ABSTRACT
Conducting evaluation is rarely a favorite activity for those engaged in conflict resolution and peacebuilding work (hereafter CR/PB). It takes time, consumes scarce resources, requires a relatively high degree of expertise, and can result in evaluation results that are already self-evident or do not capture the nuances of conflict transformation work. Yet there are good reasons to bring evaluation to the forefront of the field of CR/PB. First, evaluation is an essential instrument for monitoring and improving upon existing initiatives. Without solid evaluation, practitioners would lack the ability to understand “what went wrong,” and scholars would lack the ability to build a body of theory about the causes of and remedies to social conflicts. Second, as the number of non-governmental and international organizations involved in peacebuilding activities increases, so too does the call for greater accountability on the part of these organizations. Finally, evaluation is an almost universal obligation when it comes to fulfilling the terms of conflict management grants given by public and private donors.
