Strengthening the Research Ecosystem for Evidence-Based Policy Implementation to Improve Child Wellbeing in Africa

This session examines lessons from the AfriChild Centre’s “Building the Next Generation of Researchers” initiative, including the Inter-University Child-Focused Research Methods Training Programme and the PPURE Programme. Since 2017, the initiative has strengthened collaboration among universities, government institutions, and civil society organizations in Uganda and Ethiopia to improve child-focused research, evidence generation, and policy utilization.
The programmes have trained over 100 early- and mid-career academics, technocrats, humanitarian workers, and policymakers in child-focused research methods and evidence-informed programming. Investments in mentorship, inter-university collaboration, and practitioner training have expanded national child protection knowledge systems and supported translation of research into policy briefs, publications, grant applications, and dissemination forums. Programme evaluation findings show progress in integrating child protection evidence into policy, advocacy, and service delivery, while highlighting challenges
related to sustainability, research dissemination, institutionalization of data systems, and evidence uptake within government systems.