PEP’s Executive Director champions local research leadership at international impact evaluation forum

As global development actors grapple with how to make evidence more relevant, inclusive and actionable, the question of who leads impact evaluation has become increasingly urgent. At the 2025 Global Impact Evaluation Forum in Rome, PEP reinforced its leadership in advancing locally led research systems, with Executive Director Prof. Jane Mariara calling for deeper South–South collaboration and long-term investment in Southern research capacity.

Hosted by the World Food Programme in partnership with BMZ and Norad, the forum convened UN agencies, donors and evaluation leaders seeking more effective ways to link evidence with action.

Speaking as a panelist on a high-level plenary discussing Leveraging locally led impact evaluations: Partnering for results, Prof. Mariara positioned localisation as central to improving the relevance, quality and uptake of evidence in development policy. She shared how PEP has managed to ensure a more equitable ecosystem, one that brings together a broad range of stakeholders while balancing methodological rigour and ethical considerations. She emphasised that PEP’s more than 20 years of experience in collaborative research have been central to refining this approach.

The discussion comes amid growing global scrutiny over whose evidence informs development decisions and how localisation commitments are translated into practice.

Building high-quality local evidence systems

Drawing on PEP’s experience supporting almost 1,400 researchers across 66 countries, Prof. Mariara underscored the organisation’s long-term approach to building locally led evidence systems through deliberate, long-term investment. She highlighted intentional talent identification as a core strategy, particularly for young researchers and women. “Gender-balanced pipelines need to be a design feature, not an afterthought,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of integrated capacity-building ecosystems that combine technical excellence with sustained policy engagement, and that extend beyond individual researchers to include government institutions and local think tanks.

Why South–South collaboration strengthens impact

Prof. Mariara highlighted South–South collaboration as a powerful yet underused mechanism to strengthen research quality and policy relevance. She explained that collaboration works best when driven by locally meaningful policy questions and supported by Southern scientific advisors who connect researchers across countries. “Strong partnerships form around questions that matter locally,” she said, pointing to PEP’s use of policy engagement and thematic groups focusing on particular policy challenges. However, she warned that multi-country programmes are likely to underperform when research designs fail to reflect country contexts or when Southern scientific leadership is insufficient to support local researchers.

From projects to regional communities of practice

Looking beyond project-based collaborations, Prof. Mariara called for a shift toward regional clusters and communities of practice. She argued that building critical mass among researchers reduces fragmentation, strengthens peer learning and supports more sustainable collaboration, particularly by reducing over-reliance on single mentors and enabling longer-term networks across regions. 

What global actors can do now

Prof. Mariara concluded with clear recommendations for global actors, including UN agencies and donors. She called for investment in long-term capacity-building ecosystems rather than one-off workshops, for Southern leadership in agenda-setting, and for greater support to underrepresented groups, especially young women researchers. She also emphasised the need to fund regional networks, cross-country learning platforms and essential research infrastructure.

As global institutions reassess how impact evaluations are funded, governed and used, Prof. Mariara’s message underscored that localisation is not a technical adjustment but a structural shift. She explained how, through its Call to Action on locally led research, PEP continues to advocate for evidence systems that are rooted in local leadership, responsive to national priorities and connected through South–South collaboration. She then took the opportunity to encourage participants to endorse the Call to Action, inviting institutions and individuals to commit to concrete steps that shift power, resources and decision-making toward Southern researchers and institutions.

Positioning PEP’s message in a global dialogue

The session provided a strategic platform to broaden PEP’s message beyond the research community and into institutional decision-making spaces where evaluation agendas and funding priorities are shaped.

It brought together a diverse group of practitioners and researchers working to advance more inclusive evaluation systems. It was moderated by Amber Peterman, Impact Evaluation Specialist at UNICEF’s Evaluation Office, who framed the discussion around moving from commitments on localisation to concrete institutional action.

Jennifer Nyakinya, Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA), shared evidence on persistent barriers to inclusion within the evaluation profession. Bisimwa Mulemangabo, University of Oxford, emphasized the importance of lived experience and research co-production, particularly in refugee-focused evaluations. And Raquel Caldeira, J-PAL Africa, highlighted how the organisation is expanding funding, mentorship and training opportunities for researchers in program countries through its Scholars and Fellows initiatives.

The discussion was anchored by Jonas Heirman, Head of WFP’s Impact Evaluation Unit, who served as discussant. Reflecting after the Forum, he highlighted localisation as a key takeaway, noting the need to move “beyond extracting data to strengthening national academic systems, ensuring evidence is grounded in local realities, and supports government decision-making.” 

Together, these perspectives reinforced Prof. Mariara’s call for structural change in how impact evaluations are led, funded and governed. 

Reflecting after the event, Prof. Mariara noted the exchange highlighted both progress and resistance within the sector. “There are still actors who find it difficult to embrace the mind shift needed for a fairer playing field,” she observed. “But we continue pushing.” She also welcomed the opportunity to engage a global policy audience, adding, “It was great to share PEP’s experiences, reflections and concrete actions towards a more equal and impactful research ecosystem.” She added that the Forum opened promising avenues for future collaboration and expressed optimism about the partnerships that may emerge from PEP’s participation.