News Release: Co-Leader, Decade of Evaluation for Action to Address Jamaican Diaspora Stakeholder Engagement for the National M & E System

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TORONTO, Canada – Khalil Bitar, Co-leader, Decade of Evaluation for Action and Chair, EvalYouth Global Network, Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW, Monitoring and Evaluation Systems Design Consultant and  Andrea “Delcita” Wright, Actress and Guidance Counsellor will be guest speakers at the “Jamaican Diaspora Stakeholder Engagement for the National M & E System”  which will be held today, July 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm.

Mr. Bitar will bring greetings on behalf of the Co-leaders for the Decade of EVALUATION for Action, also known as the Eval4Action campaign. “The campaign is aligned with the UN Secretary-General’s Decade of Action to deliver the Global Goals (UN Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the SDGs).

The Eval4Action campaign “seeks to promote widespread recognition on evaluation being critical to, and a key accelerator for achieving the SDGs. It will mobilize commitments by different stakeholders – parliaments, governments, and evaluation associations – to invest in stronger evaluation systems to inform public policies, ensuring no one is left behind” (https://www.eval4action.org/)

The campaign also raises awareness about the lack of evaluation evidence in the Voluntary National Reviews presented to the United Nations High Level Political Forum by developed and developing countries.  It also champions the need for building evaluation capacity— including monitoring and evaluation systems, which are critical to the delivery of the goals.

Columbia, Mexico, and Venezuela were among the first 17 countries to present Voluntary National Reviews in 2016, and the only Latin American countries to do so (UN ECLAC). Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and The Dominican Republic reported in 2018, the third round of reporting. While the United Kingdom submitted their first report in 2019. Fifty-one countries were preparing their reports in February 2020.

“Eval4Action is envisaged as a highly inclusive campaign that is led by civil society for the achievement of these objectives, with global coordination and support by the co-leaders”. UNFPA Evaluation Office, EvalYouth Global Network and Global Parliamentarians Forum for Evaluation are the co-leaders. Local action for delivering the goals as well as for ensuring issues unique to countries and their citizenries such as unique challenges faced by Jamaica, and its diaspora both mutually and independently require actions and commitment by individual diasporans, businesses and diaspora organizations says, Meegan Scott of Magate Wildhorse Consulting event host and Eval4Action campaign partners.

Eval4Action aims to “revitalize global engagement and commitment on national evaluation capacities for timely delivery of the SDGs”. Today’s event aims to ensure all Jamaicans can own, contribute, and benefit from the process.

Diaspora organizations public and private must generate data and engage in evaluation so Jamaica and host countries can meet the “the key UN principles for constructing national reviews”. That requires “rigorous evaluations based on evidence,  and informed by data which is high-quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, disability and geographic location and other characteristics relevant to the context of the diaspora and beneficiaries of programmes it funds in Jamaica.

Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW, the consultant engaged by the Government of Jamaica for delivering the M & E System will facilitate the stakeholder engagement session. He is also a Director of the Board of Caribbean Evaluators International (CEI), an international partner in the Eval4Action campaign.  The CEI is registered in Jamaica with chapters in other Caribbean countries.

Andrea “Delcita” Wright will bring humour as well as serious conversation through her session “ “Genderation Revue” . She will address Jamaica’s unique context and manifestations of the challenges related SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”; and SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Results-based strategy planning that is grounded in systems thinking and informed by evidence is also crucial to the delivering the goals. Dr. Karren Dunkley will present, North East Diaspora Strategic Planning: Ensuring Productivity & Success in a “ Soon Come” Mindset and Mentality Frame.

With just 10 years for fixing some of world’s most “wicked problems” , when both developed and developing countries were off target to varying degrees before and now dangerously off  track as a result of the COVID _19 pandemic the need for action is urgent.

Delivering the SDGs are crucial to improving the wellbeing of people, planet, and prosperity, but it requires  partnerships like we have never needed it before― if “no one is to be left behind”.

The event is hosted by Magate Wildhorse Consulting and The Community of Practice for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs. Today’s event partners are the Co-leaders of Eval4Action,  the Jamaica Diaspora Northeast USA, Windsor West Indian Association, the Jamaican Canadian Association Alberta as well as several ethnic media outfits.

