November 25, 2021 | Benin
PEP’s Research Director for Experimental Research facilitated a session on practical advice on using RCT Impact Evaluations during a PEP training session at the first Annual Camp for Emerging Francophone Evaluators, held in Benin
November 25, 2021 – Policy-makers, advisors, and actors from West and Central Africa benefited from practical advice on using RCT Impact Evaluations during a PEP training session at the first Annual Camp for Emerging Francophone Evaluators (CAEEF), held in Benin.
PEP’s Research Director for Experimental Research, Maria Laura Aluza, led the session offering a practical introduction to RCT Impact Evaluations for Policymakers. Speaking via video link to a room of more than fifty francophone policy actors, Professor Alzua gave an overview of how to measure impact, the benefits of randomisation, and the steps needed to conduct an RCT impact evaluation.
The session was well-received, generating enthusiasm in the room and many pertinent questions. “Prof. Alzua demonstrated that PEP goes beyond the theory of methods to assess the impact of public policies and that the institution has significant experience of practical cases that we can learn from,” said Candide Tamadaho, Executive Secretary of the event and Manager of the Baromètre (the host institution). Other participants expressed their wish for more in-depth training on the subject.
The 2021 CAEEF was organised by the African Institute for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Impact of Development Policies, Programmes and Projects (Le Baromètre) on the theme of “Formulation, Analysis and Evaluation of Public Policies 
less than a decade away from the SDGs: Theory and practical application in the West African Francophone environment”. It took place from November 22 to 26, 2021, in Bohicon, Benin.
The PEP session contributed to the event’s aim to strengthen participants’ capacities in methodological approaches to develop, analyse and evaluate public policies. The event also sought to improve participants’ capacity to design and use monitoring and evaluation tools, and promote the regional integration of professionals by creating networking opportunities, facilitating coaching and mentoring between members of the evaluation community in Francophone Africa.
Participants included agents of public and private institutions, executives of development NGOs, consultants, academics, lawyers, agronomists, economists, and monitoring and evaluation agents for development programmes and projects from a number of countries. Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger and Togo were particularly well represented at the event.
Photos: Presentation by Maria Laura Alzua; Participants ask questions; Attendees and organisers, photo courtesy of Le Baromètre
