Integrated MEL Modules – Designing a MEL System on rule of law public policies (procurement, anticorruption, justice), 10 December 2024

The European Movement in Albania, as part of the integrated modules for MEL – Monitoring and Evaluation of the Rule of Law Policies, supported by the European Union within the action “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowered CSOs in the EU Accession Process”, organized the next MEL module on December 10, 2024. This session focused on issues related to the design, monitoring, and evaluation of policies.

In the first session, MEL expert Mimoza Agolli primarily discussed identifying components for inclusive monitoring and emphasized the importance of involving monitors and evaluators in the early stages of policy development, encouraging their participation in working groups. According to her, this is a practice that is insufficiently utilized in Albania. She also highlighted the lack of standardized mechanisms for assessing the impact of policies on interest groups, as this aspect is often addressed too late.

Continuing the training, the second session, which dealt with the steps in implementing the MEL system, involved dividing participants into small working groups of 3-4 people. Each group was assigned a specific topic related to policies or reforms carried out in Albania within the framework of the rule of law, such as the Justice Reform, Public Administration Reform, Anti-Corruption/Good Governance, and Digital Strategy. The groups worked and discussed based on the steps and procedures that need to be followed during the design and monitoring process. These include identifying requirements, defining participants (interest groups, which can range from 6 to 10 such groups), applying the methodological approach, and finally, confirming the parameters, interest groups, and choices made.

During the practical session, the groups worked on developing measurement instruments for indicators and the information management system, following the above steps. Agolli emphasized that, along with strategies or other policy documents, the Evaluation Plan is also crucial, as it determines how the evaluation processes will supplement the information gathered through monitoring to provide answers to evaluation questions. The evaluation particularly focuses on assessing the achievement of the program’s intended outcomes, identifying what works well or not, the reasons why, the program’s quality and value, and the extent to which it meets the expectations of key stakeholder groups.

At the end of the training, the groups discussed their work and the details of their findings, which were undoubtedly valuable. This training aimed to enhance the participants’ capacities in designing and evaluating effective and sustainable policies in the key areas mentioned.