Magate Wildhorse is committed to partnering and delivering influential evaluations for the goals.

There is no charge for participating in the event. Individuals with no Jamaican roots but who identify as Jamaicans are welcome to participate in the event.

Pre-registration is required via the following link: https://forms.gle/5CWkWZyUekRcDAr28

For questions, email: magate.wildhorse@gmail.com

Or visit the event links at:

https://magatewildhorse.ca/jamaican-diaspora-stakeholder-engagement-for-national-m-e-system

https://www.facebook.com/events/317139716007839/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDKtzxXh5xx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://twitter.com/MagateWildhorse/status/1287922436890132480?s=20

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Event participants are being ask to pre-register at the link included in the release above.

PDF Version of Release

 

Jamaican Diaspora Stakeholder Engagement for National M & E System

With Jamaica’s Independence celebration coming up six days from today, we believe it is important to focus on building capacities for sustainable development at home and in the diaspora.

We also believe presenting this opportunity for diasporans to contribute the the development of Jamaica’s National Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in partnership with the Co-leaders of the UN Decade of Evaluation for Action, Jan V and the Jamaica Diaspora North East, USA will help to catalyze change.

But we will need you and your commitment to drive the sustainable development of Jamaica and to secure a better future for us at home and in our host cities.

Will you join us?

Meet our guest speakers and session facilitators

 

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Khalil Bitar

Khalil Bitar is the Chair of EvalYouth Global Network; Founder of the Palestinian Evaluation Association (PEA); Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the EvalYouth MENA Chapter; and co-leader of the Eval4Action Campaign.  Khalil is also a leader of the EvalMENA Network and serve as a member of the EvalPartners Coordination Committee (and previously EvalPartners Management Group).

Khalil has worked an internal and external evaluator and researcher for several governmental institutions and local and international NGOs in the MENA region and Europe. Throughout his experience, he evaluated numerous projects and programs covering a wide range of sectors, including: education, refugee response, economic empowerment, youth, gender, women empowerment, local governance, corporate social responsibility, and training.

He is now completing his doctoral research (Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at Erfurt University – Germany)  focusing on investigating the impact of M&E systems on policymaking and governance in conflict-affected and fragile states. He holds an Advanced Master’s degree in Development Evaluation and Management (Institute of Development Policy and Management at Antwerp University – Belgium) and Bachelor degree in International Politics and Sociology (City University London – UK).  He is also an International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) graduate.

Khalil has published articles in the New Directions for Evaluation Journal and Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, and he has been a speaker in several evaluation community conferences and other events.

His research interests include evaluation in conflict-affected and fragile states, national evaluation systems, policy evaluation, evaluation in the MENA region, activism in evaluation, and social justice, equity-focused, and youth participatory evaluation.

 

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Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW

Johannes (Jan) VOORDOUW is a well-rounded development professional who has worked in the Wider Caribbean region for over 30 years.  He is a dual national Jamaica/Netherlands, multi-lingual and an ecologist by training.  Since 2015 as an independent consultant, Jan Voordouw specializes on project and programme evaluation, institutional development, community participation and media development.  He previously worked with the relief and development social enterprise Cordaid as Haiti director, the regional communication for development organization Panos Caribbean as Executive Director and Director of Programmes, and UNEP’s Caribbean Environment Programme as Programme Officer).

During past years, he conducted various designs of M&E frameworks, regarding forestry management and justice reform.  Currently, he is designing the M&E framework and plan of Vision 2030 Jamaica-National Development Plan, including the SDGs.  Further, Jan Voordouw is regularly involved in strategic planning activities at local community, national and regional levels.  Jan Voordouw has a M.Sc. from the Agricultural University of Wageningen, Netherlands.  Currently he serves on the Boards of Caribbean Evaluators International as Marketing and Communication Director and the Alliance française de la Jamaïque as Treasurer.

 

Andrea Wright

Andrea Wright is a Guidance Counsellor at Charlemont High School, Linstead, Jamaica. She has worked at Dinthill Technical and Vere Technical High. The Parenting Speaker and Actress is popularly known as Delcita, a popular Jamaican comedian.

