2023 Annual
Report
LOCAL EVIDENCE FOR LOCAL SOLUTIONS
MESSAGES FROM PEP’S LEADERSHIP
Carol Newman
Chair, PEP Board of Directors
Having completed my first year as the Chair of the PEP Board of Directors, I am very pleased by the work PEP has undertaken in the past year to amplify the voices of researchers from the Global South.
Read MoreJane Mariara
Executive Director, PEP
I am proud of what PEP accomplished in 2023. We have made major strides in demonstrating that local researchers are able to conduct rigorous, policy-engaged and policy-relevant research, that is firmly grounded in their thorough understanding of local context and policy frameworks.
Read MoreSelected Donors Speak
Our partnership with PEP, “What Works for Youth Employment in Africa: A Review of Existing Policies and Empirical Analysis,” has deepened our understanding of youth employment issues across the targeted countries. The insights gained are shaping our thought leadership and influencing our initiatives in workforce and entrepreneurship development. Our goal is to enable 30 million young women and men to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities as part of our Young Africa Works strategy. As a key partner in Research & Learning, PEP is instrumental in implementing our research strategy and its foundational principles. Notably, PEP’s non-extractive research approach ensures that all stakeholders involved are informed on the findings. This is exemplified during national-level policy engagement sessions, where the team disseminates the findings to a diverse range of stakeholders while ensuring that the voices of young women and men, including persons with disabilities, refugees, and the internally displaced, are front and centre in our discussions.
Tade Aina, Chief Impact and Research Officer, Mastercard Foundation
The Hewlett Foundation applauds PEP’s work to empower and build the capacity of researchers in East and West Africa to generate rigorous and reliable evidence that is informing the decisions of policymakers within their communities.
Christopher Chibwana, Program officer, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
In line with our commitment to advance gender empowerment, Co-Impact is proud to have partnered with PEP to identify contextualized policy interventions that can increase women’s access to decent work in the Global South.
Varja Lipovsek, Director, Learning, Measurement & Evaluation, Co-Impact
Through over a decade of engagement, I have been and continue to be impressed by the unique PEP approach to promoting locally-led research and evidence for communities’ and countries’ most important development challenges. PEP has made a significant contribution to enhancing the capacity of local research, and does so through a deep focus on building partnerships in the research process. The results and real-world impacts speak for themselves. PEP supported research for example led to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to produce gendered data thus enabling government programs to be more responsive to women and populations’ needs. In Nigeria, PEP’s findings informed the country’s response strategy to the COVID-19 crisis, with the research lead being included in the President’s Economic Sustainability Committee. And, in Zimbabwe, findings from the study were presented to the Cabinet when it was in the process of framing the government’s response.
Arjan De Haan, Senior Program Specialist, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Global Affairs Canada is pleased to work with PEP to strengthen the impact evaluation capacities of Canadian small and medium organizations (SMOs) and their local partners in low-income countries. Through PEP’s LKMP project, partners should be better equipped to measure the impacts of their interventions on living conditions, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Stefan Paquette, First Secretary Development, Canadian International Development Agency
In the fight against climate change, locally-led research and solutions that support gender equality are key to success. Canada is proud of its collaboration with Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) in conducting critical research, including its work to empower women farmers in Africa while addressing climate change.
Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development of Canada
2023 in Numbers
45 projects
of policy research
led to policy impact
109k+ downloads
of PEP publications
22 projects
were reported in national news media
245 local researchers
- 55.1% women
- 36.3% government-affiliated
conferences
Since 2002
399
local projects supported
1M+
publication downloads
83K+
website visitors/year
13K+
social media followers
10K+
newsletter recipients
1278
local researchers trained
Since 2002
399
local projects supported
1M+
publication downloads
83K+
website visitors/year
13K+
social media followers
10K+
newsletter recipients
1278
local researchers trained
Climate Change in Africa: Impacts and Responses for Women and Girls
Informing policy interventions that can increase women’s leadership in implementing climate change mitigation or adaptation solutions, and can mitigate the effects of climate change on gender equality and life chances among children.
Read MoreAddressing Contextual Barriers to Women's Participation in Decent Work
Examining context-specific barriers to decent work for women, and identify pathways to removing these barriers, in six countries: Kenya, Senegal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Peru.
Read MoreCovid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE)
A rapid-response initiative to inform inclusive adaptation and recovery policies responding to the economic and social effects of the Covid-19 crisis in developing countries.
Read MoreImpact of the war in Ukraine on African economies
To analyse the impacts of the trade disruptions and artificial supply shortages on world markets caused by the war, and to identify and design suitable response and mitigation measures.
Read MoreClimate Change in Africa: Impacts and Responses for Women and Girls
Informing policy interventions that can increase women’s leadership in implementing climate change mitigation or adaptation solutions, and can mitigate the effects of climate change on gender equality and life chances among children.
Read MoreAddressing Contextual Barriers to Women's Participation in Decent Work
Examining context-specific barriers to decent work for women, and identify pathways to removing these barriers, in six countries: Kenya, Senegal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Peru.
Read MoreCovid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE)
A rapid-response initiative to inform inclusive adaptation and recovery policies responding to the economic and social effects of the Covid-19 crisis in developing countries.
Read MoreImpact of the war in Ukraine on African economies
To analyse the impacts of the trade disruptions and artificial supply shortages on world markets caused by the war, and to identify and design suitable response and mitigation measures.
Read MoreTOP STORIES
IMPACT STORIES
BRAZIL
BRAZIL
The PEP team recommended expanding daycare services and modernising parental leave to improve women’s work. Their findings informed two policy debates, contributing to 1) recommendations for an “integrated policy for early childhood”, presented to the President, and 2) a bill presented to Congress to increase paternity leave from 5 to 30 days.
PERU
PERU
Expanding daycare services and fully implementing the Wiñay Warmi program can improve women’s work according to local PEP researchers. Their findings prompted the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion to enhance Wiñay Warmi rather than terminating it, and the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion to pilot two programs to improve care services.
PHILIPPINES
PHILIPPINES
Local PEP researchers showed that increasing the number of teachers and daycare workers is vital for increasing public childcare and improving women’s work opportunities. The team will work with the congressman filing the bill “Magna Carta for Daycare Workers” to enhance its impacts, including through scholarships for people becoming daycare workers.
SRI LANKA
SRI LANKA
Findings by a local research team and their recommendation to move policy focus from “creating jobs” to “creating decent jobs” for women provided inputs for the 11-point proposal for labor reforms set forth by the Minister of Labour. Also, the International Finance Cooperation will use the findings to extend a daycare centre pilot program.
NIGERIA
NIGERIA
The local team showed how financial grants for entrepreneurs can increase youth employment and centrally coordinating existing youth employment programs can improve their efficiency. In Ekiti State, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and the Ministry of Youth Affairs are keen to address the key challenges and implement the team’s findings.
UPDATE ON LOCALIZATION
Latest Developments on Localization and PEP’s Mission to promote Southern Research Leadership
PEP has promoted local leadership of economic development research over two decades now – since its inception. PEP’s mission to support locally led evidence for local solutions is underscored by the fact that even though the ability to conduct economic research in developing countries has significantly improved in recent decades, local expertise often remains underutilized in the formulation of policies.
Read More