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IDS joins forces with IDRC to connect evidence with the global response to Covid-19

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is working with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to support recovery from Covid-19.

IDS, which played a key role in supporting the response to Ebola in West Africa, has partnered with IDRC to coordinate engagement work designed to provide evidence informed solutions to the social, political and economic impact of the pandemic.

Melissa Leach, IDS Director:

“The pandemic is an unprecedented crisis requiring the rapid engagement of policy-relevant evidence with decision-making. We are delighted to be working with IDRC and the research organisations it supports around the world focused on how we can build forward differently together.”

IDS will promote and capture learning from across IDRC-funded research, which can guide national, regional and global policies and actions to mitigate the social and economic impacts of Covid-19 and promote recovery from the pandemic.

In early in 2020, IDRC responded to concerns about Covid-19 widening inequalities, deepening poverty, generating insecurity and undermining governance, with a CA$25 million rapid-response funding mechanism. A selection process led to the funding of 21 projects to contribute research, evidence and data for policy and practice solutions to mitigate the social and economic impacts of Covid-19.

Dominique Charron, IDRC Vice-President, Programs and Partnerships:

“IDRC has provided support to 60 research organisations working across 42 countries in the Global South to assess the impacts of the pandemic and help shape inclusive and sustainable policies that address the needs of the most vulnerable. We are very happy to partner with IDS in this effort, to amplify and consolidate findings across the research projects and promote Southern contributions to a global evidence base for a more equitable recovery.”

This initiative works across three thematic focus areas: macro-economic policy; supporting essential economic activity, protecting workers and small producers; and promoting democratic governance and effective, accountable responses.

IDS is mapping Covid-19 evidence networks and identifying synergies between the IDRC projects. Using tools developed by the ESRC-FCDO Impact Initiative, IDS will support the rapid response projects individually and collectively to frame their evidence for policy and deepen their engagement with key partners in government, civil society and the scientific community.

This programme builds on IDS’ existing work providing rapid response evidence services as part of the Social Science in Humanitarian Acton Platform (SSHAP) and the K4D Prosperity Fund COVID19 Evidence and Learning Initiative. IDS is also working with the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on a major new Covid-19 Collective research platform.

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