Sharing PEP findings
around the world
Engaging with policy and stakeholders
97% of PEP findings are presented and discussed, in person, with policymakers
A hallmark of PEP’s Grant Plus mechanism is the attention devoted to policy engagement throughout the research process. PEP considers that training and mentoring in policy engagement and communications are essential elements of a successful capacity building and policy research program, along with the core scientific training and mentoring. This attention ensures the policy relevance and uptake of PEP-funded research while building the “soft” skills required for our researchers to advise and inform policy makers and other stakeholders beyond their PEP projects.
All PEP-supported projects must be designed and conducted in direct consultation with policy stakeholders. As a result of these consultations, nearly all (97%) of PEP-supported research teams discuss their findings, in person, with the target policymakers. These discussions occur at the teams’ PEP-sponsored national policy conferences (see below), or during private advisory meetings with the decision-makers or their direct advisors. PEP recognizes and rewards the project teams that make outstanding efforts to link their research with decision-making in their respective countries, while pursuing the highest standards in terms of scientific and technical quality (see Best Practice Awards, below).
In 2019, PEP took policy-engaged research to a whole new level, with a set of innovations including research coproduction projects (i.e. working directly with government), policy papers, new training activities and extended policy mentorship.
“As soon as we released our PEP study results, TV and newspapers in the country started contacting me for interviews. ”
“Our PEP project received unprecedented international attention. Many people and organizations approached us to try to get the results and to collaborate. ”
PEP national policy conferences
Organized by local researchers with PEP support
85% of PEP project teams supported have organized national policy conferences since 2016
80% of these events were reported in the national news media
PEP-supported researchers organize national policy conferences to share their findings and policy recommendations with local and national stakeholders and policymakers.
These events contribute to raising the profile of the researchers at home while democratizing their findings for the general public. The majority of these conferences also benefit from broad media coverage by national news agencies.
In 2019, 14 teams supported under the PAGE II initiative held PEP-sponsored national policy conferences (public events), and a further 7 project teams organized other types of knowledge-sharing events.
February 8 – Nairobi, Kenya
Threat to food security as farmers move into other sectors
February 11 – Belgrade, Serbia
How austerity measures exacerbate the gender pay gap
February 13 – Jakarta, Indonesia
Better maternal health care can help improve SME productivity
February 24 – Cotonou, Benin
How working while studying eases school-to-work transitions
March 7 – Skopje, North Macedonia
Youth underemployment problem in three Balkan countries
March 13 – Niamey, Niger
Improving surface water use for hunger reduction
March 21 – Accra, Ghana
Promoting non-farm work among farmers
March 28 – Dodoma, Tanzania
How VAT reductions can boost growth
March 28 – Dakar, Senegal
Problems for working women under the EU Economic Partnership Agreement
May 23 – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Agricultural subsidies for women contribute to growth and food security
May 29 – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Using agricultural subsidies to reduce gender inequalities
November 6 – Monrovia, Liberia
Interpersonal skills training can improve SME revenues
November 26 – Cotonou, Benin
How policy can boost maize production
December 23 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Urbanization is improving welfare and how to extend these benefits
2019 PEP Best Practice Awards
International conference presentations
southern researchers invited to present their PEp research at high-level academic events
25% of PEP research projects are presented at high-level international conferences
PEP provides support to enable the participation of researchers who are invited to present their PEP research at high-level international academic conferences.
In 2019, PEP researchers presented their work at 12 international events.
Banff, Canada – May 31-June 1
53rd Canadian Economic Association Annual Conference
Washington, D.C., USA – June 6-7
2nd IZA/World Bank/NJD Conference on Jobs and Development
Glasgow, United Kingdom – June 27-29
28th IAFF Annual Conference: Solidarities and Challenges at the Intersection of Inequalities
San Francisco, USA – June 28-July 2
94th Western Economic Association International Annual Conference
Paris, France – July 4-5
5th DIAL Conference on Development Economics
Ponta Delgada, Portugal – July 10-12
2019 International Conference on Economic Modeling and Data Science (EcoMod2019)
Rabat, Morocco – July 11-13
2019 Africa Meeting of the Econometric Society (AFES 2019)
Bangkok, Thailand – September 11-13
UNU-WIDER Development Conference: Transforming economies – for better jobs
*Including seven presentations from PEP researchers
Abidjan, Ivory Coast – October 8-10
11th Conference on Model-based Evidence on Innovation and Development (MEIDE)
Ann Arbor, USA – October 11-14
2019 SDI Sustainability and Development Conference
Puebla, Mexico – November 7-9
24th Annual LACEA-LAMES Meeting
Delhi, India – December 18-20
15th Annual Conference on Economic Growth and Development
The PEP Best Practice Awards reward PEP-supported project teams who have made outstanding efforts to engage and link their research with policy and decision-making at home, while pursuing the highest standards in terms of scientific and technical quality. The 2019 Awards were presented during the 2019 PEP annual general meeting
Prizes were awarded to the highest-achieving team in each of PEP’s four reserach groups:
For the Macro-micro Policy Modelling Group, the award was presented to Abdul Malik Iddrisu, Maliha Abubakari and Dede W. A. Gafaa from Ghana, for their project “Identifying key policy options for growth and gainful employment in Ghana”. Abdul Malik Iddrisu and Maliha Abubakari received the award on behalf of the team (pictured, top-left).
For the Microeconomic Analysis Group, the award was presented to Chitalu Miriam Chama Chiliba, Hilary Chilala Hazele, Kelvin Chileshe and Mwimba Chewe from Zambia, for their project examining “Occupational Preferences and Labour Market Skills Mismatch among Youths in Zambia”. Hilary Chilala Hazele and Mwimba Chewe received the award on behalf of the team (pictured, top-right).
For the Community-Based Monitoring System Group, the award was presented to Esso-Hanam Atake, Yevesse Dandonougbo, Djinta Litaaba-Akila, Dede Kouevidjin and Mazignada Sika Limazie from Togo, for their project analysing “Gender disparities with regards to agricultural investments, labor productivity and rural poverty reductions in Togo”. Yevesse Dandonougbo received the award on behalf of the team (pictured, bottom-left).
For the Experimental Research Group, the award was presented to Marcos Agurto, Brenda Liz Silupú Garcés, Carolina Triveli and Javier Torres from Peru, for their project evaluating the impact of “Academic ambassadors and the diffusion of digital financial services among the Peruvian poor”. Marcos Agurto and Brenda Liz Silupú Garcés received the award on behalf of the team (pictured, bottom-right).
