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African MPs, researchers call for enhanced evidence-use in parliaments
February 2019 Representatives from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, The East African Legislative Assembly, South Africa, Malawi, and Ghana have called for improved research and evidence use in African Parliaments. They were hosted by the Parliament of Uganda for a workshop on research and evidence use in the Parl…
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AFRICAN MPs, RESEARCHERS CALL FOR
ENHANCED EVIDENCE-USE IN PARLIAMENTS
“If we’re going to make laws that will really touch the lives of
people, they must be backed by evidence.”
These were the words of Hon. Charles Sengabo, MP,
Parliament of Rwanda, during the workshop, where the aim
was to share experiences, to learn from one another and
discuss good parliamentary practices that enhance the use of
evidence in African parliaments.
MPs need to equip themselves with the right information to
make the right decisions, said Hon. Olipa Myaba Chiluba, MP,
Parliament of Malawi and APNODE member. “You need to
have the evidence if you’re going to debate in parliament and
if the best decisions are going to be made.” She said greater
importance needed to be placed on evidence -based approach-
es in all African parliaments.
While the participants shared examples of evidence-based
practices from their national parliaments, they also shared
their challenges and barriers to improving evidence use and
uptake.
“From all the interactions we have had from
different countries representing Africa, I’ve
learnt that we are facing more-or-less the
same situations.
- Hon. Dr Immaculate Sware Semesi, MP,
Parliament of Tanzania
Hon. Semesi said the woorkshop had allowed for discussions
on issues around how, when, and who collects evidence, how
it should be synthesised and analysed. This workshop, she said,
had provided new avenues for learning and given the participants
the opportunity to “think outside the box on who you should
involve in getting the right evidence and make decisions based
on the evidence”.
The participants agreed that research-based evidence needed to
be more common place in parliaments, but continued learning
– including more regional peer learning – was necessary to
ensure wide-reaching uptake of the practice.
“It is clear that we cannot do our work
effectively without evidence.
The participants agreed - unanimously - that workshops or
platforms that bring regional parliaments and their staff and
representatives together should be promoted so that local
knowledge and best practices can be used across borders
where the challenges or contexts may be similar.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM KENYA, RWANDA, TANZANIA, UGANDA, THE EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, SOUTH
AFRICA, MALAWI, AND GHANA HAVE CALLED FOR IMPROVED RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE USE IN AFRICAN PARLIAMENTS.
CONTRIBUTING PARTNERS
WORKSHOP ON RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE USE IN THE PARLIAMENTARY CONTEXT HOSTED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA,OCTOBER 2018
- Hon. Olipa Myaba Chiluba, MP, Parliament of Malawi
and APNODE member
ENHANCED EVIDENCE-USE IN PARLIAMENTS
“If we’re going to make laws that will really touch the lives of
people, they must be backed by evidence.”
These were the words of Hon. Charles Sengabo, MP,
Parliament of Rwanda, during the workshop, where the aim
was to share experiences, to learn from one another and
discuss good parliamentary practices that enhance the use of
evidence in African parliaments.
MPs need to equip themselves with the right information to
make the right decisions, said Hon. Olipa Myaba Chiluba, MP,
Parliament of Malawi and APNODE member. “You need to
have the evidence if you’re going to debate in parliament and
if the best decisions are going to be made.” She said greater
importance needed to be placed on evidence -based approach-
es in all African parliaments.
While the participants shared examples of evidence-based
practices from their national parliaments, they also shared
their challenges and barriers to improving evidence use and
uptake.
“From all the interactions we have had from
different countries representing Africa, I’ve
learnt that we are facing more-or-less the
same situations.
- Hon. Dr Immaculate Sware Semesi, MP,
Parliament of Tanzania
Hon. Semesi said the woorkshop had allowed for discussions
on issues around how, when, and who collects evidence, how
it should be synthesised and analysed. This workshop, she said,
had provided new avenues for learning and given the participants
the opportunity to “think outside the box on who you should
involve in getting the right evidence and make decisions based
on the evidence”.
The participants agreed that research-based evidence needed to
be more common place in parliaments, but continued learning
– including more regional peer learning – was necessary to
ensure wide-reaching uptake of the practice.
“It is clear that we cannot do our work
effectively without evidence.
The participants agreed - unanimously - that workshops or
platforms that bring regional parliaments and their staff and
representatives together should be promoted so that local
knowledge and best practices can be used across borders
where the challenges or contexts may be similar.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM KENYA, RWANDA, TANZANIA, UGANDA, THE EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, SOUTH
AFRICA, MALAWI, AND GHANA HAVE CALLED FOR IMPROVED RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE USE IN AFRICAN PARLIAMENTS.
CONTRIBUTING PARTNERS
WORKSHOP ON RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE USE IN THE PARLIAMENTARY CONTEXT HOSTED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF UGANDA,OCTOBER 2018
- Hon. Olipa Myaba Chiluba, MP, Parliament of Malawi
and APNODE member
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