic of Korea becoming the third largest source of global private funding, accounting for approximately 10 per cent of total private sector partnerships income. Public contributions also increased substantially, more than doubling between 2023 and 2024 through a new partnership framework with the Korea International Cooperation Agency.
In the area of protection, the evaluation found that UNHCR played an important role in fostering the development of the national asylum ecosystem, strengthening refugee status determination quality and contributing to reforms related to detention practices and birth registration through legal advocacy and strategic litigation. However, persistent gaps remained, noting:
- a decline in private sector revenue
- the need to further develop private partnerships and philanthropy
- continued challenges in the asylum system, including a low refugee recognition rate of 2.7 per cent
- the limited effectiveness of public communications efforts to foster public engagement.
The evaluation recommended:
- strengthening donor-centred engagement
- further expanding private partnerships and philanthropy initiatives
- broadening advocacy across multiple levels
- supporting continued asylum system reform.
7
Implementation of the emergency transit mechanism in Niger (European Union/Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA))
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The highest rated decentralized evaluation in the 2025 external quality assurance was the evaluation on the implementation of the emergency transit mechanism in Niger. The emergency transit mechanism project in Niger, implemented by UNHCR with European Union funding, facilitated the evacuation of refugees from Libya and provided shelter, food, health care, and resettlement support. While initially effective, the project faced significant challenges following the 2023 political transition in Niger which halted evacuations and shrinking third-country quotas which increased average resettlement wait times from 38 days to over two years.
Although aligned with European Union humanitarian policy, the project operated within a broader framework prioritizing border control, which limited actual resettlement opportunities. The evaluation found that the over-reliance on resettlement generated expectations that could not be sustained and may have contributed to onward movements towards Niger.
8
Inter-agency evaluations
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The inter-agency humanitarian evaluation of the response to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria was published by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee in mid-2025. It was complemented by a synthesis of evaluative evidence on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and a summary of findings from crisis-specific inter-agency humanitarian evaluations. These evaluations provided valuable insights relevant to a number of priority areas under the humanitarian reset.
In addition, several of the decentralized evaluations conducted in the past year were undertaken jointly with other agencies (see annex I), with a view to strengthen inter-agency cooperation and assess system-wide results. In this regard, several major evaluations were completed by the United Nations System Wide Evaluation Office focusing on important areas of United Nations reform.
Finally, in response to a board of auditors recommendation in their 2025 report to commission periodic inter-agency evaluations of refugee response plans and regional refugee response plans, the Evaluation Office launched in April 2026 a joint evaluation of the refugee response in Bangladesh.
During the reporting period, the Evaluation Office applied artificial intelligence-assisted methods to synthesize a decade of the organization’s evaluation evidence, producing 24 analytical papers to inform the development of the new UNHCR Strategic Directions. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence enabled the synthesis at a scale not previously feasible. Building on a pilot conducted the previous year, artificial intelligence tools were used to extract, data, identify patterns and draft analyses from 120 independent evaluations, while evaluative judgments and final outputs remained under the oversight of senior evaluation staff. This approach generated significant cost efficiencies and is fully documented and replicable.
To govern current and future applications, the Evaluation Office developed a guidance note on the responsible use of artificial intelligence in evaluations which establishes safeguards across the full evaluation lifecycle, aligning with ethical principles of the United Nations Evaluation Group and United Nations system-wide standards for artificial intelligence for all evaluations conducted or commissioned by UNHCR.
Reflecting forward
As we reflect on the progress made during the reporting period, our attention is also firmly directed towards the opportunities ahead.
In September 2026, UNHCR, together with UNICEF, OCHA and WFP, is planning the fourth Global Impact Evaluation Forum in Geneva. Supported by the Government of Switzerland, the three-day event will provide an opportunity to share good practices and identify priorities for a common United Nations evidence agenda. Central to this vision is the proposed Joint Impact Evaluation Hub for 2026–2030, which aims to strengthen the humanitarian sector’s evidence base through rigorous impact evaluations and generate credible evidence on what works, for whom and at what cost.
This forward-looking approach is also reflected in the Evaluation Office’s 2026–2027 workplan. The workplan reflects a more explicit need for country strategy evaluations, such as in the United Republic of Tanzania. The workplan also includes thematic evaluations examining specific UNHCR functions such as advocacy and policy advice, as well as areas of renewed organizational focus aligned with the 50 by 35 vision.
To sustainably meet the growing demand for tightly earmarked project evaluations, the Evaluation Office has put forward a proposal that introduces two financing and support mechanisms:
- mandatory budget ring-fencing for large or contractually-required evaluations
- an Evaluation pooled fund, financed by a 0.5 per cent contribution from mid-sized projects ($2 million–$25 million).
The pooled fund could finance thematic, emergency, multi-country, and impact evaluations. If approved, this framework would double the evaluation spending of UNHCR and bring investment levels closer to United Nations’ benchmarks. Subsequent steps would include piloting the Evaluation pooled fund within corporate planning cycles and establishing a steering committee to endorse its workplan.
