Making the case: using research-based evidence for policy advocacyJohn Young, ODI, Londonj.young@odi.org.uk

BOND Advocacy and Capacity Building Group Launch Event , Monday 2nd June 2008

Overview• ODI and RAPID

• Evidence-based policy: 6 Lessons

• The changing role of CSO’s

• Challenges and opportunities

• An example

• Evidence-based policy in development network

• Conclusions

• Sources of further information

ODI & RAPID• ODI

– UK’s leading Development Think Tank

– c.80 researchers– Research, advice and public

affairs on development policy

• RAPID– Focuses on policy processes– Research, advice, public affairs

+ capacity development– Works with producers, users

and intermediaries

Identify the problem

Commission research

Analyse the results

Choose the best option

Establish the policy

Evaluation

Implement the policy

1. Policy processes are complex

Monitoring and Evaluation

Agenda Setting

DecisionMaking

Policy Implementation

Policy Formulation

1. Policy processes are complex

Civil Society

DonorsCabinet

Parliament

Ministries

Private Sector

2. Research is one factor

Kate Bird et al, Fracture Points in Social Policies for Chronic Poverty Reduction, ODI WP242, 2004 (http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/working_papers/wp242.pdf)

3. Research is important

“The results of household disease surveys informed processes of health service reform which contributed to a 43 and 46 per cent reduction in infant mortality between 2000 and 2003 in two districts in rural Tanzania.”

TEHIP Project, Tanzania: www.idrc.ca/tehip

4. Needs a systematic approach

The political context – political and economic structures and processes, culture, institutional pressures, incremental vs radical change etc.

The evidence – credibility, the degree it challenges received wisdom, research approaches and methodology, simplicity of the message, how it is packaged etc

External Influences Socio-economic and cultural influences, donor policies etc

The links between policyand research communities – networks, relationships, power, competing discourses, trust, knowledge etc.

4. Needs a systematic approach

What researchers need to know

What researchers need to do

How to do it

Political Context:

Evidence

Links

• Who are the policymakers?• Is there demand for ideas?• What is the policy process?

• What is the current theory?• What are the narratives?• How divergent is it?

• Who are the stakeholders?• What networks exist?• Who are the connectors,

mavens and salesmen?

• Get to know the policymakers.

• Identify friends and foes.• Prepare for policy

opportunities. • Look out for policy windows.

• Work with them – seek commissions

• Strategic opportunism – prepare for known events + resources for others

• Establish credibility• Provide practical solutions• Establish legitimacy.• Present clear options• Use familiar narratives.

• Build a reputation• Action-research• Pilot projects to

generate legitimacy• Good communication

• Get to know the others• Work through existing

networks.• Build coalitions.• Build new policy networks.

• Build partnerships.• Identify key

networkers, mavens and salesmen.

• Use informal contacts

5. Needs additional skills

Storytellers

Engineers

Networkers

Fixers

6. There are good tools

Overarching Tools - The RAPID Framework - Using the Framework - The Entrepreneurship

Questionnaire

Context Assessment Tools- Stakeholder Analysis - Forcefield Analysis - Writeshops - Policy Mapping - Political Context Mapping

Communication Tools - Communications Strategy- SWOT analysis - Message Design - Making use of the media

Research Tools - Case Studies - Episode Studies - Surveys - Bibliometric Analysis- Focus Group Discussion

Policy Influence Tools- Influence Mapping & Power Mapping - Lobbying and Advocacy - Campaigning: A Simple Guide - Competency self-assessment

The (changing) role of CSOs• Is huge: Worth $12bn globally,

reach 20% of world’s poor, provide 40% health & education services in SSA.

• Is changing: service provision → policy engagement.

• Can be very effective: Globally, eg Jubilee 2000; locally eg Animal Health in Kenya,

• Is uncomfortable:– with governments: lack of trust– with donors: emphasis on GBS & policy – with academics/policy advisers: weak evidence

How CSOs influence Policy

How CSOs influence Policy

Obstacles to CSO Engagement

Key problems and solutionsExternalDifficult Political Contexts • Campaigns

• Boomerangs• Policy Pilots

InternalWeak understanding of political contexts

• Rigorous context assessments

Weak engagement • Better strategies for engagement at all parts of the policy cycle

Inadequate use of evidence

• Collecting the right evidence for each situation (qualitative vs quantitative etc)

Weak communication • Better communication: publications, events, face-to-face

Isolation • Collaboration with other CSOs, donors and government agencies: Networks

Capacity constraints • “Systemic” capacity-building: of organisations and networks within their contexts

SMERU & UCT in Indonesia• Fuel subsidy increasingly

recognised as regressive and not benefiting the poor.

• Became financially unsustainable in 2005.

• Gvt plan to subsidy UCT to poor.

• Huge programme. Little impact.

• What to do?

SMERU & UCT in Indonesia• Small independent study by

SMERU in 2005 identified opportunity for benefit through CCT focusing on health, education & nutrition + Improved targeting.

• Commissioned by BAPPENAS to do larger feasibility study.

• Series of meetings & dialogues.

• Adopted as policy and operationalised in 2007

SMERU & UCT in Indonesia• Challenges:

– Political leverage– Lack of tools to understand political

context– Lack of lobbying skills & opportunities– Lack of resources– Associated with donors

• Success Factors:– Credibility of SMERU – Links with government and civil

society organisations– Quality of research – Impartiality– Effective communication of results

RAPID support to CSOs• Run workshops, seminars and

courses

• Established the evidence-based policy in development network

• A “community of practice” to:– Learn how research-based evidence can

contribute to better policy and practice.– Do it themselves.– Help others to do it

• www.ebpdn.org

Some members• Africa Energy Policy Research

Network: a network to promote pro-poor energy policies.

• Center for the Implementation of Public Policies promoting Equity and Growth: works on Education, Fiscal Policy, Health, Transparency and Justice an Argentina.

• Unnayan Onneshan: works on pro-poor agricultural and trade policies in Bangladesh.

• International Budget Project: works to promote budget transparency and accountability

ebpdn website

Conclusions• CSOs are well placed to influence

policy with research-based evidence.

• To do it effectively they need to:– Understand the political context– Use a wholistic approach– Establish the right relationships with all

stakeholders– Collect the right sort of evidence– Engage appropriately with the right

policy processes– Communicate effectively

Further Information

ODI – www.odi.org.uk

RAPID - www.odi.org.uk/rapid

– Publications– Case Studies– Workshops and Seminars– Tools and Toolkits

ebpdn – www.ebpdn.org

Contact: j.young@odi.org.uk