By Arturo J. Galindo y Tracy Betts For those of us working in the field of international development, it’s more and more critical to understand what works, what doesn’t work, and why to be able to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of what we do. That’s the reason why it is of utmost importance for a multilateral organization such as the Inter-American … [Read more...] about How to measure the effectiveness of development projects?
impact evaluation
Would you leave your children home alone while at work?
By Claudia Piras Free daycare services do not ensure a significant increase in women’s participation in the labor market. Why? The results of an after-school activities program in Chile may have the answer. What is the most common reason given by women when asked why they are not looking for a job? Just what you might think: because they have to take care of their … [Read more...] about Would you leave your children home alone while at work?
How much do impact evaluations (really) help policymaking?
by Eva Vivalt. Increasingly rigorous studies have been done on the effects of development programs with the hope that these studies' results will inform policy decisions. However, the same program often has different effects in different contexts. There are many different variables that can affect what will happen. The key question is then: to what extent can we … [Read more...] about How much do impact evaluations (really) help policymaking?
Indigenous and mestizo women: do they receive different treatment in family planning centers in Peru?
Ten women prepare themselves: hair, makeup, clothes, and posture. They practice proper cadence for scripted answers to questions they will soon be asked. Each of them will say she arrived in Lima from an Andean town seeking a brighter future for her two children. Her partner is returning after being away for six months for work, and they do not want to have any more … [Read more...] about Indigenous and mestizo women: do they receive different treatment in family planning centers in Peru?
The Juana Azurduy Voucher Program: health services for mothers and their children
“I didn’t go to the health center because it took a long time, and on top of that they treated me badly,” recounted a Quechua woman in the town of Oruro, Bolivia. “We have our own customs for childbirth”. She is not alone in those views. According to a recent national survey, the main reason why women avoid prenatal care is distrust of health personnel (26 percent). … [Read more...] about The Juana Azurduy Voucher Program: health services for mothers and their children