THE DYNAMICS OF PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION (PM&E) IN TRADITIONAL PAKISTAN: THE ROLE AND PRACTICE OF PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION AS PROCESSES OF EDUCATION BASED EMPOWERMENT INTERVENTIONS IN TRADITIONALLY HIERARCHICAL CONTEXTS OF PAKISTAN.

Aamer Shams, SIT Graduate Institute

Abstract

This research seeks to explore the interpretation and application of Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) in the context of Educational Empowerment by analyzing insights gathered from multiple stakeholder groups in four cities of Pakistan, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar. Analysis of the findings reveals nuances of PM&E, including “Equality and Equity, Respect and Tolerance” (pg. 58-61) that limit the potential of this transdisciplinary empowerment process. Empowerment and educational programs often employ the continuous processes of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to gain an understanding of the implementation, efficiency, impact, and overall performance of the program. M&E also provides valuable information about rooms for improvement within elements of the program. Unlike traditional M&E, PM&E engages members from multiple stakeholder groups to define, design and strategize the process. In PM&E, these stakeholder groups further facilitate the process through data collection and analysis. However, the transdisciplinary process of monitoring and evaluation regardless of its conventional or participatory nature, is prone to be susceptible to nuances that often jeopardize the process, analysis, and information it renders. Power dynamics and positionality, interpersonal and inter-group politics, conflicts of interest and interpretation, create an environment where overtly inclusive processes have elements of exclusivity.

Keywords: M&E; Monitoring and Evaluation; PM&E; Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation; Inclusion; Equity; Equality; Inclusion; Tolerance; Respect; Power Dynamics