Twaweza at the 12th Annual Africa Evidence Summit
Twaweza recently participated in the July 12th Annual Africa Evidence Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A key focus of this year’s gathering was exploring innovative ways to integrate evidence into decision-making, elevate the voices of African scholars, and engage diverse stakeholders in the process.
The event was organised by the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) and the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA) in collaboration with Twaweza, the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), and in partnership with the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF), the Mawazo Institute, and the Global Poverty Research Lab (GPRL). It served as a dynamic platform for East and West African scholars, including CEGA fellows, U.S.-based faculty, policymakers, and practitioners, to discuss the latest research findings on economic development and poverty alleviation.
One of the event’s highlights was the presentation of findings from the Collaboration for Inclusive Development Research (CIDR) study, which examined barriers and opportunities for African scholars in higher education, training/mentorship, publication and co-authorship, and policy impact. This presentation sparked insightful discussions on advancing inclusive development research across the continent.
Twaweza’s Active Participation and Insights
Twaweza actively participated in the summit, showcasing three poster board presentations: Kiufunza, Sauti za Wananchi, and Evidence and Learning. These presentations drew significant interest from attendees, who visited our poster boards to learn more about our key initiatives and their impact.
In addition, Twaweza delivered a compelling presentation on Promoting Citizen Agency and Responsive Governance in East Africa: Lessons from Participatory Action Research. The presentation generated lively engagement from the audience, with one key piece of feedback highlighting interest in when the citizen agency approach could be implemented in Kenya. This approach, a core component of Twaweza’s programming, has demonstrated a significant impact and motivated participants to think about how citizens can be catalysts for their development.
The summit provided a valuable opportunity for Twaweza to share our experiences, learn from others, and forge new partnerships. We look forward to continuing our work promoting evidence-based decision-making and fostering citizen engagement across East Africa.
We thank all partners, attendees, and speakers who contributed to this summit’s success. Together, we are making strides toward a more inclusive and evidence-driven approach to development in Africa.
For more details on the 12th Annual Africa Evidence Summit, visit CEGA’s website.
