USAID/Nepal MEL Quarterly Performance Report January – March 2018

Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nepal's Development Objectives (DOs) by assisting the Mission in learning from more rigorous monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of development activities. The MEL Activity has three components: Component 1, Component 2, and Component 3. Component 1: Support greater rigor and coherence in USAID/Nepal's M&E efforts focuses on providing technical assistance for the performance management plan (PMP) and project- and activity-level MEL plans. This component also strengthens the capacity of USAID/Nepal staff to conduct M&E tasks and use data effectively, as well as strengthens the performance monitoring capacity of USAID/Nepal implementing partners (IPs). Under Component 1, the MEL Activity completed the annual MEL survey using the survey monkey tool and tracked the performance of major indicators. The survey results showed that 14 of 18 staff reported using data for technical decisions or updates about future programming, and 11 of 18 staff reported using data to make decisions about future programming. Additionally, 29 percent of USAID/Nepal's program staff reported having a high level of confidence in selecting good performance indicators, and approximately 18 percent of program staff affirmed having a high level of confidence in establishing realistic performance targets. Component 2: Design and conduct analyses, evaluations, surveys, studies, and assessments focuses on conducting performance and impact evaluations, as well as conducting surveys, studies, assessments, and analyses. During this quarter, the MEL Activity worked on several data collections, analyses, and reports, including the Sajhedari Bikaas: Partnership for Local Development Final Performance Evaluation, the Zero Tolerance (ZT): Gender-Based Violence–Free Schools Mid-term Performance Review, the Chlorohexidine Gel Coverage and Compliance (CCC) Survey, the Maternal and Child Health (MNH) Report, the Integrated Governance Project (IGP) Mid-term Survey, the Hariyo Ban II Impact Evaluation, and the Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project (CS:MAP) mid-term performance evaluation. Concerning studies and sector assessments, the MEL Activity conducted a series of consultation meetings with DO offices to further integrate the findings and recommendations from the Adolescent Girls' Empowerment (AGE) assessment. The MEL team obtained approval from the ethical review board for a study on Utilization Patterns of Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) in Nepal. Component 3: Support improved knowledge management within the Mission focuses on assisting the Mission in improving its knowledge management (KM) and collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) practices, including the use of AIDTracker Plus (AT+) and other USAID performance monitoring or KM systems. The MEL Activity team continued performing ongoing tasks and subtasks, such as supporting the DO2 M&E team in organizing and facilitating an agriculture M&E group meeting and supporting the Risk, Reduction, Reconstruction, and Resilience (DR4) office with the political economy analysis of disaster risk management (DRM) in Nepal. The MEL Activity has made significant progress in supporting the achievement of USAID/Nepal's Development Objectives, including strengthening the capacity of USAID/Nepal staff to conduct M&E tasks and use data effectively, and conducting performance and impact evaluations, as well as conducting surveys, studies, assessments, and analyses.