ILO considers evaluation as an integral part of the implementation of development cooperation projects. Provision is made in the project that a midterm evaluation will be conducted within 18 months after the project officially kicked-off in accordance with the ILO evaluation policy and guidelines.   The project document states that the midterm evaluation will be the opportunity for an in-depth reflection on the Theory of Change, strategy and assumptions guiding the intervention, as well as the effectiveness of activities accomplished in the lives of targeted beneficiaries of the project. The midterm evaluation will be used to assess the progress towards the results, identify the main difficulties/constraints, assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the project for the targeted populations, and formulate lessons learned and practical recommendations. The project management team will utilize lessons learned, recommendations and emerging good practices to make informed decision on how to proceed and implement the remaining activities of the project. The ILO shall use the findings of the midterm evaluation to design a second phase to scaleup and replicate the project in the selected and other governorates of Iraq. Furthermore, the midterm evaluation might be instrumental to provide an opportunity for an in-depth reflection on the strategy and assumptions guiding the intervention. The midterm evaluation will examine the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and potential emerging high-level results which could last longer beyond the closeout of the project. The evaluation will also identify strengths and weaknesses in the project design, strategy, and implementation mechanisms as well as lessons learned and good practices. Specifically, the evaluation will examine the following aspects: • Relevance and Coherence: Alignment with the country, constituents’, and beneficiaries needs, changes in context and review of assumptions (relevance): Is the project’s design adequate to address the problems at hand? Were the project objective and outcomes relevant in relation to the context on the ground?   • Effectiveness: Results in terms of outcomes and outputs achieved (effectiveness): How has the project contributed towards project’s goals? To what extent did it contribute to the ILO’s Programme & Budget, Country Programme Outcomes, and more largely SDGs?  • Efficiency: Use of resources in achievement of projected performance (efficiency): How have the resources been used to fulfil the project performance in an efficient manner with respect to cost, time and staff? • Assessment of potential impact: To what extent has the project contributed long-term intended and unintended impact?   • Sustainability: Will the project’s effects remain over time? What can be done to replicate or scaleup results achieved in the targeted and other governorates of Iraq?    The midterm evaluation will comply with ILO policy guidelines for results-based evaluation , and the UNEG ethical guidelines  will be followed. The midterm evaluation will cover the implementation period since the start of the project which is from 9 March 2023 up until 28 February 2025. The evaluation will examine achievements of the project outcomes and outputs to date. As cross-cutting themes, the evaluation will also take specific note of integration of gender mainstreaming , disability inclusion, International Labour Standard, social dialogue , and environmental sustainability as well as contribution to SDGs . The evaluation will also provide due attention to how the project is relevant to the ILO’s programme and policy frameworks, UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and other relevant https://training.dss.un.org/user/loginnational development frameworks. The primary clients of this evaluation are Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Environment, Basra and Muthana Governorates and the Directorate of Labor and Social Affairs in Basra and Muthana Governorates - Vocational Training Centre in Basra and Muthana Governorates, branches of Worker’s and Employer’s representative organizations in Basra and Muthana, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ILO DWT-Beirut, ILO ROAS, ILO-Iraq. Project stakeholders and units within the ILO may indirectly benefit from the knowledge generated by the evaluation.