Independence: With the exception of self-evaluations, members of evaluation teams should be independent from the planning and delivery of the policy, program or activities being evaluated.

Impartiality: Evaluators are expected to make balanced judgments, reporting and analyzing both successes and failures. If stakeholders have significantly different views, this should be made clear in the evaluation report.

Credibility: The evaluation process should be systematic, transparent and inclusive, with evaluations being undertaken and managed by skilled and experienced evaluators. Evaluations should identify and convey valid and reliable information, and reflect inputs from a variety of stakeholders.

Transparency: Evaluations should give affected stakeholders access to evaluation-related information in forms that respect people and honor promises of confidentiality. The Evaluation Unit will publish all its evaluations and encourage the same for self-evaluations.

Partnership: Evaluations in partner countries should be conducted in collaboration with partner institutions, and use partner country data and information wherever feasible.

Usefulness: Evaluations will be designed and managed to meet the information and decision-making needs of the intended users. This requires ensuring timely and accessible evaluation results.

Cost-effectiveness: Evaluations will be planned and managed as effectively as possible to maximize their benefits while minimizing the use of scarce resources and unnecessary time demands on stakeholders.

Ethics: Evaluations should be conducted legally, ethically, and with due regard for the welfare of those involved in the evaluation, as well as those affected by its results. IDLO endorses the principle of “do no harm”.