NIGSD Units

Egypt Impact Lab

The Egypt Impact Lab was established in 2022 to enhance the effectiveness of Egyptian poverty reduction policies by evaluating government programs and supporting national initiatives such as “Decent Life.”

Introduction

The Egypt Impact Lab is housed within the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. It was established with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of policies and initiatives targeting poverty reduction in Egypt. This is achieved through the evaluation of promising government initiatives using randomized evaluation methodologies, leveraging the results of these evaluations to inform policy-making and the design of development programs, and promoting a culture of evidence-based policymaking within government institutions while strengthening the government's capacity to utilize such evidence.

Vision

Mission

Dr. Reham Rizk

Unit Manager

Ms. Zeina Osama

Unit Communications Officer

Strategic objectives

The Egypt Impact Lab was established in 2022 through a collaboration between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation, and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab for the Middle East and North Africa at the American University in Cairo. The Lab aims to enhance the effectiveness of Egypt’s poverty reduction policies by rigorously evaluating promising and innovative government programs and using the results to scale up the implementation of these programs and policies.

The Lab is committed to fostering a culture of evidence-based policymaking within government institutions by building the capacity of government partners to use evidence in the design of programs and ensuring they effectively reach target populations. It also supports the use of administrative data to facilitate the production of such evidence.

The Egypt Impact Lab’s work is centered around the government’s key priorities, which include: reducing poverty in rural Egypt, social protection and poverty alleviation, employment and the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), gender-based empowerment and family development, and promoting a green economy. In line with this, the Lab has launched the Innovative Policy Center for the Environment (Habi), which focuses on supporting the Egyptian government’s climate change policies and strategies. The Center also serves as a regional node of the Water and Air Lab, part of the broader network of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab.

The Egypt Impact Lab also collaborates with strategic partners, including the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), the National Council for Women, and the National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. These partnerships aim to enhance the impact of major national programs and initiatives, such as “Haya Karima” (Decent Life) and the National Family Development Project, to improve development outcomes for all Egyptians.

It is worth noting that the Egypt Impact Lab was made possible through the support of its founding partners: the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development and Community Jameel, in addition to supplementary support from UNICEF Egypt. The Lab is considered one of the key initiatives under the umbrella of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, with support from Co-Impact and Community Jameel.

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