Researcher and Evaluator

[Pramod Sharma]

Dictionary meaning of a Researcher is as below

 someone who studies a subject, especially in order to discover new information or reach a new understanding:

 And dictionary meaning of an evaluator is a person who assesses the amount, extent, or value of something. 

If we understand from the definitions of both, then it is clear that there will be difference in the approach of both, their mindset, body language, appearance will be different. In addition, respondents will respond differently to them. They might be defensive in front of Evaluators and more open in case of Researchers.   

What I feel is evaluation is an important process in any programmes to judge if the  programme is moving in right direction.

 For example, Educational institutions take exams, institutions do audit for finance to assess accuracy of use of money or irregularities , Companies do board meetings periodically to assess their performance, Environmental audits for use of natural resources and so on..

After few years, for improvement in their performance and accuracy they increased the frequency of assessments by doing midterm exams, quarterly audit, half yearly meetings. These mid term evaluations are helpful in the final evaluations.

 For sustainable development, it is important that advantages of development should be reached to everyone because every one is owner of mother earth and all have equal rights on natural resources and responsible for its use and degradation.

 Fortunately,  on gender fronts Indian government is less biased than Indian society . Mostly all the programs are made for all (male, female etc). So it is easy to assess their interventions  through gender lenses in comparison to the interventions by society like family, marriages, religion, caste, educational rights, equal pay rights, access to finance, access to resources etc. 

Projects/interventions could be approved through gender lenses before their implementation even the Industrial Estate  Development in any area.  Indicators could be formed  according to gender lenses with the help of gender researchers. Gender researcher can also help in preparing lenses.

The assessment through gender lenses could be done quarterly (3 months) for short term projects or yearly for long term programs with the implementation of programs and it should be an integral part of the intervention like financial audits, environmental audits, board meetings etc

 If evaluator finds any imbalance during implementation process then it can be rectified or stop the implementation if not satisfied on the gender fronts.

Gender researcher could be part of every short term evaluations or final evaluation to study the new information and update new developments.