Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation of Governance in Africa: Lessons from the Civil Society African Peer Review Mechanism Monitoring Project (AMP) in South Africa

Abstract

This article focuses on a civil society governance monitoring and evaluation process of the African Peer Review Mechanism (ARPM), launched in July 2010 by the Centre for Policy Studies and the South African Institute for International Affairs, especially with regard to government commitment to good governance made in the National Programme of Action (NPOA). Although the project covered South Africa and Lesotho, the article focuses on the South African process. Using a basic process model, the article attempts to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the monitoring process methodology regarding its articulation of known and tested participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) principles. It also gives guidance for improved systemised processes in participatory monitoring and the evaluation of governance in Africa.