Workshop: “Evidence-based intervention design” with Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations staff

On July 14 and 15, 2016, IPA Peru, J-PAL LAC, the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP) and the National Program against Domestic and Sexual Violence (PNCVFS) of the MIMP organized the Workshop "Evidence-based intervention design"; as part of the Project "Institutionalization of the use and generation of evidence for the improvement of the interventions of the PCNVFS of the MIMP", in Lima, Peru.

The project seeks to institutionalize the use and generation of rigorous evidence in policy decision-making at the PNCFS and the MIMP. One of its components is the Impact Evaluation Incubator which includes two training workshops for PNCVFS staff. This first workshop was aimed at PNCVFS’ implementer staff, was led by J-PAL LAC and IPA Peru staff and will focus on the use of evidence to inform program design and evaluation. The event lasted for two days. On the first day, the workshop was inaugurated by Ana María Mendieta, Vice-Minister for Women, Anne Thibault, J-PAL LAC Deputy Director and Juan Manuel Hernandez-Agramonte, IPA Peru Deputy Director. Following the inauguration, Juan Manuel Hernandez-Agramonte presented on the importance of evidence in public policy. Then, J-PAL LAC Policy Manager, Maria Luisa Vásquez, spoke about diagnoses and needs assessments. Then, Anne Thibault gave a lecture on theory of change. In the afternoon, participants worked in groups in the development of the theory of change of their programs with the support of J-PAL LAC and IPA teaching assistants. Finally, Anne Thibault gave a second lecture on process evaluation and monitoring.

On the second day, Javier Romero, PhD student at Duke University, gave a lecture on impact evaluation. Afterwards, Carmen Álvarez, J-PAL LAC Policy Manager gave a presentation on where and how to look for evidence. Following that, participants worked in groups on a case study about analyzing evidence with the help of the teaching assistants. Carmen Álvarez then spoke on the incorporation of evidence in policy design. In the afternoon, Sergio De Marco, IPA Research Manager explained what factors are relevant to the viability of an evaluation. Finally, participants were separated into groups again to work on a plan for an evaluation of their interventions and the eventual use of those results with the support of teaching assistants.

Marlith Calderón, Director of the Office of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation (OMEP), Anne Thibault and Dylan Ramshaw, IPA Peru Director closed the event.