The Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) is an international network of more than 8000 members - development researchers, practioners and policy stakeholders - supported by world-renowned experts, research institutes and international institutions, all devoted to ensuring greater participation of local expertise in the analysis of policy issues related to poverty, and economic and social development in developing countries.

Find out more through this brief overview of PEP's history, expansion and evolution : From Building to Promoting Research Capacities in the South

Given the extent and scope of its activities, PEP relies on the support and coordination of regional offices in Asia (Philippines), Africa (Senegal), Latin America (Peru) and North America (Canada), involving dozens of international experts in development economics.

Another peerless feature of PEP is the breadth of analytical perspectives (tools, concepts, techniques) which beneficiaries can choose to be trained in via PEP support - find a description of these various methodological approaches here: PEP Toolbox. In fact, most of these tools, concepts and techniques have been developed by PEP-affiliated lead experts, and fostered through PEP research work.

So far, 172 study projects have been completed under the PEP support program, addressing a variety of development policy issues - from child welfare, to labour markets and fiscal policies - initially defined by the selected research teams, in consultation with local/national policy stakeholders, to ensure both policy relevance and local (bottom-up) ownership of the research agenda.

Find out some of these projects' outcomes here: Recent policy findings from PEP-supported researchers in developing countries

PEP-supported research teams are usually gender-balanced and composed of a senior researcher, supervising a group of junior researchers (all developing country nationals) selected on a highly competitive basis, following PEP's regular calls for proposals.

See the most recent call for proposals, launched in 2012, in the context of PEP's current multi-country research initiative for "Policy Analysis on Growth and Employment", co-funded by DFID (or UK Aid) and the IDRC.

Over the past few years, however, PEP has become increasingly active in going beyond its core capacity building activities to support and promote the mobilization of these local researchers and experts in key national and international research initiatives. These special, often large-scale projects – usually focused on emerging development and/or policy issues – are conducted either through joint research initiatives, in collaboration with specific donors and/or as commissioned studies deputed by international institutions calling on PEP’s extensive experience to provide scientific support and coordinate activities.

PEP's several partners and collaborators now include AusAID, CIDA, DFID (or UK Aid), IADB, IDRC, IFPRI, ILO, UNDP, UNICEF and UN Women. Find out all of PEP's past and current special collaboration initiatives.

Finally, beyond their geographic and thematic coverage, the scope of PEP activities has also extended, over the years, in terms of different areas of intervention. PEP support now goes beyond the development and strengthening of local expertise in developing countries, to ensure the mobilization of such expertise, as well as its influence on policy, both at the national and international levels (find out how).

See PEP impact stories to find out how PEP researchers' findings and recommendations contribute to inform and influence policy in developing countries worldwide

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Promotes/supports local research and expertise in developing countries

Through an integrated approach