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INSIGHTS FROM PILAF’S TRAINING WITH POLICY EXPERT DR. OLUSADE TAIWO

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PiLAF team had the privilege of hosting Dr. Olusade Taiwo, Director and Founder of the Center for Enterprise Development and Action Research (CEDAR) and the Policy Research and Partnerships Consultant at DAWN Commission, on September 12-13 for a two-day training on policy processes and research. This training provided PiLAF team members with critical insights into policy fundamentals, practical applications, and the dynamic nature of policy development. The training covered foundational elements of policy, exploring processes, terminology, and best practices in policy research.

Day 1: Understanding Policy and Its Components

During the first day of the training, Dr. Taiwo led the team through an exercise to distill the definition of policy. She further highlighted different kinds of policies and provided some delineations between different policy terms. Dr. Taiwo began by guiding the team in defining what “policy” truly means, distinguishing it from related terms, and examining the different types of policies. She described policy as a “course or principle of action adopted by an organization or individual,” explaining that policies can originate from diverse sources—governments, corporations, NGOs, associations, and more. The session underscored that well-crafted policies must be rooted in both anecdotal and scientific evidence, requiring a robust problem statement and clear justification.

Some key learnings included:

  • Policy is the interaction of knowledge, actors, and spaces.
    • Knowledge: This refers to the information and data on which policies are based. It involves understanding who provides this information, how it is used, and the legitimacy of different types of knowledge in the policy-making process.
    • Actors: These are the individuals and groups involved in policymaking and implementation. This includes government officials, civil society organizations, NGOs, and the communities affected by the policies. The focus is on understanding where power lies and how different actors can influence policy.
    • Spaces: These are the opportunities and arenas where policymaking occurs. It includes formal spaces like government offices and informal spaces like community meetings. The concept also explores the constraints imposed by politics, culture, and history, and how different actors can gain access to these spaces.
  • Policies may be either reactive or proactive.
    • Reactive Policy: policies that are created to respond to a problem or challenge
    • Proactive Policy: policies that are created to prevent a problem or challenge
  • It is important to note the difference between policies and laws. Policy is a guide while laws are used to implement justice and order.
  • Policymaking is not a linear process. It is a dynamic and iterative process because of the interaction between knowledge, actors, and spaces.
  • Differentiating between policy briefs and policy memos.
    • Policy briefs: more comprehensive documents aimed at providing options and analysis.
    • Policy memos: concise and focused, intended to prompt immediate action.

The day also included a hands-on activity where the designed a decision tree diagram. This visual tool clarified various policy challenges, aiding in effective policy formulation.

Day 2: Stakeholder Engagement, Evaluation, and Advocacy

Day two highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement throughout the policy process. Dr. Taiwo highlighted best practices in monitoring, evaluation, and policy advocacy, emphasizing that a successful policy requires inclusivity, participation, and collaboration from start to finish.

Some key learnings include:

  • Different stakeholders should be engaged at different stages of the policy process.
    • Core stakeholders (keep satisfied): These stakeholders have low interest and high power. Include here parties such as the main client, partners, and other core groups essential to the success of your policy.
    • Direct stakeholders (manage closely): These stakeholders have high interest and high power. These are parties that are directly impacted and/or affected by the policy and its outcomes. May include beneficiaries, local communities, government entities, etc.
    • Indirect stakeholders (monitor): These stakeholders have low interest and low power. Include here parties that are indirectly impacted and/or affected by the policy and its outcomes, such as local communities, government entities, etc.
    • Others (keep informed): These stakeholders have high interest and low power. These are generally parties that come to mind, but you don’t know where to place them yet.

Dr. Taiwo emphasized that the ultimate goal of any policy is successful implementation. Achieving this requires an inclusive, participatory, and co-produced development process. She highlighted that monitoring and evaluation are crucial for assessing progress and determining impact, with performance indicators designed not only to reflect policy engagement but to demonstrate tangible effects. Additionally, effective policy advocacy must operate across multiple levels of influence, requiring a strategic understanding of the power structures that shape policy impact.

Crafting policy documents that engage government attention through digestible formats, rather than adhering strictly to formal structures, emerged as a key takeaway for the PiLAF team. This guidance resonated as a practical takeaway for the PiLAF team, equipping them with tools to communicate policy insights effectively. This enriching experience underscores PiLAF’s commitment to deepening its policy knowledge and fostering impactful, evidence-based policy initiatives. This two-day training with Dr. Taiwo significantly strengthened PiLAF’s capacity in policy research and formulation. The PiLAF team is now better equipped to contribute to policy processes that reflect societal needs and to advocate effectively for policies that will have meaningful impacts.

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