From Scientific Evidence to Effective Policy and Better Lives for All
Conference on Lessons Learned from Scientific Evaluations in Africa
by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
Cape Town, South Africa • 17 January 2011
by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
Cape Town, South Africa • 17 January 2011
Accelerating social progress in Africa requires knowledge about what kinds of social programmes are effective. Yet all too often, such basic knowledge is lacking despite decades of policy reforms and thousands of different programmes launched. Why do we know so little? One important reason is that without careful methods, it is not always possible to tell how well a programme is working. In the past, we have not availed ourselves of the opportunity to rigorously evaluate these programmes and policies at their rollout. But that is beginning to change, in Africa and around the world.
This one-day conference marked the launch of J-PAL’s regional office for Africa at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and brought together researchers, policymaker and development practitioners to present and discuss findings from rigorous evaluations of social programmes and their practical applications to pressing social problems in Africa.
Trevor Manuel, Minister in the Presidency, South Africa, provided a keynote address at the opening launch dinner. Read his speech here.
View the Conference Programme below:
