Innovations for Poverty Action, Bangladesh

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Innovations for Poverty Action, Bangladesh (IPA-B) was opened in 2010 as a hub for rigorous development research and to identify effective solutions to the country’s poverty challenges. Since then, IPA-B has partnered with governments, NGOs, and university researchers on over 30 impact evaluations across various sectors. Such evaluations have considered cross-cutting issues in technology adoption, governance, factory productivity, financial inclusion, and female empowerment.

IPA-B’s expertise lies in questionnaire design, data management, research quality control, and the implementation of large, complex RCTs. For instance, IPA-B is conducting an ongoing nationwide evaluation to measure the impact of semi-formal village courts on access to justice for the poor. Additionally, IPA-B has tested policy-relevant questions on sanitation through a study of effective strategies for latrine adoption. The project entailed assigning 380 neighborhoods to 9 unique treatment arms in a double-randomized design.

Through its commitment to the Bangladesh development sector, IPA-B has established a body of work centered on high-quality data collection and the use of that data in creating policy. This has connected implementing organizations with key academics and policymakers, all in order to establish a culture of evidence-based decision-making. As IPA-B has grown, so too has its network of partners, which includes government agencies, such as the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture, and multi-national organizations, like BRAC. Now, in collaboration with Y-RISE, IPA-B hopes to continue this work of researching effective solutions to poverty at an expanded scale.

Projects