The World Bank’s Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund, in partnership with the Panama’s Ministry of Social Protection, the World Bank Social Protection Global Practice, and the Water Global Practice, organized a workshop on impact evaluation research and using evidence for more effective policymaking. The impact evaluation workshop focused on building capacity among local government officials to design rigorous impact evaluations for social protection, education, health and water and sanitation projects. The workshop included high-level opening sessions to discuss the strategic relevance of impact evaluation and share international experiences on how to institutionalize impact evaluations in the country.

The workshop in Panama was attended by 56 participants from five Ministries - Ministry of Social Protection, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Labor—as well as local academics and representatives of international NGOs attended. Participants learned how to incorporate impact evaluation research into their own project’s design and the hands-on programming supported the design of six impact evaluations.