The firstworkshop and seminar of the CSPP South East Asia Regional Consultation was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the 14th and 15th June 2005, in collaboration with the Yappika (Civil Society Alliance for Democracy). The workshop and seminar on 'CSOs, Evidence and Policy Influence' provided a forum for representatives from policy research institutes and non-governmental agencies to discuss the opportunities and challenges for CSOs to use evidence to inform policy, learn about the latest worldwide research and practice in this area, share experiences about ongoing activities and identify opportunities for collaborative work.