1. The politics and practice of research & evaluation in an international NGO Panel 26: New directions in development research The Development Studies Association Annual Conference 2014 Institute of Education, London, 1 November 2014 Martin Walsh, Global Research Adviser RESEARCH TEAM, OXFAM GB mwalsh@oxfam.org.uk

2. Introduction

3. Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations working together with partners and local communities in more than 90 countries. One person in three in the world lives in poverty. Oxfam is determined to change that world by mobilizing the power of people against poverty.

4. Page 4 Even it Up: Time to end extreme inequality Economic inequality has reached extreme levels. From Ghana to Germany, Italy to Indonesia, the gap between rich and poor is widening. In 2013, seven out of 10 people lived in countries where economic inequality was worse than 30 years ago, and in 2014 Oxfam calculated that just 85 people owned as much wealth as the poorest half of humanity.just 85 people Turning the Tide on Ebola: Scaling up public health campaigns before it's too late The current Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unprecedented. The accelerating number of cases, the poor health infrastructure in affected countries, the short supply of skills, knowledge and personnel, and the fear surrounding this disease are a huge challenge to affected governments and the international community as they battle to bring the epidemic under control.

5. Research for advocacy

6. Page 6 Research for Advocacy diagram 1.What are we trying to achieve? 2.Who are we trying to influence with evidence? 3.What’s already known? What more is needed? 4.What kind of research will be most effective? 5.How should we engage our targets for best effect?

7. Page 7 Research guidelines

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9. Page 9 1.What are we trying to achieve? What’s our theory of change? Planning Research for Advocacy (and other purposes)

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11. Page 11 2.Who are we trying to influence with evidence? Planning Research for Advocacy (and other purposes)

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13. Page 13 Research for Advocacy diagram 1.What are we trying to achieve? 2.Who are we trying to influence with evidence? 3.What’s already known? What more is needed? 4.What kind of research will be most effective? 5.How should we engage our targets for best effect?

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16. Effectiveness reviews

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20. Challenges & opportunities

21. Page 21 In-depth studies (using mixed methods)

22. Page 22 Challenges (practical and methodological) Methods, process, skills, scale, costs, impacts...

23. Page 23 Research for Advocacy diagram 1.What are we trying to achieve? 2.Who are we trying to influence with evidence? 3.What’s already known? What more is needed? 4.What kind of research will be most effective? 5.How should we engage our targets for best effect?

24. Page 24 Spot the difference!

25. Page 25 Martin Walsh Global Research Adviser Oxfam GB mwalsh@oxfam.org.uk Thank you!