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Empowering IDPs with SMS: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Bogota

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  • Mariana Blanco
  • Juan F. Vargas

Abstract

A randomized controlled trial was carried out in Bogota, home to the majority of Colombia’s internally displaced persons (IDPs), to assess whether the use of short message service (SMS) technology effectively informed this population of its eligibility to receive social benefits. The methodology was to randomly inform half of the sample population’s households of their eligibility via SMS and estimate the Local Average Treatment Effect of the text message on the awareness of available benefits. While the findings conclude that on average treated households are more aware of their rights, a more disaggregated analysis suggests there is variation of awareness across benefit type. The analysis further suggests that the intervention was successful in empowering IDPs and indicates that the use of SMS as a policy instrument should be expanded.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariana Blanco & Juan F. Vargas, 2010. "Empowering IDPs with SMS: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Bogota," Research Department Publications 4704, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:wpaper:4704
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ana María Ibáñez, 2009. "Forced displacement in Colombia: Magnitude and causes," Economics of Peace and Security Journal, EPS Publishing, vol. 4(1), pages 48-54, January.
    2. Daniel Mejía & Pascual Restrepo, 2008. "The War on Illegal Drug Production and Trafficking: An Economic Evaluation of Plan Colombia," Documentos CEDE 005123, Universidad de los Andes - CEDE.
    3. Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo, 2009. "The Experimental Approach to Development Economics," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 1(1), pages 151-178, May.
    4. Ibáñez, Ana María & Moya, Andrés, 2010. "Vulnerability of Victims of Civil Conflicts: Empirical Evidence for the Displaced Population in Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 647-663, April.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Internally displaced persons; Short message service; Field experiments; Colombia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments

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