Starting my day at 3 AM is not unusual, but today felt particularly significant. My MBA classmates often remark, “You really believe in Malawi 2063,” and I do—deeply.
One of the pivotal moments in my career was contributing to the Independent Country Programme Evaluation (ICPE) for Malawi, aligning with UNDP’s broader mission of ensuring that policies translate into meaningful, measurable change. This evaluation, the first of its kind since 2011, was critical in assessing Malawi’s development trajectory, and I had the privilege of serving as the Gender Focal Point.
A Masterclass in Evaluation and Policy Analysis
When I moved to New York in 2022, I immersed myself in the world of policy evaluation—a space I had only briefly engaged with during my internship at UN Women Malawi in 2017. Those two years in NYC were transformative, giving me a hands-on education in how the UN operationalizes, assesses, and, most importantly, evaluates development programs. The ICPE was an opportunity to apply this knowledge in a context I deeply understand—Malawi.
Malawi has often been described as “policy rich but implementation poor.” This was one of the key findings of the ICPE, reinforcing my long-held belief that while we have visionary plans like Malawi 2063, translating them into tangible outcomes requires intentionality, accountability, and execution. My advocacy now focuses on transforming Malawi into a nation of doers, ensuring that policies are not just documents but lived realities.
Gender and the ICPE: More Than Just a Metric
One of my key responsibilities in the ICPE was examining how UNDP programs integrated gender considerations. The evaluation found that while the Spotlight Initiative made notable contributions to gender equality, beyond this program, UNDP’s overall approach to gender remained largely targeted rather than transformative. The difference is crucial—targeted approaches ensure that women are included in projects, but transformative approaches challenge deep-seated norms and power structures that perpetuate gender inequalities.
In analyzing UNDP’s expenditure by gender marker, we observed that many programs classified as “gender-sensitive” lacked comprehensive strategies to address systemic barriers faced by women. Gender was often a component of the broader governance agenda rather than a primary driver of intervention strategies. This highlighted the need for a stronger gender mainstreaming framework in future country programs, one that doesn’t just add women into projects but fundamentally shifts how development interventions are designed and implemented.
From Policy to Impact
The ICPE made several key recommendations, one of which stood out to me: UNDP should prioritize rolling out a comprehensive gender mainstreaming strategy with clear deliverables. This resonated deeply because, in my role as Gender Focal Point, I saw firsthand how well-intentioned programs often lacked the structure to drive long-term, systemic change.
As I continue to engage in policy, development, and entrepreneurship, I am more convinced than ever that evaluation is one of the most powerful tools for transformation. We cannot improve what we do not measure, and we cannot change what we do not fully understand. Believing in Malawi 2063 is about vision, as much as it is about action.
Read more of my thoughts on MW2063:
Ever committed to development,
Ntha
CONNECT WITH NTHANDA ONLINE:
About the Author
