2021 PEP annual conference - virtual event

Over 130 participants meet online for the 2021 PEP Annual Conference

Over 130 people from around the world participated in the 2021 PEP Annual Conference, held online from May 18 to June 4. They included researchers, practitioners, international experts, representatives of donor and international organizations, and policy actors.

For the second year under restrictions imposed by the global pandemic, PEP – committed to providing training and peer-review opportunities – held the Annual Conference online. Activities took place as half-day sessions between May 18 to June 4.

This 2021 conference was organized as part of three research initative. Members of 15 research teams from 14 developing countries, supported under the Impact Evaluation Mentoring and CORE initiatives, presented their research results and project outcomes for discussion with peers and international experts. Members of a further seven teams, shortlisted for PEP support under the Climate Change in Africa initiative, presented their project proposals for peer-review and discussion.

The teams coming to the end of their Impact Evaluation Mentoring projects and those shortlisted for the Climate Change in Africa initiative also received intensive training from PEP’s Communications Team, and, for the latter group, in Climate Change Policy Analysis.

The event concluded with the 2021 PEP Policy Conference on “Power in Proximity: For greater participation of local researchers in development policy debates” (see below).

Activities by research program

Climate change in Africa

Seven shortlisted teams were invited to benefit from policy engagement and technical training prior to presenting their project proposals, for final evaluation and selection for support under the Climate Change in Africa initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada.

May 18-20 - Best Practices for Policy Engagement

Shortlisted team members participated in a three-part workshop to learn about key principles and best practices for engaging with policy stakeholders and designing research that directly addresses existing policy needs. Download the presentations:

May 27-28 - Technical training: Gender and climate change policy analysis

A two-part workshop focusing on the analytical tools and methods applied as part of the research work to be supported under this initiative.

The first day, Alphonse Singbo, provided theory applicable to all the shortlisted teams, introducing them to gender analysis within climate change analysis. On the second day the research team members were grouped by methodology to explore how econometric models can be used in estimating the causal effect of shocks and climate change on the productivity gap (with Dr. Singbo), or how CGE models can be used to understand greenhouse gas emissions and carbon pricing (with Jérôme Gagnon-April).

May 31-June 3 - Presentations of project proposals

The seven shortlisted teams presented and discussed their project proposals with an audience of their peers and PEP-affiliated international experts. These sessions provided valuable feedback to the teams to improve their proposals.

Impact Evaluation Mentoring for Governments in East and West Africa

Under this (IE-Government Mentoring) Initiative, funded by the Hewlett Foundation, PEP is supporting 6 mixed government-research project teams in 5 African countries. Coordinated by PEP’s Experimental Research group, this initiative aims to reduce the gap between impact evaluation capabilities and demand (from local government and international organizations).

By mid-2021, these projects were coming to the end of the research process. The 2021 conference activities aimed to prepare the teams of researchers and government officers for the dissemination stage of their projects.

May 25-27 - Best Practices for Evidence-informed Policy Briefing

The PEP Communications team held a three-part workshop to share key principles and best practices for communicating evidence-informed policy advice. These sessions were for all members of IE Mentoring teams to learn about and discuss strategies and tools for the effective dissemination of their findings in their respective countries.

Download the presentations

May 31-June 3 - Presentations of research findings

The six IE project teams presented and discussed the outcomes and results of their projects with an audience of their peers and PEP-affiliated international experts. These sessions provided valuable feedback to the teams to improve their final research reports and publications.

COVID-19 Responses for Equity (CORE)

May 31-June 3 - Presentations of ongoing research projects

Nine teams supported under the rapid-response CORE initiative presented and discussed the progress and preliminary findings of their projects with an audience of their peers and PEP-affiliated international experts. These sessions provided valuable feedback to the teams to improve their research work and outcomes.

The CORE initiative funded by Canada's International Development Reseach Center (IDRC).

2021 PEP policy conference

Power in Proximity: For greater participation of local researchers in development policy debates

When researchers from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) participate in economic development policy discussions—locally, regionally, or globally—they can bring a deeper understanding of the social, political and economic context of their countries, compared to outside experts.

However, experts from higher-income countries have historically taken leadership roles in many, if not most, global, regional, and even national development policy debates focusing on LMICs.

More inclusive policy debates lead to more effective policy choices and more sustainable development outcomes that better respond to local needs. But are in-country researchers systematically involved in the design and evaluation of development policies?  If not, how could their participation and leadership be enhanced? These questions inspired the theme of the 2021 PEP Policy Conference, held as a public online event on June 4 to conclude the 2021 PEP Annual Conference.

An international dialogue

PEP brought together more than 130 people from around the world, including researchers, international experts, stakeholders, donors, and policy advisors.

The discussions concentrated on understanding the current situation and identifying the actions needed to increase the participation and leadership of in-country researchers in development policy debates.

The event featured a panel discussion and Q&A with:

Nisha Arunatilake, Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka
Jane Mariara, PEP, Kenya
Nathan Nunn, Harvard University, USA
Andrea Ordonez, Southern Voice, Ecuador
Nasreen Jessani, Centre for Evidence-based Health Care, South Africa

John Young from INASP, United Kingdom, moderated the discussion.

Participants were then invited to join smaller discussion groups to identify how different key actors can help increase local researchers’ participation.

Chandra Madramootoo of the International Development Research Centre, Canada, provided key takeaways from each of the discussions, highlighting possible solutions to take forwards.

Conclusions...

The legacy of colonialism means that power, funding and other resources are still concentrated in the Global North. This dominance perpetuates a bias where decision-makers, conference organisers, and journal editors favour North American and European researchers and institutions. It also creates networks of trans-national policy professionals based in the Global North.

These networks mean that many researchers from the Global South are excluded at the international level and are pushed to attend Northern institutions, continuing the dominance of the North in development economics and leading to “brain drain” at home.

The dominance of the Global North in academia and policy has led to a “one-size fits-all” approach in development work and in recognising success (i.e. publications). This limited approach means that the strengths and advantages of local researchers (including local knowledge and understanding of “policy windows”) are often underappreciated or overlooked.

While the game is changing and Southern researchers have made some positive gains, much remains to be done at all levels of policy influence.

...and action points

People and institutions with power, influence and funding need to make sure that experts from the countries being discussed are part of the conversation.

For example, editors and conference organisers should only accept papers that include at least one author from the country being studied.

Other participants at events should also call out the organisers if Southern researchers are excluded from discussions of issues affecting their countries and regions.

Similarly, Northern researchers should involve local researchers and policymakers in their study teams and when writing journal articles.

Redefining measures of research quality, taking a holistic approach that considers contextual factors as well as scientific rigor (as IDRC’s Research Quality Plus does) can help recognise the importance of Southern research.

National and regional governments need to support in-country researchers and collaborate with them in setting the research agenda.

Researchers in the Global South should form networks to increase their visibility to decision-makers and to advocate for and be more active in celebrating Southern expertise. These networks can also help those moving abroad to keep connections with their home countries.

Research funders should allocate resources in a way that helps level the playing field. For example, by funding in-country researchers to set and study their own research agenda.