Cippec

Cippec
Name	Cippec
Formation	1999
Headquarters	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Type	Nonprofit think tank

Cippec is an Argentine public policy think tank founded in 1999 that focuses on promoting institutional quality, equity, and public integrity through research, advocacy, and capacity building. It operates from Buenos Aires and engages with national and provincial authorities, civil society organizations, international agencies, and academic institutions. The organization produces policy analysis, implements pilot programs, and publishes reports aimed at informing debates in Latin America and beyond.

History

Cippec was established in 1999 amid debates influenced by figures such as Carlos Menem, Fernando de la Rúa, Néstor Kirchner, Eduardo Duhalde, and institutional reforms associated with the late 1990s in Argentina. Early activities interacted with initiatives led by World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, Organisation of American States, and regional networks like Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences and Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales. Over time Cippec collaborated with national ministries including Ministry of the Interior (Argentina), Ministry of Education (Argentina), and provincial administrations in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santa Fe, while engaging scholars from University of Buenos Aires, Torcuato Di Tella University, National University of La Plata, Harvard Kennedy School, and London School of Economics.

Mission and Objectives

Cippec states objectives aligned with strengthening public institutions and improving social outcomes, drawing conceptual influence from reports and frameworks produced by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Transparency International, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and United Nations. Its mission emphasizes accountability, public integrity, and social inclusion, intersecting with policy areas addressed by Ministry of Health (Argentina), Ministry of Social Development (Argentina), Ministry of Justice (Argentina), and regional efforts such as Mercosur and Union of South American Nations. Strategic goals mirror global initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals and governance standards promoted by Open Government Partnership.

Organizational Structure

The organization is governed by a board and executive leadership that engage with advisory councils including experts from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Pan American Health Organization, and retired public officials from ministries and agencies such as Argentine Senate, Chamber of Deputies of Argentina, Prosecutor's Office (Argentina), and provincial governments. Research teams collaborate with visiting fellows affiliated with Columbia University, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and regional centers like FLACSO and Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad. Operational divisions interface with philanthropic partners such as Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Inter-American Development Bank, and bilateral agencies including USAID and Agence Française de Développement.

Programs and Projects

Cippec implements programs across thematic areas, coordinating pilots and policy dialogues with institutions such as Argentine Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health (Argentina), provincial ministries in Mendoza and Salta, and municipal governments like City of Buenos Aires. Projects have addressed judicial reform interacting with Supreme Court of Argentina, electoral transparency linked to National Electoral Chamber (Argentina), public budgeting with Ministry of Economy (Argentina), and early childhood initiatives partnering with UNICEF, World Bank, and local NGOs like Fundación Navarro Viola. International collaborations include comparative studies alongside Brookings Institution, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Clingendael Institute, and Latin American Program at Wilson Center.

Research and Publications

The institute produces reports, policy briefs, and studies disseminated to stakeholders including legislators from Argentine Chamber of Deputies, provincial councils, and international forums such as United Nations General Assembly side events and panels at Inter-American Dialogue. Publications often cite methodologies and indicators employed by OECD, Transparency International, World Bank, and academic publishers like Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Research outputs cover topics pertinent to ministries and agencies such as Ministry of Security (Argentina), Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (Argentina), and supranational discussions in Mercosur and Organization of American States summits.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding streams have included grants and contracts from multilateral organizations like World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme, bilateral donors such as USAID, German Agency for International Cooperation, philanthropic foundations including Ford Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and corporate partnerships with firms operating in Argentina and the region. Strategic partnerships involve academic agreements with Universidad de San Andrés, Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, and research collaborations with think tanks including Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, and Asociación por los Derechos Civiles.

Impact and Criticism

Cippec's influence is visible in policy debates on transparency, judicial functioning, early childhood, and public budgeting, reflected in references by legislators, provincial administrations, and international agencies such as Inter-American Development Bank and United Nations. Critics and commentators from outlets and institutions like Página/12, Clarín, La Nación, and academic critiques from National University of La Plata scholars have raised questions about funding transparency, policy prescriptions, and alignment with donor priorities. Debates mirror broader tensions found in studies by Transparency International and analyses published by Latin American Studies Association.

Category:Think tanks based in Argentina