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 DFID-Trocaire-ODI
Workshop for Policy Entrepreneurs
27th & 28th October and 31st October
& 1st November 2005, Nairobi, Kenya
There is widespread agreement on the vital role that Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs) can play in influencing policies and practices
to make them pro-poor. More and more CSOs are recognising the need
to understand policy processes better and use evidence to engage
with them more effectively. Sometimes, however, it seems that CSOs,
policymakers and researchers live in parallel universes. This DFID-Trocaire-ODI
workshop focused on how CSOs can use evidence to promote pro-poor
policies. Active participation was the cornerstone of the approach
in the workshop, with emphasis placed on participants' own knowledge
and experience.
Objectives
These two workshops were designed for staff of DFID and Trocaire
partners in Kenya who wanted to know more about how to influence
policy. The workshops provided a forum for participants to:
- discuss the opportunities and challenges for CSOs to inform
policy
- learn about the latest worldwide research and practice in this
area
- share experiences about ongoing activities and what works
- identify gaps for future work
Programme (click here for full
programme details (pdf 20kb))
- Introduction to the workshop and presentations: CSOs, Research,
Policy - Parallel Universes?
- Introduction of Workshop Participants
(pdf 24kb)
- Opportunities and challenges for policy influence
- Presentation of ODI, RAPID and the Civil Society Partnership
Programme (CSPP)
- CSOs, Research and Policy: A Framework (see powerpoint
presentation 1.3mb)
- Insight into some policy impact tools
- Development of a strategy
- Evaluation and Close
Workshop participants shared a wide range of other examples based
on their own experience. Several cases discussed during the workshops
illustrate how it has been possible to influence energy policy through
participatory research, information provision and the strategic
use of simple policy advocacy tools. While it clearly is possible
for CSOs to influence policy, the policy context in Kenya makes
this difficult and few CSOs have well developed policy advocacy
skills.
Participants at the workshops made a number of suggestions for
further work by ODI to help them to promote pro-poor approaches
to policymakers in Kenya, including practical training, information
about policy options from other countries, and help to establish
policy fora and networks in Kenya.
Click on the links below for more information:
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