26 March 2026 | Bogotá, Colombia
Local PEP-supported researchers convene practitioners and policymakers to explore how their evaluation could shape the future design of women's entrepreneurship programmes in Colombia.
Participants at the hybrid dissemination and validation workshop in Bogotá engage with evaluation findings on the C.R.E.C.E Mujer programme, exploring implications for programme design in Colombia.
At a hybrid dissemination and validation workshop in Bogotá, local PEP-supported researchers Ángela Guarín and Darío Maldonado of Universidad de los Andes presented their team’s evaluation of the C.R.E.C.E Mujer programme.
Findings from the evaluation—conducted in close collaboration with the programme implementer, the École des entrepreneurs du Québec (EEQ, “Quebec Entrepreneurship School”)—are shaping discussions on how women’s entrepreneurship programmes in Colombia can be better designed, implemented, and evaluated.
During the event, policy and practitioner stakeholders engaged directly with evidence on what works, with a clear focus on how evaluation can strengthen programme design and institutional practice.
From evaluation evidence to programme design
The study explores how entrepreneurship support initiatives contribute to women’s economic empowerment and identifies the design features needed for sustained impact. It indicates that the programme delivered both strong business outcomes and broader empowerment gains.
Eighty-eight percent of supported businesses remained active after completion, with participants reporting increased income and sales, greater confidence and resilience, and stronger peer networks. However, the researchers also identified persistent structural barriers—care responsibilities, transport limitations, and access constraints—that continue to shape women's participation and outcomes.
Responding to these findings, Luisa Fernanda Villamil Fajardo, Gender Expert at Desjardins International Development, highlighted the importance of the research going beyond aggregate results. She said:
“Understanding how impacts differ across groups of women is essential. This kind of evidence helps ensure that programmes are designed to be more inclusive and responsive to different realities."
The project team also identified clear priorities for improving entrepreneurship programmes:
- Expanding programme objectives beyond income to include socio-emotional and empowerment outcomes
- Embedding gender-responsive design, particularly around care responsibilities
- Strengthening peer learning and mentorship structures
- Integrating robust monitoring and evaluation systems from the outset
Their insights reinforce the role of evaluation as a practical tool for refining programme design and increasing effectiveness.
Demonstrating demand for evidence-informed design
Participants used the session to explore how the findings could inform programme adjustments, future interventions, and the potential continuation of similar initiatives.
Reflecting on the implications of the evaluation during discussions linked to the event, José Luis Chinchilla, International Director of EEQ, said:
"The evaluation provides valuable insights not only for improving this programme, but also for informing how future initiatives are designed. It highlights the importance of systematically integrating evaluation into programme development.”
He noted that the project led him to think more broadly about evaluating other EEQ initiatives and about building evaluation into future programme proposals from the outset.
The event also created opportunities for institutional exchange, including engagement with representatives from the Québec Office in Bogotá, supporting future collaboration on research and programme development.
Discussions reflected stakeholder interest in conducting further analysis and in exploring how similar approaches could be extended or adapted in future programme phases.
The workshop was organised with support from the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP) under the Learning and Knowledge Management Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada.
