Evidence based policy making and advocacy Belgrade, November 2013
Feb 25, 2016
Evidence based policy making and advocacy
Belgrade, November 2013
Content of presentation
• What is evidence based policy making (EBP) and why is important?
• Use of various types of evidence along policy process – example of rural women advocacy
WHAT IS EVIDENCE BASED POLICY MAKING?
Test for policy makers: Would you finance from municipal budget this group of people?
What is evidence based policy making?
EBP is an approach that ‘helps people make well informed decisions about policies, programmes and projects by putting the best available evidence from research at the heart of policy development and implementation’ (Davies, 2004: 3).
Policy based on opinions is mostly relying on partial insights, stereotypes, decision making inertia, ideological standpoints, prejudices or pure speculations.
Source: ODI, 2005
What is evidence?• …’the available body of facts or information
indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid’ (Oxford dictionary)
• … ‘expert knowledge; published research; existing research; stakeholder consultations; previous policy evaluations; the Internet; outcomes from consultations; costings of policy options; output from economic and statistical modelling’ (Cabinet Office, White Paper Modernising Government, 1999: 33)
Why EBP is important?Policy makers need evidence to:
– Understand policy environment and how it’s changing– Estimate likely effects of policies– Demonstrate the links between strategic direction,
intended outcomes and policy objectives– Determine what is needed to do to meet strategic goals– Influence others so they can contribute to the objectives– To meet requirements for open government agenda
(transparency and accountability)
(Shaxson, 2005: 102-3)
When EBP became important?• Originated from the medical sector in the UK in the
early 1990s
• Gained political currency since 1997 under the Blair administrations
• The attempt to modernize government was committed to putting an end to ideologically-driven politics and replacing it instead with rational decision making
What is ‘policy’?• … ‘a course or principle of action adopted or
proposed by an individual, organization, government’
• ‘simple’ policy decisions – single measure, such as one-time financial support to poor families in local community.
• complex policies – set of measures, changes in one sector, such as introduction of new service, strategies, etc.
Policy cycle
Participation of stakeholders
Evidence base
Policy implementation and monitoring
Evaluation
Problem definition/ Agenda setting Constructing
policy alternatives
Selection of preferred policy
option
Policy Design
Adjusted from Young and Quinn, 2002
USE OF VARIOUS TYPES OF EVIDENCE IN THE POLICY MAKING
What is the issue, problem of our concern that policy should tackle?
Simple decisions
Complex policies
Problem identification
Example: Socio-economic position of rural women in the status of family helpers
• Absence of gender sensitive agricultural and rural development policies
• Gender equality policies omitting specific problems of rural women
• First CEDAW report – very few indications• Strong CEDAW recommendations• UNDP initiative• SeConS – research and advocacy with focus on rural
women in the status of family helpers
What do we already know about the problem?
Simple decisions
Complex policies
Review of existing data
Comprehensive studies
Problem identification
• Science community
• International organizations
• NGOs
Example: Rural women in the status of family helpers
• ‘Invisible category’ – statistics does not recognize easily this category (lack of definition of rural, lack of disaggregation according to gender in family helpers category, etc.)
• Lack of scientific (fundamental or applied) research
• Unsystematic, fragmented, inaccurate insights of NGOs (women, rural development oriented and others)
What is the problem, how big is the problem, what is causality and dynamics of the problem?
Simple decisions
Complex policies
Review of existing data
Comprehensive studies
Problem identification
Descriptive and analytical
data
Statistical evidences,
quantitative and qualitative research
• Statistical office
• local evidences
• NGOs• research
institutions
• Science community
• International organizations
• NGOs
Example: Rural women in the status of family helpers
• Comprehensive study– Quantitative survey: sample
of 500 women – Structured questionnaires,
face-to-face interviews– Qualitative survey: 7 FGD
around Serbia– Dimensions of position:
access to property, economic participation, access to social services, social welfare rights, quality of life…
What stakeholders think about the problem, what do they know, what are their experiences, attitudes related to the problem?
Simple decisions
Complex policies
Comprehensive studies
Problem identification
Descriptive and analytical
data
Statistical evidences,
quantitative and qualitative research
Data on attitudes and experiences Opinion pools, in-
depth qualitative research
• researcj institutions, agencies
• NGOs,• sicence
research institutes
Review of existing data
• Science community
• International organizations
• NGOs
• Statistical office
• local evidences
• NGOs• research
institutions
Example: Rural women in the status of family helpers
Women – lack of organized pursue of interests
Policy makers – do not know but care
• statistical office
• Sience research institutes
• Consulting companies
What can bring the change, what would be results of policy intervention?
Simple decisions
Complex policies
Comprehensive studies
Problem identification
Descriptive and analytical
data
Statistical evidences,
quantitative and qualitative research
Data on attitudes and experiences Opinion pools, in-
depth qualitative research
Data on effects, impacts
Experimental, quazy experimental data,
simulations, models
Review of existing data
• Science community
• International organizations
• NGOs
• Statistical office
• local evidences
• NGOs• research
institutions
• researcj institutions, agencies
• NGOs,• sicence
research institutes
Example: Rural women in the status of family helpers
• What if…?
– …we stimulate registration of farms with women as heads of the holdings?
– … we change criteria for access to funds (property)?– … we change procedures for payment of debt in
retirement insurance for period during 1990s?– … we support women in the status of family helpers to
self-organize better?– … we develop Strategy for the improvement of the
position of rural women?
What are the costs and financial implications of the policy?
Simple decisions
Complex policies
Comprehensive studies
Problem identification
Descriptive and analytical
data
Statistical evidences,
quantitative and qualitative research
Data on attitudes and experiences
Opinion pools, in-depth qualitative
research
Data on effects, impacts
Experimental, quazy experimental data,
simulations, models
Economic, financial data
Cost-benefit analysis
• Ministry of finance
• research institutes
• consulting companies
Review of existing data
• Science community
• International organizations
• NGOs
• Statistical office
• local evidences
• NGOs• research
institutions
• researcj institutions, agencies
• NGOs,• sicence
research institutes
• statistical office
• Sience research institutes
• Consulting companies
Example: Rural women in the status of family helpers
• Strategy for the improvement of the position of rural women in Vojvodina
• Estimations of the Provincial Fund for development of agriculture
www.secons.net
Thank you for your attention