Can quality information help governments of developing countries swiftly improve service delivery for the poor? Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) is implementing a comprehensive capacity-building program to increase the use of rigorous data and research evidence by policymakers in South Asian countries. The initiative, Building Capacity to Use Research Evidence (BCURE) funded by UK Aid, is carried out in six high-potential 'proof of concept' pilot projects in which policy/program teams collaborate with researchers to facilitate active learning while demonstrating the practical value of data and evidence for policy decisions.
Our Building State Capability team has been working on PDIA experiments for five years now. These experiments have been designed to help us learn how to facilitate problem driven, iterative and adaptive work. We have learned a lot from them - some happy, some frustrating, some still so nuanced and ambiguous that we need more learning, and some clear. In the first of a series of blog posts, Matt Andrews shares insights and learnings from our engagements.
Panama has been one of the fastest growing economies over the past decade. Growth was spearheaded by the development of a modern service sector in activities surrounding the Canal. These services, together with increased prosperity, have driven a boom in non-residential construction. Also aided by large public infrastructure projects, this growth has expanded job opportunities for non-skilled workers, significantly reducing poverty levels. But there are challenges ahead related to sustainability and inclusiveness. Jobs in the service sector require highly complex skills that are not present in the Panamanian economy. As the consumption boom recedes, inequality is expected to rise in a country that is already among the 5 most unequal countries in the world. CID's Growth Lab launched a research initiative aimed at exploring export diversification opportunities, and identifying goods and services that are likely to develop at the national and sub-national level.
The Center for International Development at Harvard University has launched its new Security and Development Seminar Series. Over the 2016-2017 academic year, CID will host four high-level discussions exploring the intersections between security, growth, and development in Latin America. Our first sessions addressed Corruption, Impunity & Development and Transnational Crime.
The Center for International Development (CID) at Harvard University is a university-wide center that works to advance the understanding of development challenges and offer viable solutions to problems of global poverty.
