by Faaria Hussain from the INASP EIPM team.  

For the past 3 years INASP’s Evidence- Informed Policy Making team has been working with a wide range of partners and advisers in three countries to create a Toolkit to support capacity building for evidence use in policymaking.

We’re delighted to announce that we are ready to launch our Evidence-Informed Policy Making (EIPM) Toolkit.  It will be launched through a webinar.  Join us for our webinar on 11:00-12:00 (BST), 24th May 2016.

What is the EIPM Toolkit?

The EIPM Toolkit is a new resource in the field of policy making. It is an adaptable suite of resources created to support civil servants and parliamentary staff to use evidence in policymaking in developing countries. It focuses on finding, evaluating and communicating evidence as well as developing practical implementation plans.

We recognise that there are complex barriers to effective EIPM. In light of this, the Toolkit takes an interdisciplinary approach combining: policy analysis, information literacy, research skills and communication techniques.

The full course is composed of four modules:

1. Introduction to Evidence- Informed Policy Making including the role of evidence in policymaking process; different kinds of evidence, who uses them and why
2. A Complete Search Strategy including how to access different types evidence in developing countries, using networks, and searching databases effectively
3. Assessing Evidence including analysing source, credibility, bias and quality, as well as basic principles of research methodology
4. Communicating Evidence including tailoring messages to decision makers, writing policy briefs, preparing infographics and oral presentations

For each module, there is a Trainer’s Manual containing; handouts, activities, presentations and readings to deliver training in EIPM. This also includes an Action Planning template and a set of activities which can be used to develop individual or departmental Action Plans for EIPM.

Also included in the Toolkit is a series of corresponding Practical Handbooks for civil servants and parliamentary staff, as well as some associated promotional resources to raise awareness about evidence use in public institutions.

Who is it for?

The Toolkit as a whole is aimed at building the capacity of civil servants and parliamentary staff—in particular the researchers and policy analysts who provide reports and briefings for senior decision makers and parliamentary committees.

The Practical Handbooks are targeted directly at these civil servants, while the Trainer Manual is designed for those training civil servants.

 
How is it used?

In 2014-2015 the course was piloted with researchers and policy analysts at the Ghana Civil Service Training Centre, the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Zimbabwe Ministry of Youth. It was also adapted for use with the Department of Research Services at Parliament of Uganda.

The modules and activities can be delivered individually, as one consecutive ten-day course, or incorporated into other courses. The Toolkit has been designed to be adaptable to the context it is being implemented in. It is not sector specific and can be tailored to the participants’ own experience.

By joining our webinar you’ll hear more about how the Toolkit has been used in VakaYiko partner countries, and you’ll have a unique opportunity to ask questions to the partners and from those who created the Toolkit. We look forward to hearing your feedback!

We hope to see you then.

 

Faaria holds a BA(Hons) in Geography from Kings College, London.