ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on improving understanding of how using evidence can help inform and strengthen development policy, programmes and practice in Africa. The perceived level of significance of a policy challenge is an important consideration in whether an investment in evidence is seen as worthwhile, and if so, the types of use interventions that may be necessary to use to raise the profile of the policy issue. Champions at the centre of government were important in the evaluations, particularly where the policy issue cuts across sectors, as in the violence case. Knowledge brokers also emerged as playing an important role. The wider outcomes from the different processes resulted mainly from instrumental use of evidence and included policy change, changes in procedures and processes, in budgets and other resources as well as changes in capacity. The experiences in the cases demonstrate the importance of demand for evidence originating from the evidence users, particularly policy makers.
