Measuring what matters: Evidence, impact, and policymaking for social development
August 26, 2025
From left: Moderator Dr Melati Nungsari, Nurul Izzah Anwar, Lina Marliani, and Aditi Malhotra during The Hasanah Forum panel on evidence, impact measurement, and community voices in shaping social development.
In a world where policies can determine the fate of millions, the question of how we measure impact has never been more pressing. At The Hasanah Forum on August 14 - 15, a distinguished panel on “Measuring what matters: Valuing evidence in policymaking and nation building” convened to address exactly that.
The session featured Nurul Izzah Anwar, Executive Chairperson of Policy; Lina Marliani, Executive Director of J-PAL Southeast Asia; and Aditi Malhotra, Chief Impact Officer of Yayasan Hasanah. Moderated by Dr Melati Nungsari, Associate Professor of Economics and Deputy CEO at the Asia School of Business, the discussion delved into how evidence, impact measurement, and community voices can—and must—reshape the way Malaysia and the region approach social development. The global turn toward evidence-based policymaking Across the world, policymakers are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate results. With limited resources, rising inequality, and complex social challenges, governments and donors alike are asking: which programmes work, and which do not? Lina Marliani explained how the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a global research network with seven regional offices, including one in Southeast Asia, is pioneering the use of randomized evaluations to answer this question. “For academics, the incentive is journal publication. But for us, the real goal is turning evidence into policy. We work with governments and civil society donors to evaluate innovative programmes and scale up those proven to be both effective and cost-effective,” she said. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), often referred to as the “gold standard” of evidence, have been used to test everything from cash transfers to education reforms. Yet, as Marliani emphasized, the method is not applied blindly. “Randomized evaluation is only used when it’s appropriate, as part of a broader approach to answer specific policy questions.” Lessons from the field: Pilots and poverty in Malaysia Bringing the conversation closer to home, Nurul Izzah Anwar reflected on how Malaysia has integrated evidence-based approaches in policymaking. She pointed to the three concentric circles framework by Mark Moore, which outlines what makes policy pilots succeed: they must be technically correct, politically supportable, and organizationally implementable. “Even the best evidence-based ideas fail if bureaucracy resists them. Measurement must be applicable, politically feasible, and organizationally feasible,” she explained. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia undertook a pilot project using a multidimensional poverty index (MPI) to measure the real conditions of low-income households. Beyond income levels, the index captured factors such as household size, internet accessibility, and educational opportunities for children. “If you can secure bipartisan support for something like an MPI, you not only measure the impact of COVID but also create a foundation for future poverty-alleviation strategies,” Nurul Izzah added. This initiative later fed into broader frameworks such as the New Economy Progress Index (NPI). Beyond checklists: Rethinking impact measurement While evidence matters, Aditi Malhotra warned against reducing impact measurement to a mere scoreboard. “Impact measurement is not a checklist. The real value is in understanding the game better. Learning is key,” she stressed. She recounted how Yayasan Hasanah, Malaysia’s leading foundation for social impact, evolved its approach over the past decade. Initially, partners were given legal frameworks and templates to measure outputs. But this soon proved inadequate. “In social development, complexity is the rule, not the exception. Communities need time, trust, and resources to deliver change. Expecting overnight results is unrealistic,” she said. This reflection led Hasanah to develop its Impact Framework, centered on empowerment, partnership, accountability, and trust. The goal was to humanize measurement—to balance hard data with the lived experiences of communities. “Numbers are dense and daunting. Stories give voice. Our role as funders is not just to celebrate success but to bring forth uncomfortable truths, then work with governments to scale proven solutions,” Malhotra explained. Learning from failure: A cultural shift One of the most powerful themes of the session was the value of failure. Moderator Dr Melati Nungsari noted, “In this field, failure is data. It tells us what doesn’t work. The private sector often pivots quickly when things go wrong. We need to cultivate similar agility in social programmes.” For Nurul Izzah, this meant reframing failure as part of the process. “We must celebrate failures through post-mortems. Trust goes a long way, and when stakeholders see honesty, they’re more likely to support the next step.” She also highlighted the challenge of entrenched mindsets: “Too often, the mentality is, ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.’ But progress requires us to question even functioning systems, to ask how they can be improved.” The power of communities and stories The panel agreed that data alone is insufficient. Community voices and stories must be central to measurement and policymaking. Marliani shared an example from cash transfer programmes. Policymakers often worry that giving money directly to poor households will lead to wasteful spending. But evidence shows otherwise. “When money is given to mothers, outcomes improve significantly for the family. Listening to communities proved this approach worked.” Nurul Izzah echoed this sentiment: “The stories matter. Participants should feel celebrated as stakeholders. The impact is theirs, not ours. Success must be told through their voices.” Storytelling, the panel argued, bridges the gap between numbers and meaning. It makes evidence relatable to the public and persuasive to policymakers. Building impact as a national skillset For Aditi Malhotra, one of the most urgent needs is building impact measurement as a professional skillset in Malaysia. “Are we measuring what’s easy, or what truly matters? Measuring what matters takes patience. It means engaging with communities, investing resources, and waiting for long-term results,” she explained. She stressed that measurement should be seen as a loop, not a straight line. Data should inform programmes, which then inform further measurement. Without this feedback cycle, projects risk being disconnected from real needs. “It takes decades to address poverty and inequality. Impact is not about one funding cycle. It’s about sustained, patient investment,” she added. Towards evidence-driven nation building As the session drew to a close, one message resonated: evidence, learning, and human stories must converge if Malaysia is to build sustainable, inclusive policies. Dr Melati summed it up: “We must get comfortable talking about what doesn’t work, as much as what does. Only then can we build resilience into policymaking.” The panelists agreed that collaboration across government, academia, and civil society is essential. Policymakers must embrace data without losing sight of lived realities, while funders and NGOs must cultivate patience, humility, and trust. In an era of rapid change and mounting challenges, measuring what matters may be one of the most important lessons for Malaysia’s nation-building journey. |
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