While the regional workshops focus on intermediary organisations, and on what the partnership programme should do, the National Seminars are designed to provide a shorter open forum where policy makers, practitioners and civil society can learn more about and discuss how Civil Society Organisations use evidence in policy processes, and can learn about the new ODI programme.

The seminars are modelled on ODI's popular Lunch-Time Meeting format - a short (one to two hours) open, on-the-record, meeting including a couple of short presentations on the issue followed by discussions (one by the ODI team on the role of evidence in policy processes, and one by the workshop participants on how CSOs use evidence in policy processes in the region) followed by general discussion.

The national seminars aim to attract c. 50 people interested in the topic of how CSOs can influence policy processes including national government organisations, bilateral and multilateral donors, and representatives from civil society organisations.

In countries where a regional workshop is also being held, the national seminar is arranged to immediately follow the regional workshop, in which case one of the presentations could be by ODI staff, and the other by workshop participants.

The first phase of seminars was held in Africa in early 2005. Click on the links below for more information:

• Summary of Malawi Seminar - 10th February 2005
• Summary of Mozambique Seminar - 14th February 2005
• Summary of Zambia Seminar - 17th February 205
• Summary of Tanzania Seminar - 22nd February 2005
• Summary of Uganda Seminar - 25th February 2005
• Summary of Ghana Seminar - 15th March 2005
• Summary of Nigeria Seminar - 18th March 2005
• Summary of Indonesia Seminar - 14th June 2005
• Summary of Sri Lanka Seminar - 7th July 2005
• Summary of Bangladesh Seminar - 24th July 2005
• Programme for Seminars (draft)
• Regional Consultation Index
• Information on Regional Workshops

For further information on this project contact Naved Chowdhury