Strengthening Evidence Use in African Parliaments – Learning Note

This learning brief is largely based on the findings of a recently completed tracer study (2020) aimed at better understanding the effectiveness of the capacity strengthening initiatives jointly implemented by CLEAR-AA and Twende Mbele since 2017 including:

■ Training workshops for parliamentarians on monitoring and evaluation for oversight organised with the national chapters of the African Parliamentarians’
Network on Development Evaluation (APNODE) in Benin, Uganda and Tanzania.

■ Training of Trainers (Tot) workshops for potential facilitators of training workshops for parliamentarians and staff on M&E for oversight with the aim of
increasing the cohort of trainers in the different regions to deliver and further develop the oversight monitoring and evaluation course for parliamentarians.

■ The Regional Peer Learning Programme to strengthen evidence use for legislative oversight in African Parliaments implemented in collaboration with key
partner organizations working to strengthen capacity in parliaments. The programme was implemented through a series of peer learning workshops bringing together representatives from 10 parliaments and partner organisations in the East, Southern and West African regions1. The approach included a series of facilitated platforms for representatives to share and learn from each other’s experiences on evidence generation and use.