COVID-19 has created a once-in-a-generation focus on evidence among governments, businesses and non-governmental organizations, many types of professionals, and citizens.
Now is the time to systematize the aspects of using evidence that is going well and address the many shortfalls, which means creating the capacities, opportunities and motivation to use evidence to address societal challenges, and putting in place the structures and processes to sustain them. Other societal challenges – from educational achievement to health-system performance to climate change – need a similarly renewed focus on best evidence. For those seeking to use evidence to address societal challenges, legitimacy needs to be earned and then actively maintained. The Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges was convened to support people in this vital work.
Join us for the release of the Evidence Commission report and recommendations as we delve into:
- ‘Why now’ — our motivations for taking advantage of this most opportune time to close decision-making gaps between best evidence and the societal challenges we face
- ‘Who needs to do what’ — our aspirations for the various actors involved (those who can lead change) and what they can achieve (our vision for the future as outlined by the Evidence Commission’s recommendations); and
- Exemplars — examples in practice and policy that demonstrate the change the Evidence Commission is calling for is possible
The webinar will be hosted by the Secretariat Executive Lead Jenn Thornhill Verma and Secretariat Co-Lead Jeremy Grimshaw, and feature a brief overview of the Evidence Commission report by Secretariat Co-Lead John Lavis. They will be joined by Commissioners David Halpern (government policymaker from the United Kingdom), Fitsum Assefa Adela (government policymaker from Ethiopia), Kerry Albright (evidence intermediary from Italy) and Modupe Adelfeso-Olateju (non-governmental organization leader from Nigeria).