External evaluation of federal social programs
The Mexican government is responsible for the execution of programs and actions to tend to the indigenous population living in high and very high marginalization areas. Among those programs are:
 Basic Information Program for the Attention of Indigenous People (Programa de Infraestructura Básica para la Atención de los Pueblos Indígenas): This program is operated by the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous People (Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos Indígenas, CDI) and its objective is to contribute in helping the inhabitants of eligible indigenous localities to have basic goods and services.
This is the only program specifically targeted to indigenous population localities, with 50 to 15 thousand inhabitants, without basic infrastructure and that distinguish themselves for being in high and very high marginalization conditions.
The 2007 Consistency and Results external evaluation on this federal program by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) Economy Faculty, reports that among the program’s strengths is its impact among the target population for it allows shortening the gap in matters of basic infrastructure, each work made reflects a drop in the magnitude of the gap of the population with basic infrastructure deprivations.
The four major challenges are: the clear definition of the attention modalities; the punctual application of the budgetary assignment criteria, developing annual planning and strategic planning.
Productive Organization Program for Indigenous Women (Programa de Organización Productiva para Mujeres Indígenas): This program is also operated by the CDI, its objective is to contribute in improving the living conditions and social position of indigenous women that live in high and very high marginalization localities. To do so, it fosters and strengthens their organization around a productive project that additionally increases their self-esteem, confidence and self-worth to make decisions based on the transversal equity, gender, sustainability, interculturality and rights criteria.
The 2007 Consistency and Results external evaluation by the la Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo (UACH) found the following strengths in the program:
- The program includes the equity and gender focus to favor awareness of indigenous women's rights, boost their self-esteem and contribute to their empowerment.
- The program services indigenous women in very high and high marginalization areas with scarce or none organizational experience, providing them the opportunity to organize themselves around a productive project in order to develop their capabilities and skills with the purpose of integrating into higher means of organization that enable them to improve their quality of life.
- The evaluation found there are adequate procedures for the selection of projects and beneficiaries, there is also an accountability and transparency system for the public servants that manage the program’s resources.
The program generates psychological and psychosocial changes which trigger the conviction to organize themselves and achieve social recognition, decision-making, improve their income or simply the capability to decide.
Among the challenges the program must tend to for its improvement are:
- Provide follow-up and accompaniment to ongoing projects to prevent the disintegration of women’s groups or the failure of the productive project.
Progress in the coverage the program presents up to date.
Establish an effective collaboration and coordination with the federal programs it is related to and complements.
- Increase the program’s budget to achieve a greater impact on the potential and target population.
To learn more about the 2007 Consistency and Results external evaluations on programs to tend to the indigenous population, visit social program evaluation and monitoring section.
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