English

Weldeslassie Selamawit

doi:10.5897/jpapr2015.0348

Abstract

This study aims at assessing the extent to which the Ethiopian policies are based on rational policy analysis. Explanatory analysis methods are used to analyze primary and secondary qualitative data. The finding shows that in the policy making process only one policy option was investigated and crafted; the criteria used to evaluate the proposal are not clear; sophisticated solution methods haven’t been used. Though there were many consultations with stakeholders, they couldn’t be sources of many policy options due to their objective, timing and poor citizen’s political culture. Moreover, the study found out that there is lack of technical capacity and advice at the center of the government, the parliament and line ministries. Thus, government needs to do the following; establish advisory institutions, consultations should be done before crafting a draft, policy criteria should be identified, and solution methods should be used in selecting the best policy.   Key words: Public policy, public policy making, public policy analysis, policy advice, policy formulation.

Highlights

Public policies are any intentional decisions of a government
This research aims at assessing the practice of policy analysis as a base for policy formulation focusing on the child policy, youth policy and National Social Protection Policy (NSPP)
The ad-hoc taskforces started policy formulation by undertaking researches which are gap assessment in the case of NSPP and youth policy to find out the gaps and weakness of the previous policies so that the gaps can be addressed in the new policy, and needs assessment in the case of child policy to clearly spell out the needs of the public, the target group that the government believed has to be satisfied

Summary

Introduction

Public policies are any intentional decisions of a government. A policy is a statement by government of what it intends to do or not to do, such as a law, regulation, ruling, decision, or order, or a combination of these (Birkland, 2001). Public policies are inevitable in any form of government as policies are instruments for governmental actions without which nothing could be done. Governments go through public policy making process to make their policies. The policy making process is a cyclical process from the problem identification, agenda setting, policy formulation and the policy enactment (policy implementation and policy evaluation) (Howlett and Rahmesh, 2003). Every government makes policies; though the detailed issues in the process may depend on the type of government

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