Evidence plays a pivotal role in driving advocacy efforts and guiding policymakers towards better decision-making. Though evidence is considered an important piece in the policy formulation puzzle, the notion of evidence uptake, utilization and evaluation remain fuzzy, with questions around, ‘what kind of evidence works, how it works, and in what context’. Simultaneously, evaluating evidence uptake continues to be challenging. Enabling a dialogue around the complexities of evidence use in advocacy, its uptake, and evaluation, the webinar aims to facilitate cross-pollination of ideas between implementing agencies, policymakers, and evaluators.
In this webinar, panelists will be talking about:
- The features (design and presentation) that determine how evidence is generated.
- What kind of evidence is useful and what improves the chances of evidence uptake.
- The most effective communication strategies for disseminating evidence products.
- Different ways of evaluating evidence-based advocacy and the challenges in evaluating evidence as a strategy for advocacy.
Speakers on the panel include Kadambari Anantram, Niranjan Saggurti, Ranu Bhogal, and K Kajal.
- Kadambari Anantram (Vice President – Research and Advisory Services, Sambodhi)
A socio-economist by training, Kadambari has over 12 years of practitioner-research experience in natural resource sustainability, agriculture, education, and skilling space. Her work has primarily involved combining grassroots research with quantitative and qualitative data analysis to design and evaluate programmes. She has also worked extensively with corporate CSR and foundations to help assess their social investment portfolios to help articulate vision, purpose, and design interventions.
Kadambari’s passion lies in understanding how innovative methodologies and technologies can be used to create a curiosity-based education system that fosters the desire to learn, research, and experiment among young students.
- Niranjan Saggurti (Director, Population Council, India)
A public health researcher with more than twenty years’ experience, Saggurti has conducted diagnostic, experimental, and evaluation studies to prevent HIV infection among high-risk and vulnerable populations, reduce sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and expand maternal and child health for India’s most marginalized women.
At the Council, Saggurti led seminal work to better understand the relationship between migration and HIV in India. Based on his research, Indian policymakers have redesigned the national strategy for reducing HIV infection among migrants in India. He also made significant contributions to the prevention of spousal transmission of HIV, working with women who experience intimate-partner violence to help them reduce their risk of HIV.
- Ranu Bhogal (Director – Policy, Research and Campaigns, OXFAM India)
Ranu has been working in the development sector for almost 30 years. She has extensive experience on issues related to Gender, Natural resource management, Sustainable development with a special focus on rural development. She has several years of hands-on field experience working with Dalit and Tribal communities. She has been involved in Policy analysis and dialogues on issues of rural livelihoods, environment, and forest rights. She has worked with several multilateral and bilateral donors as well as the State and Central Governments.
- K Kajal (Executive Director, Rural Electrification Corp)
K Kajal has extensive experience at the cross-cutting edge with multiple stakeholders such as NGOs and international organizations. She is skilled in operations, policy design, program management, negotiation, strategic planning, and M&E. A clinically trained obstetrician and gynecologist, Kajal is passionate about improving healthcare services.
The webinar will commence on 17th August at 4:00 pm. Click on this link to register for the webinar:
