In this age of uncertainty it is essential the public and private sectors make full use of research evidence before committing funds to international development.
Decisions based on robust data can address two interconnected challenges: maximising the potential impact of the funds committed to international development and by providing an evidence base through which to build support for international development within a domestic electorate.
When data is used effectively, it is much easier to then know what worked, what didn't and why, and to make smart strategic corrections to maximise the impact of the effort. Latest figures from the OECD show that more than 500 billion dollars was spent worldwide on development aid in 2010, a 300% increase on spending in 2003. This massive investment could have greater impact at a greater pace if funders made greater use of data to inform their strategic decision making.
Speaking at the launch of InterMedia Europe yesterday, Ambassador Richard Carlson, Chairman of the board of Trustees noted that "the world has changed dramatically in the last 20 years and it is imperative that we leverage data in more strategic ways to guide our policy decisions about how we manage the world's shrinking resources while attempting to do the most good."
However, there is growing pressure on global aid spending from electorates in donor countries. As a recent report, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation noted:
"Foreign aid budgets in donor countries are under close scrutiny making it essential that funding decisions are based on the best available data. In leading aid donor countries, the past few years of economic stagnation and fiscal slippage have forced policy-makers to scrutinise foreign aid budgets, with an eye toward either slashing them outright or reallocating more resources to domestic programmes. Furthermore, this situation is not likely to change in the foreseeable future, given longer-term fiscal strains from aging populations."
The best available research evidence can be used to build support for spending on international development when communicating with a domestic electorate that's experiencing cuts to government services and spending at home. The current economic outlook presents a tough communications and engagement challenge for those aiming to keep global health and other development issues on the public agenda.
Today as organisations look beyond 2015 and the Millennium Development Goals toward the future we want to build, there is huge potential to be unlocked from the research and knowledge that is available in the private & commercial, the public, the charitable and the philanthropic sectors.
With a growing movement around Open Data and many countries including the UK, Canada, Morocco and Kenya making their data available it is essential public and private sectors make full use of research evidence before committing funds to international development.
The speed of communications today makes it possible for any organisation, large or small, to gain access to robust and compelling data. Placing demand-driven research at the heart of policy means that interventions understand their starting points and measure their progress accordingly