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Improving citizen awareness and democratic elections in Peru

 

Peruvian voters were well-informed when they headed to the federal election polls in June 2016, thanks to the efforts of Consorcio de investigación económica y social (CIES), the Economic and Social Research Consortium. CIES representatives shared details of the unique role the Consortium plays in Peru, including their work as a think tank for the 2016 national elections, during a presentation at IDRC on July 11, 2016.

Before CIES was involved in Peru’s electoral process, political campaigns were based on personal attacks. Now the Consortium plays a critical role in boosting citizen awareness of policy proposals and government plans of the parties participating in elections. With support from IDRC, CIES has raised the level of political debate in Peru by enriching policy discussions with research-based evidence, further strengthening the links between researchers, technocrats, and politicians. During the first round of the Peruvian election and the runoff election in 2016, the Consortium co-hosted the three Presidential debates and the programmatic technical debate.

Since its creation in 1989, CIES has grown into a national network of 48 members, including Peru’s most prestigious universities. Over the years, it has developed a solid reputation and today many of Peru’s top officials rely on the Consortium’s expert advice. IDRC and Global Affairs Canada have supported many of their research activities.

Beyond the success of the recent Peruvian Elections Projects in 2006 and 2011, CIES has informed policies in Peru that led to expanded trade and consumer protection. For instance, CIES supported the Macroeconomic Policies Network, which adapted a Bank of Canada model to the Peruvian economy. In 2001, with advice from the Network on how to transition to inflation targeting goals, the Peruvian Central Bank adopted the new model, helping to jumpstart Peru’s economy.

Read more about the lasting impacts of the Economic and Social Research Consortium.

Find out more about CIES’s mission, history, and research.

Read an interview with CIES’s Executive Director to learn more about the Consortium’s contribution to Peru’s public policies.