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CES UNDRIP Working Group Summary Report and a Statement of Commitment

The CES National Board is pleased to share a Summary Report and a Statement of Commitment from the 2022-2024 UNDRIP Working Group.

In October 2022, the CES Board approved Terms of Reference for a Working Group mandated to:

• Explore how principles of UNDRIP can be adopted and implemented;
• Consider the implications of UNDRIP for CES and for evaluation theory and practice in Canada;
• Review CES progress on supporting the advancement of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and how attention to UNDRIP can augment and strengthen this work; and
• Develop recommendations to the National Board on advancing a proposed plan of action, and inform the development of the new Strategic Plan.

This work was intended to be aligned with the review and renewal of the CES Strategic Plan, and the Working Group was mandated to complete key deliverables and report back to the National Board by July, 2024.

The Working Group was co-chaired by CES President Andrealisa Belzer, and Debbie DeLancey as the Fellows representative. A call for volunteers was issued to CES members early in January 2023. Indigenous knowledge holders and advisors, both CES members and non-members, were also invited to share their wisdom and offer guidance to this work.

On May 8, 2024 the National Board was presented the UNDRIP Working Group Final Report, which contained three recommendations:

1. That the Board adopt by formal motion the Statement of Commitment to Advancing Reconciliation and Indigenous Sovereignty;
2. That the Board explore mechanisms to provide financial and organizational support to emerging networks of Indigenous evaluators so that they can continue the dialogue about what relationship, if any, they choose to create and maintain with CES; and
3. That the Board continue to advance the work of reconciliation at a national level, including exploring mechanisms for ensuring that Indigenous knowledge holders are engaged at all levels of decision-making.

The Statement of Commitment was immediately adopted by formal motion. Work planning for 2024-2025 will address recommendations to support and dialogue with Indigenous evaluation networks, and advance Truth and Reconciliation through National Board activity and decision processes.

It has been an honour to Co-Chair the UNDRIP Working Group with Fellow Debbie Delancey during my term as president. I am grateful to the volunteers, advisors and National Board who supported this work, and I look forward to participating in implementation of the recommendations and Statement of Commitment.

- Andrealisa Belzer, CE (she/elle)