Making 2024 the year we make a step-change improvement in using evidence to address societal challenges

Article type
Authors
Boeira L1, Byrne P2, Castro D3, Elliott J4, Grimshaw J5, Lavis J5, Mercier I6, Nduku P7, Okwen P8, Ortega D9
1Brazilian Coalition for Evidence, Brazil
2iHealthFacts, United Kingdom
3Instituto Veredas, Brazil
4Alive – Alliance for Living Evidence, Australia
5Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges, Canada
6Global SDG Synthesis Coalition, United States
7Pan-African Collective for Evidence, South Africa
8Effective Basic Services (eBASE), Cameroon
9CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, Venezuela; Campbell Collaboration, United States
Abstract
Objectives

•Share signs of progress toward a step-change improvement in evidence to address societal challenges for 3 implementation priorities: formalizing and strengthening domestic evidence-support systems, enhancing and leveraging the global evidence architecture, and putting evidence at the center of everyday life.
•Highlight and discuss key areas where more joined-up efforts are needed to "land the plane."

Description and activities/interaction plans

Since the release of the Global Evidence Commission’s landmark report in 2022 and updates in 2023 and early 2024, we see many signs of progress toward a step-change improvement in the use of evidence to address societal challenges. However, with progress stalled or reversing on many of the Sustainable Development Goals, joined-up efforts are urgently needed in key areas to "land the plane."

This session will feature a dynamic discussion among Implementation Council members of the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges (GCESC) of where we see progress and where we need more joined-up efforts on 3 implementation priorities. Co-chairs will open the session and then prompt speakers to briefly share their perspective on particular priorities, followed by discussion/Q&A with the audience, including:

•Co-chairs:
oJeremy Grimshaw (GCESC)
oJohn Lavis (GCESC)
•Formalizing and strengthening domestic evidence-support systems:
oLaura Boeira (Instituto Veredas)
oPatrick Okwen (eBASE – Effective Basic Services)
•Enhancing and leveraging the global evidence architecture:
oIsabelle Mercier (Global SDG Synthesis Coalition)
oJulian Elliott (Alive – Alliance for Living Evidence)
•Putting evidence at the center of everyday life:
oPaula Byrne (iHealthFacts)
oDanilo Castro (Instituto Veredas)
•Cross-cutting:
oPromise Nduku (Pan-African Collective for Evidence; speaking to priority 1 and 3)
oDaniel Ortega (CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, Campbell Collaboration; speaking to priority 2 and funders)

Supporting document: https://www.mcmasterforum.org/docs/default-source/evidence-commission/update-2024.pdf