The GMEL Partnership supported the set-up of a global MEL framework that will be designed with the specific overarching aim of bringing the CSSF to a level of evaluability, as well as enabling rigorous evidence-based policy and programme decisions. The UK government’s primary requirement was for a comprehensive MEL support service that can deliver flexibly across different fields and applies to policy areas, portfolios, and programmes. The objective of the Global MEL Partnership was to develop the systems and capabilities necessary for enabling the generation and synthesis of results and evidence across the Fund, as well as rigorously embedding evidence generation and dissemination, and lesson learning, into programme decision and design.

The project had close access to UK government in order to shape thinking and comprehensively understand policy requirements in a broad range of areas including (but not limited to): –

• Conflict prevention and peacebuilding
• Security and Justice, Serious Organised Crime and Security Sector Reform
• Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism
• Stabilisation
• Gender, Peace and Security

The project theory of change envisaged that by the end of a three-year period, CSSF would more effectively and consistently:

• Demonstrate credible contributions towards UK government priorities
• Use reliable evidence in decisions or policy, strategy, funding allocations and programme planning throughout the CSSF network
• Communicate and exchange insights transparently across the CSSF, with wider UK government and other audiences
• Learns from its own practice.

In order to achieve the above organisational behaviour changes, the project will focus on strengthening MEL capacity to ensure the CSSF has a stronger, more agile and more sustainable ecosystem for MEL and its application in decision-making.