Thematic Learning on Sexual Reproductive Health/Rights (SRHR) and Aids

Linking practices to research

Representatives from PSO member organisations, PSO and Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) gathered at the office of Rutgers Nisso Group/World Population Foundation (RNG/WPF) in Utrecht on 4th March 2010 to discuss social science research in the field of Sexual Reproductive Health/Rights (SRHR) and Aids. In July 2010, PSO will organise a follow-up session.

The participants started by discussing their own and their organisational challenges around the focus question:

Dr. Jackson Sebeza, special guest from Rwanda, presented the GLARC (Great Lakes Aids Research Consortium) to the participants. The presentation of the GLARC plans and achieved results can be found here. The GLARC programme was initiated through a multi stakeholder process in which governments, private sector and the civil society actors were involved in joint assessment and priority setting.

The discussion touched relevant and interesting subjects such as:

• How does the research cycle relate to the project cycle?
• How can we organise a continuous exchange between stakeholders at all levels, from the beneficiaries in the communities to the policymakers at national level?
• How to translate research results and use the evidence to influence policies and practices?
• What are the different needs for knowledge between practitioners and policy makers, even within our own Dutch organisations?
• How to set priorities for research topics and increase relevance?
• How to strengthen ownership for the research topics and results?
• How to organise monitoring and evaluation of research in such a way that the results can be learned from and used effectively?
• How to identify qualified research organisations and build their capacities?
• These aspects can be categorized into three issues: processes, levels and stakeholders. In which it seems important to answer the question how to ensure that research facilitates learning.

PSO is willing to facilitate a Thematic Learning Programme (TLP), in which PSO members and their Southern partners can link to the GLARC processes and improve their effectiveness linking the gap between research and practice. This could be in the field of SRHR and Aids, as GLARC is, but other areas could also be prioritized upon demand driven processes.

Even though the meeting did not resolve into clear plans yet with member organisations, the idea is that KIT could take on the role of supporting the academic northern and southern capacity development and research aspects. PSO could facilitate the northern learning, facilitate and support the active members in a TLP.

In July 2010, PSO will organise a next session. Until that time interested members have the opportunity to discuss the GLARC proposal and identify needs and linkages in their organisations, partners and programmes. For more information or to receive the detailed minutes, contact staal@pso.nl.