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Below is an executive summary of the synthesis report on 'Evidence-Based
Policymaking: What is it? How does it work? What relevance for developing
countries?'. Click on the links below for information under each
section
Evidence-based Policy: Importance
and Issues
Over the last decade the UK government has been promoting the concept
of Evidence-based policy (EBP). Our partners in the South constantly
ask about what is happening in the UK regarding EBP and what can
they learn from the UK experience. The aim of this work is to identify
lessons and approaches from EBP in the UK which may be valuable
to developing countries. The issues, approaches and tools presented
are based on the assumption that the reader is a progressive policymaker
in a developing country, who is interested in utilising EBP. The
focus is on policymakers within the public sector, rather than those
working within the private sector or civil society.
Where does Evidence-based policymaking come from?
Using evidence to inform policy is not a new idea. What is new
and interesting however, is the increasing emphasis that has been
placed on the concept in the UK over the last decade. The term EBP
gained political currency under the Blair administrations since
1997. It was intended to signify the entry of a government with
a modernising mandate, committed to replacing ideologically-driven
politics with rational decision making. EBP has now become a focus
for a range of policy communities, whether government departments,
research organisations or think-tanks.
What is EBP?
EBP is a discourse or set of methods which informs the policy process,
rather than aiming to directly affect the eventual goals of the
policy. It advocates a more rational, rigorous and systematic approach.
The pursuit of EBP is based on the premise that policy decisions
should be better informed by available evidence and should include
rational analysis. This is because policy which is based on systematic
evidence is seen to produce better outcomes. The approach has also
come to incorporate evidence-based practices.
Why does it matter for developing countries?
EBP can have an even more significant impact in developing countries;
EBP tends to be less well established in developing countries than
in developed ones, and therefore the potential for change is greater.
Better utilization of evidence in policy and practice can help save
lives, reduce poverty and improve development performance in developing
countries. For example, the Government of Tanzania has implemented
a process of health service reforms informed by the results of household
disease surveys - this contributed to over 40% reductions in infant
mortality between 2000 and 2003 in two pilot districts. On the other
hand, the HIV/AIDS crisis has deepened in some countries because
governments have ignored the evidence of what causes the disease
and how to prevent it spreading.
What are the issues surrounding the use of EBP?
This study highlights three main issues surrounding the use of
EBP:
- What evidence is used in the policymaking process? What is
clear from the literature is that policy should be informed by
a wide breadth of evidence, not just hard research. Key issues
include the quality, credibility, relevance and the cost of the
policy.
- How evidence is incorporated into policymaking. Policy processes
ideally involve different stages, from agenda-setting to formulation
to implementation. Evidence therefore has the potential to influence
the policymaking process at each stage. However different evidence
and different mechanisms may be required at each of the policy
stages.
- Evidence is not the only factor which influences policymaking.
It is important to acknowledge that at each stage of the policy
cycle, a number of different factors will also affect policy.
This occurs both at an individual level - for example, a policymaker's
own experience, expertise and judgement - and at an institutional
level, for example in terms of institutional capacity. There are
also a number of constraints, which will limit the extent to which
evidence can affect policy - for example, the pressure to process
information quickly. Policymaking is neither objective nor neutral;
it is an inherently political process.
Despite these challenges to creating an EBP approach, there is
a general consensus in the literature that a more evidence-based
approach to policy and practice would be a positive development.
Top
Increasing Evidence Use: Approaches and Tools
for Progressive Policymakers
Approaches to increase the use of EBP
The paper puts forward a number of approaches which will help to
promote EBP. To change the status quo towards EBP within government
departments, policymakers need to understand the value of evidence,
become more informed as to what evidence is available, know how
to gain access to it and be able to critically appraise it (Davies,
2004: 18). Fundamentally, there needs to be increased communication
and interaction between the research and policy worlds, such as
through discussion forums and joint training. Building institutional
bridges will strengthen the integration of policy and evidence,
and ensure that this is sustainable. A number of ways by which policymakers
can achieve this are put forward here, for example, the need to
create better incentives to encourage the use of evidence and the
need to encourage policymakers to 'own' evidence.
Specific tools used by the UK government
The UK government uses a wide range of tools. In this study we
focus on a number of these, detailing what they are, how and when
they should be used and give an example of them in use. Click
here for more information on the specific tools listed below.
- Impact Assessment and Appraisal: Guidance Checklist for Policymakers
- Strategy Survival Guide
- Magenta Book: Guidance Notes on Policy Evaluation
- Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government
- Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA)
- Incorporating Regional Perspectives into Policymaking Toolkit
(Sub-national)
- International Comparisons in Policymaking Toolkit
- Gender Impact Assessment: a Framework for Gender Mainstreaming
- Managing Risks to the Public: Appraisal Guidance
- Policy Pilots
- Concern Assessment Tool
- Community Engagement How to Guide
- Connecting with Users and Citizens
- Expert Advisory Bodies for Policymakers
- Improving Standards of Qualitative Research
What are the issues surrounding the transferability
of EBP?
Undoubtedly the development arena is distinct and therefore there
are a number of reasons that the tools are not directly transferable.
Increasing the use of EBP in developing countries introduces new
challenges. Economic, social and political environments are diverse
and often more complicated; capacity is more limited; resources
are scarcer. In addition, international actors have a substantial
impact on research and policy processes. As a result of these challenges,
EBP approaches will need to be adapted. Despite the challenges that
confront the use of EBP in developing countries, the tools and approaches
are still relevant and can be adapted for different contexts.
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