Accountability | Year 2016 found us leading a big number of activities, so here is our report! Please enjoy!
Since 2006, the “Linking Research to Public Policies in Latin America” initiative (VIPPAL, for its Spanish acronym) from CIPPEC in Argentina is a space to reflect about why, how and what for is necessary to increase research and knowledge advocacy in public policies in our region. From that moment on, it works in order to have policies nourished with data and information. And it does so by preparing high quality resources, technical assistance and promoting dialogue among those who want to improve think tanks capacities in the complex world of policy influence. Besides, VIPPAL nourishes from experiences, knowledge and reflections from different Latin American, Asian and African think tanks and through periodical, joint work with organizations all around the world.
During 2016, our community accomplished achievements in the global, regional and national levels: 1) globally, we interacted with Latin American and African think thanks to the support of the Evidence and Lessons from Latin America program (ELLA II); 2) regionally, we participated in the regional dialogue about the think tanks role, and 3) nationally, we developed policy influence and research communication capacities of civil societies organizations.
At the global level, we supported the lessons exchange between Latin America and Africa through the development of specific evidence, a complete knowledge program which links researchers and research users in these countries to promote debate of evidence and extract lessons; and the development of a continuous learning network. As a part of the program, we received a group of specialists from Africa to exchange views with local actors about horizontal accountability between the executive and legislative branches.
In order to contribute to the dialogue about the role of think tanks, we attended the IV Latin American Think Tanks Summit in Mexico, which counted with 50 people from 22 think tanks from 12 Latin American countries and 13 international observer institutions from 6 countries (in America, Africa, Europe and Asia). Moreover, we supported the dissemination of evidence prepared by think tanks of the ELLA program on different areas: informality and inclusive growth, land tenure, local content in oil and gas industries, community-based crime prevention and domestic violence.
We also contributed to the policy influence capacity of the Technological and Social Innovation Center (CITES) of the Sancor Insurance Group (Grupo Sancor Seguros) and research communication of the 2016 Informal housing report of the CSO TECHO.
2017 awaits us full of challenges to deepen the existing dialogue in the Global South. We hope that you will be able to be part of this conversation and nourish our working agenda.
See you son! The VIPPAL team.
