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Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?

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  • Barrientos Armando

    (University of Manchester, Brooks World Poverty Institute, Manchester, UK)

  • Villa Juan Miguel

    (University of Manchester, Brooks World Poverty Institute, Manchester, UK)

Abstract

Two broad explanations can be offered for the incidence of impact evaluations in antipoverty transfer programmes in developing countries. The first, and arguably dominant, explanation suggests this is a consequence of a shift towards evidence-based development policy. A second explanation emphasises the complementary role of policy competition and political factors in motivating evaluations. The paper assesses the relevance of the latter in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa through (i) a comparison of evaluation practice and (ii) the analysis of a new database of flagship antipoverty transfer programmes.

Suggested Citation

  • Barrientos Armando & Villa Juan Miguel, 2015. "Evaluating Antipoverty Transfer Programmes in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Better Policies? Better Politics?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 147-179, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:globdv:v:6:y:2015:i:1:p:147-179:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/jgd-2014-0006
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Pena, Paola & Urrego, Joaquin & Villa, Juan M., 2017. "Civil Conflict and Conditional Cash Transfers: Effects on Demobilization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 431-440.
    2. Juan M. Villa & Miguel Niño-Zarazúa, 2014. "Poverty Dynamics and Programme Graduation from Social Protection: A Transitional Model for Mexico's Oportunidades Programme," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-109, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Juan M. Villa, 2014. "Social Transfers and Growth: The Missing Evidence from Luminosity Data," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-090, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Paola Pena & Joaquin A. Urrego & Juan M. Villa, 2015. "Civil Conflict and Antipoverty Programmes: Effects on Demobilisation," Documentos de Trabajo de Valor Público 12748, Universidad EAFIT.
    5. Pablo Yanguas, 2016. "The role and responsibility of foreign aid in recipient political settlements," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-056-16, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    6. Juan M Villa & Armando Barrientos, 2016. "Exit as entry in antipoverty programmes," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 022016, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    7. Villa, Juan M. & Niño-Zarazúa, Miguel, 2014. "Poverty dynamics and programme graduation from social protection: A transitional model for Mexico's Oportunidades programme," WIDER Working Paper Series 109, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Abel Alfred Kinyondo & Joseph Magashi, 2019. "The Impact of Cash Transfers on Women's Empowerment: The Case of the Tanzania Social Action Fund," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(3), pages 178-204, September.
    9. Juan M. Villa, 2018. "The continuous treatment effect of an antipoverty program on children's educational attainment: Colombia's Familias en Accion," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 1239-1262, August.
    10. Villa, Juan M., 2014. "Social transfers and growth: The missing evidence from luminosity data," WIDER Working Paper Series 090, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    11. Juan M. Villa, 2014. "The length of exposure to antipoverty transfer programmes: what is the relevance for children's human capital formation?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 20614, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    12. Daniele Malerba, 2018. "The heterogeneous effects of conditional cash transfers across geographical clusters: do energy factors matter?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series 212018, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    13. Scarlato, Margherita & D'Agostino, Giorgio, 2016. "The political economy of cash transfers: a comparative analysis of Latin American and sub-Saharan African experiences," IDOS Discussion Papers 6/2016, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    antipoverty transfers; impact evaluation; Latin America; poverty; sub-Saharan Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs

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