Evidence based policy making and advocacy

1. Evidence based policy making and advocacy Belgrade, November 2013

2. 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

3. What Is Evidence Based Policy Making?

4. Test for policy makers: Would you finance from municipal budget this group of people?

5. What is evidence based policy making? Policy based on opinions is mostly relying on partial insights, stereotypes, decision making inertia, ideological standpoints, prejudices or pure speculations. 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). Source: ODI, 2005

6. 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)

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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.

10. Policy cycle Adjusted from Young and Quinn, 2002

11. USE of various types of Evidence in the policy making

12. What is the issue, problem of our concern that policy should tackle? Problem identification Simple decisions Complex policies

13. 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

14. What do we already know about the problem? Problem identification • Science community • International organizations • NGOs Comprehensive studies Simple decisions Complex policies Review of existing data

15. 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)

16. What is the problem, how big is the problem, what is causality and dynamics of the problem? Problem identification • Science community • International organizations • NGOs Comprehensive studies Simple decisions Complex policies Review of existing data • Statistical office • local evidences • NGOs • research institutions Statistical evidences, quantitative and qualitative research Descriptive and analytical data

17. 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…

18. What stakeholders think about the problem, what do they know, what are their experiences, attitudes related to the problem? Problem identification • Science community • International organizations • NGOs Comprehensive studies Simple decisions Complex policies Review of existing data • Statistical office • local evidences • NGOs • research institutions Statistical evidences, quantitative and qualitative research Descriptive and analytical data Data on attitudes and experiences • researcj institutions, agencies • NGOs, • sicence research institutes Opinion pools, in-depth qualitative research

19. Example: Rural women in the status of family helpers Women – lack of organized pursue of interests Policy makers – do not know but care

20. What can bring the change, what would be results of policy intervention? Problem identification • Science community • International organizations • NGOs Comprehensive studies Simple decisions Complex policies Review of existing data • Statistical office • local evidences • NGOs • research institutions Statistical evidences, quantitative and qualitative research • statistical office • Sience research institutes • Consulting companies Data on effects, impacts Descriptive and analytical data Data on attitudes and experiences • researcj institutions, agencies • NGOs, • sicence research institutes Experimental, quazy experimental data, simulations, models Opinion pools, in-depth qualitative research

21. 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?

22. What are the costs and financial implications of the policy? Problem identification • Science community • International organizations • NGOs • Ministry of finance • research institutes • consulting companies Comprehensive studies Simple decisions Complex policies Cost-benefit analysis Economic, financial data Review of existing data • Statistical office • local evidences • NGOs • research institutions Statistical evidences, quantitative and qualitative research • statistical office • Sience research institutes • Consulting companies Data on effects, impacts Descriptive and analytical data Data on attitudes and experiences • researcj institutions, agencies • NGOs, • sicence research institutes Opinion pools, in-depth qualitative research Experimental, quazy experimental data, simulations, models

23. 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

24. Thank you for your attention 