Session Duration: 1.5 hours
Format: Lecture, group action planning workshop
This unit emphasizes how Councils can move from ad hoc advocacy to sustained, institutionalized policy engagement. It covers the creation of internal advocacy units, integration of policy work into MEL systems, and partnerships with think tanks and regional platforms. By the end, participants will be able to develop council-level strategies that make policy influence a permanent function rather than a one-off activity.
Training Content
1. Institutional Structures for Advocacy
a) Establish Policy Engagement Units or assign dedicated staff.
b) Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for evidence translation.
c) Train staff in policy communication and advocacy.
2. Integrating Policy Engagement into MEL
a) Use monitoring data from funded projects as advocacy evidence.
b) Require grantees to produce policy briefs as part of reporting.
c) Link MEL results to national policy review cycles.
3. Building Partnerships for Policy Engagement
a) Collaborate with think tanks and advocacy NGOs (e.g., CODESRIA, AERC).
b) Engage with regional platforms (ECOWAS, AU, AfDB).
c) Use international networks to amplify research impact.
4. Sustaining Advocacy Functions
a) Allocate annual budget lines for policy engagement.
b) Develop council-wide advocacy strategies aligned with national priorities.
c) Institutionalize policy dialogues (annual or biannual forums).
📍 Case Study: ECOWAS Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy drew directly from council-funded research, because councils had institutionalized regular policy dialogues with ECOWAS bodies.
🛠 Tool: Action Planning Worksheet (list of next steps, responsible staff, resources needed, timelines).
Wrap-Up
Each participant drafts a 30-day action plan: E.g., prepare one policy brief, identify three stakeholders, and organize one policy meeting.
Facilitator Notes
a) Guide councils in drafting a policy engagement strategy.
b) Stress the need for evidence repositories and knowledge brokers.
c) Highlight institutional reforms for sustained advocacy.
Suggestions for Further Reading
a) UNESCO (2015). Science Policy and Capacity-Building in Africa.
b) IDRC (2020). Evidence in Action: Policy Engagement Toolkit.