Next frontier in evidence-based policies: Charting a path forward

The COVID-19 pandemic and the procedures adopted to contain it have led to a downward spiral, ultimately pushing an estimated 97 million people into extreme poverty in 2020. Social protection programmes - urgently developed, adapted or extended in response to the crisis - can lead to improvements in school enrolment, health outcomes and labour market participation, alleviating poverty and suffering. But how can governments be sure they are implementing such programmes effectively and efficiently? 

An official side event at the Islamic Development Bank Group's 2022 annual meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 'Next frontier in evidence-based policies: Charting a path forward' focuses on an institutional model of government-embedded labs to facilitate government-researcher collaboration for strengthening evidence-based policy in government - including in the field of social protection programmes. Two country case studies - from Egypt and Indonesia - will highlight the work of those countries' governments in this field, including the Egypt Impact Lab, launched in March by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) Middle East and North Africa office and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Egypt.

Taking place on June 2, 2022, at 11h00-13h00 Egypt time, and opened by His Excellency Dr Muhammad Al Jasser, president of the IsDB Group, Her Excellency Dr Hala El Said, minister of planning and economic development of Egypt, and His Excellency Dr Suharso Monoarfa, minister of national development planning of Indonesia, the meeting will bring together high-level representatives and technical experts from the Bank, the Egyptian and Indonesian governments, J-PAL, and Community Jameel.