Midterm Review of Eswatini Youth Empowerment Project — National Individual Consultant

The Consultant will conduct an independent midterm review (MTR) covering the period from project inception (2023) to 2026. The MTR will provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of project performance to date. It will assess progress toward outputs and outcomes, determine the relevance and effectiveness of implementation strategies, review efficiency and use of resources, examine the quality of partnerships and coordination, identify bottlenecks and risks, and provide clear, actionable recommendations for the remainder of the project life.

The evaluation will be carried out in accordance with UNDP evaluation guidelines and policies, United Nations Group Evaluation Norms and Ethical Standards; OECD/DAC evaluation principles and guidelines and DAC Evaluation Quality Standards. All analysis must be based on observed facts, evidence, and data. Findings should be specific and concise and supported by information that is reliable and valid.

The MTR will assess progress towards the achievement of the project objectives and outcomes as specified in the Project Document, and assess early signs of project success or failure with the goal of identifying the necessary changes to be made in order to set the project on-track to achieve its intended results. The MTR will also review the project’s strategy, its risks to sustainability. The consultant will review all relevant sources of information including documents prepared during the preparation phase (i.e.

PIF, the Project Document, project reports, project budget revisions, lesson learned reports, national strategic and legal documents, and any other materials that the team considers useful for this evidence based review). The MTR team is expected to follow a collaborative and participatory approach ensuring close engagement with the Project Team, government counterparts, the UNDP Country Office, and other key stakeholders. Stakeholder involvement should include interviews with stakeholders who have project responsib