Multidimensional Poverty: TCU Presents Brazilian Project at Forum in Switzerland

At the 2025 Forum of the INTOSAI Working Group on Public Policy Evaluation (WGEPPP), held from October 15 to 17 in Bern, Switzerland, the spotlight was on the growing use of quantitative methods in evaluating public policies. The event offered an ideal stage for the Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) to present its pioneering project on multidimensional poverty, developed in partnership with the University of Oxford.

Even though it was not formally on the Forum's agenda, the Brazilian initiative, which connects public spending to concrete results in poverty reduction, drew significant interest and was seen as fully aligned with the WGEPPP's mission. The project assesses poverty across several dimensions, including health, education, housing, employment, and vulnerability, offering a broad and innovative lens for understanding deprivation.

Performance audits and their ability to deliver real benefits to society have been a central theme of WGEPPP discussions. Against this backdrop, the presentation by Jorge Mendes, head of the Audit Department for Social Security, Welfare and Labour (AudBenefícios/SecexContas), stood out. The work captured the attention of delegations from India and Egypt two countries where poverty remains a pressing challenge.

Recognition and Award

The TCU also returned from Bern with an important accolade: First Prize in Performance Audit and Public Policy Evaluation, awarded for its Energy Transition Practical Guide. The publication presents a solid, standardized methodology that supports a fairer energy transition and underscores the role of performance audits as strategic tools for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Submissions were evaluated on four criteria:

• Technical quality: assessing depth and accuracy;

• Innovation and originality: recognizing new approaches and ideas;

• Potential impact: measuring relevance and capacity to generate meaningful change;

• Clarity and presentation: focusing on structure and communication.

The international recognition reinforces TCU's standing as a leading institution in public policy auditing and highlights its continued commitment to innovative practices that deliver tangible benefits to society.