Recent years have seen a significant increase in the use of products and methods for evidence-based decision making among donors and policymakers in developing nations. Although there has been a lot of interest in the development of evidence, data sources and research are still widely dispersed, which frequently makes it difficult for users to employ context-specific evidence in their decision-making. In order to inform pertinent and inclusive development solutions, particularly in developing countries, it is critical to support policymakers and program implementers in incorporating and using current evidence.
ICED received a grant from the Hewlett Foundation (HF) to support the production of high-quality evidence and evidence-based products that can be accessed, understood, and utilized by policymakers, development professionals, and advocates.
The aim of the grant is to develop an Evidence and Gap Map for Gender Equity and Governance. This map will facilitate the creation and design of Evidence-Based Decision-Making Products (EBDMPs) and tools that can effectively promote the utilization of evidence in the Foundation's Gender Equity and Governance Program in West and East Africa. Our specific objectives include the development of an Evidence and Gap Map (EGM), conducting evidence synthesis, and publishing cell-wise synthesis and summaries for policy briefs, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, guidelines, protocols, and checklists.
The outputs from the EGM which forms a basis for the creation of the EBDMPs will support evidence-informed policies and practices for specific interventions within Gender Equity and Governance. The resulting products will be pilot tested in Ghana with stakeholders involved in Gender Equality programs and policy matters. The production and design of Evidence-Based Decision Making Portals (EBDMPs) will empower decision makers to make well-informed decisions without having to sift through lengthy and sometimes hard-to-access research papers. However, users will still have the option to access the actual research papers through the databases, maps, and platforms provided.