Andrea excels at working with parents for ensuring they understand the connection between a nurturing home and academic achievement. She helps teachers with coping strategies for behavioural challenges. Her proven track record of success includes helping Departmental Heads to deliver various school projects. In 2015, Andrea organized and successfully launched the Vere Technical High School’s first Children’s Day Celebration. In 2015 she was selected as the advocate for the United States Embassy Youth Ambassadors from Clarendon.

Andrea is solid in her belief that the quality of a country’s labour force rests on its investment in its children. Hence, in May 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, she heralded a campaign to send external exam students back into the high schools for a few weeks of face to face teaching and also strongly advocated that the Ministry of Education allow the students to sit their CSEC and CAPE exams at the same time as the other Caribbean countries.

She is a well sought after Guest Presenter and recently addressed the Bank of Jamaica retirees on coping skills and strategies. Besides theatre, her event development experience includes staff development workshops addressed by executives such as the Chief of the Office of Children’s Registry (OCR).

She has appeared in many theatrical productions as well as Jamaica’s first AIDS Awareness Documentary written by Trevor Rhone. Her stage plays include De Driva, Money Worries, Granny Del, Honeymoon and her true story, Court House Drama.

The Gleaner’s Youth Link named her actress of the year 2012 and Your View Awards named her Jamaican Actress of the year 2017-2018.
She attended Shortwood Teachers’ College and holds a BSc., Degree in Guidance and Counselling from Northern Caribbean University. In addition, she is an A+ Certified Technician (Microsoft, International Professional Certification), and is trained in Psychosocial Training for Grade 7-9 Teachers.

Her mantra: Challenges are Intersections – Stay on Course
Andrea is available for speaking engagements including keynote, guest speaker, motivational talks and Guest speaking, motivational talks and theatrical skits.

Dr. Karren Dunkley

Dr. Karren Dunkley is an Educator, Transformational Leader, and Social Advocate. She is the Representative of the Jamaican Diaspora, Northeast USA. Dr. Dunkley is a Proven Performer, who has earned the respect and recommendation of others who have seen her work first hand. Currently, Dr. Dunkley is one of the most successful educators in the United States, and one of the most internationally recognized Jamaican-born educators. As a former high school principal and deputy superintendent, Dr. Dunkley is known for her transformational leadership and her inspiring relationships with the young people whom she has mentored in Jamaica, New York, and Pennsylvania.

She holds a doctorate in Urban Education with a concentration in Organization and Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University; Masters degrees in Political Science and Education Leadership from St. John’s University, and Columbia University, respectively, and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Education from St. John’s University. She is the principal/CEO of KND Consulting, LLC, and the co-proprietor of Spiritz of Montego Bay.

She is the recipient of the Tuskegee University Education Advocacy Award, Omega Psi Phi Education Achievement Award, Philadelphia OIC’s Impact Award, and the Team Jamaica Bickle Community Educator Award.

The Marathoner

Meegan Scott

Meegan Scott, is a Strategic Management Consultant and Principal at Magate Wildhorse Consulting. For almost two decades, She has helped organizational leaders across industries and geographical borders to get better results from their strategy development, planning, and execution processes.  Meegan is the founder and owner of Magate Wildhorse Ltd, Toronto and Magate Wildhorse Inc, New York. Her most recent in Caribbean engagements includes Climate Finance Strategy Planning, The First Ever Outsource to the Caribbean Conference (2017), business incubation, and  corporate strategy planner to the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica. Meegan is also the founder of both Caribbean Evaluators International; BIDEM International Caribbean Diaspora Conference and Trade Show; The Community of Practice of Practice for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs, author of The Marathoner, a self-syndicated business column as well as the Chief Editor and Producer of The Noësis, Strategy and Performance Magazine/Journal. Meegan had the privilege of compiling the first edition of Jamaica’s Compendium of Sustainable Development Indicators in 2003 while serving as Corporate Strategy Planner to the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica (NEPA).

Meegan is committed to partnering for and delivering influential evaluations, as well as facilitating the use and demand for evaluation within and beyond the Jamaican diaspora, host countries and the Caribbean.

