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Bringing governance evidence into policy: The role of think tanks and research institutes in the developing world

Hero image description: Tajikistan Parliament Image credit:Gennadiy Ratushenko / World Bank Image license:Creative Commons

Governance evidence can be controversial. Sometimes it can be even more so if it comes from think tanks and research institutes. Yet the role of these institutions is critical for strengthening evidence informed policy-making, especially in fragile post-conflict contexts. This project, funded by the Oslo Governance Centre (OGC) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), examined in closer detail, the premise that: governments may be less inclined to want to be informed about evidence on democratic governance because of the direct implications it may have for their power base. Drawing on a framework that allows us to understand better the different dynamics of evidence-based policy-making (EBP) in particular policy sectors, ODI and developing country partners sought to examine the dynamics of EBP in the area of governance policy in three diverse post-conflict contexts: Nepal, Peru and Serbia. The main outputs of this project include a workshop held in Cairo, Egypt, two synthesis papers and three case studies. The two synthesis papers highlight the importance of fostering the capacities of local think tanks and research institutions to better monitor and evaluate progress in democratic governance as well as to communicate these findings to new governments in non-threatening ways.

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Ajoy Datta, Arnaldo Pellini, Julia Pomeres, Maja Gavrilovic, Binod Bhatta, Jorge Aragon, Martin Vegas

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