The main objectives of this evaluation were to provide the relevant services of the European Union and, the interested stakeholders with:

• an overall independent assessment of the performance of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) budget support programme in South Africa, paying particular attention to its different levels of results measured against its expected objectives; and the reasons underpinning such results.
• key lessons learned, conclusions and related recommendations in order to improve the current implementation of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) budget support programme in South Africa.

In particular, this evaluation served to:
1. Monitor progress and implementation status of the GEWE programme and predict its outcomes.
2. Identify the improvements in government policies, institutional structures, processes, and administrative arrangements to be made by the DWYPD, DSD, National Treasury and DPME to maximise the implementation of activities towards increased impact of the BS program.
3. Recommend modifications to the current programme, including, where appropriate, to the timelines and the definition of variable indicators to ensure ambitious programme objectives are fully achieved.
The main users of this evaluation are the European Union Delegation in South Africa, the GEWE Program Steering Committee (PSC) and the implementers, i.e. DWYPD, DSD, National Treasury and DPME.