 

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Dania Sammott

Dania Sammott, is an experienced Retail Merchandizer and Travel Counsellor. Her experience include serving in the hypermarket sub-sector as well as in retail, pharmacy, food and household departments.  She is the Director, Public Relations for the Manchester High Alumni, Toronto, Chapter.

Dania will serve in the role of time keeper for today’s event.

Event Flyer                               Event Programme

Resources added post event on July 31, 2020 courtesy of Jan Voordouw.

In addition to the SDG related links in the event programme at the link above Jan is pleased to share the following with you.

https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/rankings?utm_sq=gghcxpkail

https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/downloads

SDGs and COVID-19


We partner

Citizen Generated Urban and Rural Data for Citizen-Centric Smart Sustainable Cities and Diaspora Change Makers

Event Flyer Citizen Generated Data

Happening Tomorrow

Citizen Generated Urban and Rural Data for Citizen-Centric Smart Sustainable Cities and Diaspora Change Makers

Time: 2:00 PM Est | 1:00 PM Jamaica  | 7:00 PM UK

Register to participate or join us on Facebook Live            https://www.facebook.com/MagateWildhorse/

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Presenter: Roza Vasileva

Roza is a PhD Candidate in Digital Economy and Sr. Digital Development Consultant at the World Bank Group.  She has been actively involved in related work in Africa and have contributed to the agenda of the World Economic Forum. She has conducted research in the areas of  using data especially open government data and citizen generated urban data for designing citizen-centric smart sustainable cities. Roza holds an undergraduate degree in Public Relations from Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia in St. Petersburg and a dual master’s degree in Public Administration and International Affairs from  Maxwell School of Syracuse University where she was a Fulbright Scholar. Since 2012 she  serves as an ICT and Open Data consultant to the World Bank’s Transport and ICT Global Practice. At the World Bank she focuses on Open Government Data and Digital Government projects in over a dozen countries including Tanzania, Mauritius, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, India, Kazakhstan, and Russia.

Why You Cannot Afford to Miss This Event

It is known that local actions by citizens and their contribution to providing data, raising issues as well as contributing to monitoring and evaluation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are crucial to the success in meeting the targets.  If we have learnt nothing from the harsh blows of COVID-19 in the BCAME diaspora (Black, Caribbean, Asian and other Minority Ethnic Groups) communities, we have learnt about the importance of not having community data. We have learnt the high price of not having evidence. We have learnt that government cannot generate all the data for supporting plans and policies for effecting the needed transformation in our communities.

We have seen how evidence in the form of videos recordings have helped in the fight against racial injustice the case of George Floyd being among the most notable. But it the data we generate can also help in other ways when it comes to ensuring what matters to you in relation to topics such as social injustice, climate change, mental health, economic inequality, education, entrepreneurship and modern day slavery are included on policy agendas, budgets, action plans, and studies among other. What gets measured gets funded!

Being commitment and having the capacity to generate our own data as entrepreneur communities and diaspora communities will make a significant difference in advancing our progress.  Evaluation is said to have the biggest multiplier effect in driving the delivery of the SDGs. It can work for you in making strong strategy plans, programmes, evaluation and delivering the evidence for ensuring your relevance, ensuring your inclusion and participation as well as transparency and accountability.

Businesses and entrepreneurs must also commit to contributing the voluntary national reporting on the SDGs by their cities and countries. Today only a quarter of businesses do so, change has to move from local to global, we must own, participate in and ensure accountability in relation the transformation that is needed by our communities and businesses.

Join us tomorrow learn what, how and the connection to the SDGs from expert Roza Vasileva.

Come ready to ask questions and to seek guidance for improving your programmes in the Q & A session.

Request the registration link at magate.wildhorse(at) gmail.com  or join us live on https://www.facebook.com/MagateWildhorse/

The Marathoner

Moderator: Meegan Scott,  B.Sc. Hons, MBA, CTM, ATM-B, CL, PMP

Brought to you by Magate Wildhorse and The Community of Practice for Caribbean Immigrant Entrepreneurs

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