The conference began on Wednesday, at 2.30 PM, with a welcome from the AEA24 President, awards of the AEA 24 Recipients and a Plenary opening session, titled: ‘Learning from the Life and Legacy of Ricardo Millet: Mentor, Scholar, Field Builder’. This was a tribute to the late Ricardo Millet from David Chavis, Rodney Hopson, and Maria Montenegro. Dr Ricardo Millet was a friend to many and focused his professional life to creating a community in Evaluation and shaping the lives and careers of evaluators and practitioners of color who were often unseen and had not found their way/ place in the AEA and the broader field of Evaluation. Dr. Millet was honored and will be greatly missed. ​

​After the plenary session, I went to another session; Engaging Youth as Leaders as DRG & Evaluative Practice: Cross-TIG, Cross-Cultural & MultiLinguistic Lessons Learned in the U.S. and African Contexts to Amplify and Empower Youth Voices in Evaluation. The session was a roundtable presentation, Chaired by Julie Poncelet, and the presenters being Dr Awuor Ponge, EvalIndigeous member, who spoke on behalf of AfrEA, and was joined by Ian Hopwood, Denise Baer, Safyatou Diallo. They were all in support of engaging the Young Emerging Evaluators (YEEs) in the organizational level or the Voluntary Organization of Professional Evaluators (VOPES), since the YEES are the future/ innovators of Evaluation, and the change makers with their fresh perspectives and innovative minds. 

​On Thursday, I attended a plenary Session: Generative AI: Navigating Pthe Ethical Frontier in Evaluation, moderated by Meredith Blair Pearlman- of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. He was joined by Olivia Delch, Linda Raftree, Dr. Aileen M. Reid, and Zach Tilton. Their presentation sought to identify the transformative impacts of Generative AI on the evaluation practices, the opportunities and the challenges brought by AI in evaluation. They shared their personal insights about integrating AI in Evaluation, and having a balance between the risks associated and the benefits AI brings in Evaluation. 

​On Friday, the day began with a plenary session: ‘Participatory MEL and MEL Tech- Friends or Frenemies’, presented by EvalIndigenous member Eddah Kanini, Hanna Camp, and Josh Dewald. The session focused on elevating the voices of the voiceless and emphasizing the need for involving program participants in the design, implementation and evaluation of program MEL and accountability processes. Eddah Kanini, a passionate advocate of the marginalized talked about empowering the voices of the voiceless/ already silenced voices. This includes those with hearing and vision impairments, and other disabilities, who may be sidelined by the use of MEL tech technologies in evaluation. Eddah Kanini was able to outline the balance between missing people out and the advantages that MEL brings to evaluation field. 

​After the plenary session, I made a presentation with my Co- presenter, Dr. Awuor Ponge on ‘Amplifying and Empowering Voices of the Indigenous Communities in Evaluation in Kenya: Case of the Indigenous Ogiek and the Mijikenda of Kenya.’ Our presentation was drawn from two studies conducted among the indigenous communities in Kenya, namely the Mijikenda and the Ogiek. The studies were funded by the Ford Foundation under the auspices of the EvalIndigenous Global Network. Our presentation highlighted the importance of engaging the indigenous voices in the evaluation process, and fostering a meaningful partnerships between evaluators and indigenous communities. It was such an honor making this presentation as a YEE. I’m looking forward to making more presentations at AEA Conferences to come. Big thank you to everyone who attended and listened to my presentation. That meant a lot to me. 

​The climax of the AEA 2024 Conference was the closing plenary session by Prof Bagele Chilisa; ‘Breaking the Echo Chamber: Amplifying Marginalized Voices to Resonate with the Dominant Narrative.’ The session was very engaging and mind blowing as Prof. Bagele shared her lif and academic journey, and the lessons learnt along the way about paradigms and the need for the inclusion of an Indigenous evaluation paradigm in any evaluation taxonomy. She emphasized on the need for evaluators to include Indigenous knowledge in evaluation and acknowledge the importance of Indigenous evaluation methodologies in the hope that evaluation will not only be evaluation but evaluation in service of Indigenous peoples. 

You may have noticed that we here at EvalIndigenous have been assembling open access Indigenous Evaluation Resources. It's been a pleasantly surprising exercise to see the resources that are available. And of course there's room for many more resources about Indigenous evaluation principles, guidance, methods and practice examples - so keep writing. For now, here are seven inter-related principles of Indigenous evaluation that the resources we've gathered touch upon.

Self-Determination
Self-determination is a foundational principle that acknowledges the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples and upholds their rights to  self-governance. This principle ensures that Indigenous peoples have the authority to shape every aspect of an evaluation, from design and implementation to the interpretation and use of findings. By maintaining control, Indigenous peoples can ensure that the evaluation aligns with their cultural values, priorities, and long-term visions for development. Evaluation should therefore provide Indigenous peoples with the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions and advocate for their wellbeing.

Relational Accountability
​Relational accountability is a core principle in Indigenous evaluation, emphasizing the interconnected nature of relationships within and between Indigenous peoples, their environment and the cosmos. It underscores the responsibility of evaluators to uphold respectful and reciprocal relationships throughout the evaluation process. This principle is deeply rooted in the understanding that relationships are not merely transactional but sacred and enduring. Evaluators are expected to engage with Indigenous peoples in a manner that is respectful of their traditions, social structures, and values. This involves a long-term commitment, recognizing that the relationship does not end when the evaluation project concludes.

Ethical Responsibility and Data Sovereignty
Ethical responsibility in Indigenous evaluation emphasizes protecting the rights and dignity of Indigenous peoples. Evaluators must adhere to culturally appropriate ethical standards, including obtaining Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). Data sovereignty is a critical component, meaning that communities retain control over how their data is collected, used, and shared. This principle counters historical patterns of exploitation and ensures that data serves the interests of Indigenous peoples. It aligns with global movements advocating for Indigenous rights and recognizes the importance of self-determined research and evaluation practices.

Reciprocity
Reciprocity in Indigenous evaluation ensures that the process is mutually beneficial, going beyond data collection to provide tangible benefits to Indigenous peoples. This principle is about giving back in meaningful ways, recognizing the Indigenous peoples' contributions and ensuring that the evaluation process is not extractive. Evaluators are expected to share the knowledge generated from the evaluation in accessible formats, enabling Indigenous peoples to use the findings to inform their decisions and improve their practices. Furthermore, reciprocity involves mutual learning, where both evaluators and Indigenous peoples gain insights and skills.

Capacity Building
Indigenous evaluations aim to enhance the skills and knowledge of Indigenous peoples so they can conduct their evaluations in the future. Capacity building includes training in data collection, analysis, and use. It is also about fostering a structural analysis of how the potential of Indigenous peoples is often stifled by societal barriers and racism. This principle supports the broader goal of enabling Indigenous peoples to take ownership of their development and governance. It ensures that the benefits of evaluation extend beyond the immediate project, contributing to long-term resilience and self-determination.

Concluding Remark
​Together with the other guidance from the assembled indigenous evaluation resources, these principles create a framework that is respectful and ethical, as well as relevant to the unique contexts of Indigenous peoples. Adherence to the guidance offered and these principles will help ensure that evaluations contribute positively to Indigenous peoples' aspirations, rather than being extractive by only serving external interests.

Also available in Spanish: Principios de Evaluación Indígena - Fiona Cram (Spanish version by Celeste).pdf