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