SELA conducted distance course on public policy impact assessment in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Permanent Secretariat of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA) held from 14 to 22 October the "Distance Course on Public Policy Impact Assessment in Latin America and the Caribbean: Effective Interventions for Social Development", together with the Mercosur Social Institute (ISM), CAF-development bank of Latin America, the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Lab Action for Latin America and the Caribbean (J-PAL LAC), the Latin American Centre for Administration for Development (CLAD), and the Ministry of Social Development of Argentina.

Participants included 50 officials from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela, who applied out of a total of 521 public sector candidates, specialists and academicians, who gained knowledge about the continent's experiences in the areas of poverty reduction, hunger elimination, improved nutrition, health and education, taking into account the objectives set in the Sustainable Development Goals.

During his speech, the Permanent Secretary of SELA, Ambassador Javier Paulinich, underscored the importance and significance of public policy impact assessment for the economic and social development of Latin America and the Caribbean in seeking to measure changes in the well-being of a group of individuals, who are attributable to a programme.

"The course aimed to consolidate capacities for the use of this accountability instrument which provided technical inputs related to the exercise of good governance: results-based management, fiscal sustainability, accountability and transparency; while emphasizing that effective intervention is not only one that achieves the expected results, but also the one that responds, to the needs of citizens in a cost-efficient way," he said.

Paulinich noted that impact assessment becomes more relevant with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has revealed the institutional weaknesses and inefficiency of some of the policies implemented in the region. He underscored that the organization will propose to the Latin American Council of SELA to continue with this work, which is the fourth training activity carried out on the subject, but on this occasion at a distance, in view of the changes that the pandemic has brought about in the implementation of SELA’s Work Programme.

The activity was also attended by the Executive Director of the MERCOSUR Social Institute, Juan Miguel González Bibolini, the Special Adviser for International Affairs and Relations, Vanesa Wainstein, and the Secretary of Integral Approach, Alicia Soraire, both representatives of the Ministry of Social Development of Argentina.

“There were 500 people registered in this course, which was the last one of the year of the School of Government of the Mercosur Social Institute. This tells us about the interest of participants and the need we have to assess the impact on social policies. It also encourages us to continue to work and enhance the institutionality of regional integration," Bibolini said.

In turn, Mrs Wainstein, who is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Mercosur Social Institute for Argentina, stressed the relevance of training government technicians and being at the forefront of initiatives to raise the quality of social policies in the region. "Especially for the various ministries that have to be prepared to face the tasks of this hard work," she said.

Mrs Soraire referred to policies such as rights and inclusion. "They provide an opportunity for growth and development to achieve the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda: eradication of poverty and hunger, sustainability, gender equality, food security, and promotion of economic and social growth".

The first module was taught by CAF's Executive Director of Impact Assessment and Policy Learning, Agustina Hatrick, and J-PAL LAC Public Policy Manager, Edoardo Trimarchi. The moderator of the activity was the Head of Regional Social Policy Promotion and Exchange of the Mercosur Social Institute, Nahuel Oddone.

The second module was in charge of the Research Technician of the Mercosur Social Institute, Carmen García; the Secretary of Integral Approach of the Ministry of Social Development of Argentina, Alicia Soraire, and the National Director of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of Argentina, Daniela Perrotta. The moderator of this session was Ambassador Oscar Hernández, Director of Relations for Integration and Cooperation of SELA.

For the presentations and other links, click here:

http://www.sela.org/es/eventos/e/66614/evaluacion-de-impacto-de-politicas-publicas-en-alc