Background:Indonesia’s growth and prosperity as a lower-middle-income country hinges on the ability of policymakers to develop effective public policies based on evidence. Yet Indonesia’s policy and regulatory environment does not support the production of high-quality
evidence and its use in policymaking. Key points for discussion:This article examines an international donor programme which aims to build sustainable capacity for evidence-informed policymaking by improving this enabling environment. The article reflects on the programme’s
experience in working with local stakeholders to reform public procurement regulations to make commissioning of research easier. This experience suggests that facilitating stakeholders to work together to define a problem and break it down into its component parts helps generate realistic
entry points and feasible solutions. It also suggests that a focus on purposively expanding the space for reform is necessary throughout the reform process. Leadership by individuals with decision-making authority is critical, as is building consensus around problems and maintaining momentum
for solving them. Most importantly, to work effectively, programme staff and facilitators need to engage with the political economy of the policy problem. Conclusion and implications:This experience provides lessons for those seeking to support the systems that underpin
evidence-informed policymaking in other middle-income country contexts.
Funding
The Knowledge Sector Initiative is funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and implemented in partnership with Indonesia's National Development Planning Agency. The programme is managed by RTI International in collaboration with the Australian National University, the Nossal Institute at the University of Melbourne, and the Overseas Development Institute. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own and do not represent the views of the Australian or Indonesian governments, RTI International or its partners.
History
Publication Date
2020-08-01
Journal
Evidence and Policy: a journal of research, debate and practice
Volume
16
Issue
3
Pagination
12p. (p. 503-514)
Publisher
The Policy Press
ISSN
1744-2648
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