Stage 7: Policy Monitoring and Evaluation

Migration policy is complex, multifaceted and responds to and impacts other national and international policy domains. Monitoring and evaluation helps to establish whether a policy meets its objectives and to inform future policymaking.

The role of monitoring and evaluation in measuring policy objectives is introduced in The policy cycle. There, monitoring and evaluation were together described as the final stage in the policy cycle sequence, or rather, where the cycle both ends and begins anew. But the approach needed and/or expected for both monitoring and evaluation should already be under consideration at the policy formulation stage; considering ”what success would look like” early is key.

The decision on “what” and “how” to monitor and evaluate will be linked to factors including the scope of the policy, how high the stakes are for the government, how experimental the approach is as well as practical realities such as capability, resources and stakeholder interest.