Strengthen Capacity in Evidence Use for Decision-Making

In order for Africa to achieve sustained, equitable development, the decision-making practices— especially in the public sector —should be underpinned by evidence. This requires a culture of consistent evidence use, especially in the public sector. We focus on the following action areas:

Action 1.1 Institutional capacity development for EIDM in African countries

• Build partnerships with regional networks, government agencies and non-state actors for sustainable institutional systems and structures for EIDM
• Conduct needs assessments, then design and implement appropriate interventions for strengthening institutions’ capacities for EIDM
• Support relevant government agencies to use administrative and other data for stronger monitoring, evaluation and learning

 Action 1.2 Empower individual African policymakers, CSOs and non-state actors on EIDM

• Deliver training and mentoring programmes to empower policymakers to use evidence in decision-making
• In partnership with strong regional and global institutions, design and implement senior and mid-level professional fellowship programmes for peer-learning
• Train CSOs, the media and FBOs to enable them use evidence to strengthen scrutiny within their sectors and to promote greater government accountability
• Develop a cadre of experts to play leadership roles in promoting EIDM across the continent

 Action 1.3 Develop the capacity of African and global researchers

• Train and mentor researchers on how to synthesise, translate and package evidence to enhance its use
• In partnership with other institutions, train researchers on policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and communication

 Action 1.4 Build a vibrant community of practice (CoP) in Africa for EIDM

• Convene meetings with other EIDM experts to facilitate exchange of ideas and learning. Document and share lessons on ‘what works?’