16

November

2021

WHO initiatives to institutionalize Evidence-Informed Policy-Making for health at national level in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Tuesday, 16 November 2021, 10:00-13:00 CET

Over the years, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean has taken important steps to strengthen evidence-informed policy-making within countries of the Region. Recently, in a landmark resolution (EM/RC66/R.5) in 2019, a framework for improving national institutional capacity for use of evidence in health policy making in the Eastern Mediterranean Region was endorsed and as a key request, the resolution envisaged the development of an action plan for the implementation of the framework. ​

This programme of work has a rich history of efforts and activities undertaken by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office which date back to the 1970s. The initiatives spearheaded by the Regional Office also encompass a comprehensive array of key considerations in regard to institutionalization of evidence-informed policy-making which also address the diverse capacity of countries in the Region. By emphasizing support at the national level, the Regional Office is similarly working towards country-to-country learning, strengthened national institutional mechanisms and an enhanced evidence ecosystem and culture in the Region.

In this keynote address, the different initiatives undertaken by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office will be presented, with a reflection on the importance of technical capacity to support evidence-informed policy-making processes.

Key questions and session highlights 

• What lessons can be drawn from the Eastern Mediterranean to inform the institutionalization of evidence-informed policy-making processes in other Regions?​

• What type of technical know-how is most important in building a culture and ecosystem of evidence use for policy-making?
• How can countries with different capacities learn from one another? How do Regional organizations support these initiatives?