17
Deferred
The lack of an operational Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework is not a technical issue...
Conclusion
The lack of an operational Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework is not a technical issue but a practical barrier to accountability, oversight, and outcome–focused programming. Current reporting risks being activity– driven rather than impact–driven, undermining efforts to improve the lives of women and girls in conflict–affected contexts. Despite commitments in the National Action Plan, there is no integrated cross–government system for capturing and aggregating data on Women, Peace and Security activity, expenditure or impact, nor a consistently applied set of Women, Peace and Security–specific indicators. The absence of baseline data and an operational Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework at the midpoint of the National Action Plan cycle limits the ability of the Government and Parliament to assess whether interventions are delivering measurable improvements. In the context of Official Development Assistance cuts and reductions in staff and resourcing, this also represents poor value for money, as resources are not systematically tracked or assessed. (Conclusion, Paragraph 85)
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's concerns about the lack of an operational Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework, and states it is reviewing the current mechanism as part of the 2026 WPS NAP refresh to ensure it is robust, measurable, and can capture impact.
Government Response
Deferred
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
Agree. 52. Following the General Election in July 2024 and a review of the commitments in the WPS NAP, the decision was taken that the WPS NAP’s year one baseline study should remain an internal document, given it pertains to former government policies. The baseline study has been completed and, where appropriate, will be used to demonstrate progress against the WPS NAP’s commitments in future. 53. As part of the 2026 WPS NAP refresh, we are reviewing the current monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure it remains robust, measurable and can capture the impact of our actions domestically and internationally. 54. Following the IDC Oral Evidence session in December 2025, the MOD has been considering how best to capture WPS activity, thus strengthening monitoring and evidencing delivery across the whole of Defence.
Source
Committee
International Development Committee
Inquiry
Women, peace and security
Report
10th Report - Peace under pressure: Protecting Women, Peace and Security
23 Mar 2026
HC 782
Addressee Bodies
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Timeline
Recommendation age
0.4 yrs
Report published
23 Mar 2026