Programa Ciudad Mujer (El Salvador) (El Salvador)
Problems addressed
Deficiencies in the coverage and/or targeting of social assistance programs
Effectiveness

Effective

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Effective

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Life periods served
Adults (18 to 59 years)
Where the program was applied
Community (streets or community centers)
Country of application
El Salvador
Description

This is a program led by the Government of El Salvador through the Secretariat of Social Inclusion (SIS) with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which aims to improve the living conditions of Salvadoran women through the provision of essential services offered by comprehensive care centers. The program seeks to promote gender equality and constitutes an innovative approach to the provision of public services for women in El Salvador, as it addresses challenges that still significantly affect the country’s development: economic gender inequality, violence against women, and maternal health.
The program brings together 18 state institutions in the same physical space and offers more than 20 services that meet women’s needs in a free and accessible manner, paying special attention to their particular situations.

Impact evaluations

A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) found that the integrated services model advocated by the program is an effective tool for facilitating women’s access to specialized services by reducing barriers to accessing multiple services [1].
The main achievements of the model have been the following:
1) Expanded access to specialized public services (especially services linked to sexual and reproductive health or legal processes associated with economic empowerment and support in case of gender-based violence); women who participated in the program (by attending the centers) used 43% more public services than women who did not attend the centers.
2) Positive influence on users' level of satisfaction with their lives, in general. While 85% of the women who did not attend the Ciudad Mujer (CCM) Centers say they are satisfied with their life in general, this proportion increases to 93% for those who attend the centers.

Bibliographic reference

[1] Bustelo, M., S. Martínez, M. Perez, J. Rodriguez Silva (2016). Evaluación de impacto del Proyecto de Ciudad Mujer El Salvador. 2016. Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. https://publications.iadb.org/es/evaluacion-de-impacto-del-proyecto-ciu…

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