Events

AFIDEP will be a partner in the convening of a conference on innovative approaches to research evidence uptake and use in Africa hosted by the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) between 2 – 3^rd May 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. AFIDEP’s experts will be involved in various sessions on the 2^nd day of the Conference as outlined below:

Session V – Political Economy and Policy Cultures: influence and impact on evidence uptake [0900 – 1030]

Objective: The political economy landscape and policy cultures differ across the continent. Similarly, the growth of devolved governance within various African countries is increasingly shaping the policy outcomes away from the centre. This theme will deliberate on how the influence and impact of political economy and contextualized policy cultures is shaping EIDM in the continent.

Moderator: Uduak Amimo,

Format: Lead key presentation(s) to set out context followed by a panel discussion and plenary Q & A.

Speakers:

• Eliya Zulu, Executive Director, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Kenya – The landscape of EIDM community field building in Africa
• Steve Akoth, Executive Director, Pamoja Trust, Kenya: Using evidence in developing stakeholder engagement framework to give social life to urban infrastructure: experience from Nairobi Utafiti Sera urban governance House

Discussants:

• Muhando Nandera, Lecturer, University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
• Edward Brown, Senior Researcher, African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) Ghana
• Rose Makenzie, Policy Officer, Netherlands Embassy

Break-Out Session 5 [1030 – 1045]

• Session Chair: Mr Patrick Mugirwa, Programme Manager, Regional Office of Partners for Population and Development
• Presentation: Rose Oronje, Director, Science Communications and Evidence Uptake, African Institute for Policy Development (AFIDEP), Kenya: Strengthening evidence systems to tackle health challenges: lessons from AFIDEP’s work with parliaments and Ministries of Health in Africa.
• Discussant: Nobert Nantchouang, Director, Knowledge, and Learning, African Capacity Building Foundation

Session VIII: Evidence-informed decision making for Africa’s transformation: what is the future? [1500 – 1600]

Objective/descriptor: There is a growing epistemic community on evidence-informed decision making at the global level and increasingly, decision-makers in Africa recognise the need for evidence in policy processes. Yet gaps remain particularly on theoretical underpinnings of EIDM as well as in the knowledge on the most effective and sustainable mechanisms to support EIDM. PASGR’s Utafiti Sera work has responded to this by developing a well-tested theoretical handle as well as involving the youth in its activities with the view of ensuring intergenerational progression and sustainability of evidence use in decision making. This final session will draw together discussions in the last two days to develop ideas on how to grow the EIDM field in Africa. In particular, the plenary will consider two issues:

1. How to enhance stakeholder synergies and partnerships in driving forward EIDM work in Africa?
2. How can we ensure inter-generational discussions to facilitate the progression and sustainability of evidence use in decision making in Africa?
3. What is the role of young upcoming African scholars and policy actors in the EIDM conversation?

Moderator: Uduak Amimo,

Format: panel and plenary discussions

Speakers:

• Maurice Makoloo, Regional Director – Eastern Africa, Ford Foundation, Kenya
• Sarah Lucas, Program Officer, Global Development and Population, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, USA
• Bernard Onyango, Senior Knowledge Translation Scientist, African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), Kenya
• Radwa Saad, ALC Peace and Security Fellow, Egypt