Oxford Policy Management

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲: 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 The World Health Organization has just released a new resource: "The progressive pathway for governance of mixed health systems.", recognising that the private sector delivers in excess of 40% of care across all WHO regions and the combined resources of the public and private sectors will need to be harnessed to reach UHC. This guide offers practical tools and resources to build national governments’ governance capacities to better steer their mixed health systems, overseeing and guiding the private sector’s service delivery towards national health system goals. The guide addresses key areas like: • Private sector governance mechanisms such as regulation and contracting • Integrating private sector data into public health reporting • Creating sustainable platforms for open and inclusive policy dialogue • Strengthening consumer protection in private healthcare It's a valuable tool for policymakers, health ministers, and government officials aiming to create more equitable and efficient health systems. We're proud that our colleagues Dr Tata Chanturidze and Louise Allen contributed their expertise to this publication. If you're working on health system governance and private sector engagement, this guide offers valuable insights and strategies – feel free to download it below. #UniversalHealthCoverage #HealthSystems #GlobalHealth #PrivateSectorEngagement

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮’𝘀 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆’𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵? 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮? 𝗜𝗳 𝘀𝗼, 𝗵𝗼𝘄? To discuss these questions our Kenya office team, joined by Dr Divya Nambiar, Phalasha Nagpal, and Jeffrey Ben Matu from the Skills, Livelihoods, and Education Systems Hub, hosted a remote networking and learning session on 25 June 2024. The event took place against the backdrop of the youth protests in Nairobi, bringing issues relating to youth aspirations, jobs, and sustainable livelihoods to the core of our discussion. This collaborative session brought together government officials, donors, researchers, and local partners to share context-specific challenges and innovative solutions.  The top three takeaways from our discussion are: 𝟭. 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ➡️The role of real-time data in enhancing program implementation.  ➡️Evidence from strong labour market assessments is essential to understanding the skills mismatch in Kenya.     𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀  ➡️Shift focus from prioritising inputs (such as budget allocation) to outcomes (such as jobs obtained, long-term career pathways for youth).  ➡️In Kenya, it is crucial to focus on digital skills, financial literacy and skills for entrepreneurship.  ➡️Upskilling and reskilling youth should be a core priority.  ➡️Convergence and knowledge sharing across government departments and agencies working on youth skills development and employment will be key. 𝟯. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁    ➡️Leveraging tools for identifying barriers faced by women and marginalised communities.  ➡️Women, people with disabilities, and rural youth must be prioritised.     We are grateful to everyone for participating in the session! We look forward to continuing these engagements and building on the lessons learned.  For more information on our work on skills, livelihoods and education please visit https://opm.global/3WbloEO Caroline Thuo, Susan KImathi, Christopher Tomlinson

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: 𝗔 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹? Climate change is a major threat to global health and could undo years of progress. We're seeing more health emergencies, diseases spreading faster, and food becoming scarce in many areas - and that's just the start. But how can we effectively integrate climate change into our health systems? Mainstreaming is often proposed as the answer, but what does this mean in practice? Our new policy brief, developed in collaboration with ReBUILD for Resilience*, draws insights from three projects to identify key strategies for successful mainstreaming: ✅Understanding the political landscape: Identifying the right entry points and shaping institutions ✅Fostering strong leadership and collaboration: Breaking down institutional boundaries ✅Making smart investments: Leveraging climate finance for health system strengthening and integrating health and climate data. Find out more below.   #ClimateAction #Health #GlobalHealth #HealthSystems   *We are an associate partner of the ReBUILD for Resilience research consortium, which examines health system resilience in fragile settings with funding from the UK Government.

Why does access to electricity doesn't always lead to social and economic impacts in Africa? Despite the well-established link between electricity access and economic growth, providing electricity alone does not guarantee significant social and economic improvements in Africa. In an article in the magazine Afrive I use research findings to explore the nuanced factors influencing the impact of electrification. Please see here for further details: https://lnkd.in/eG4dsarb

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮? 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀! We recently completed a comprehensive gender scoping study in India in collaboration with USAID. This study explored women’s economic empowerment and gender equality, focusing on access to resources, power dynamics, and the enabling environment. But what did we discover? Our research, unveiled at USAID's first-ever 'Gender Equity Evidence Conclave' in India, revealed: ➡️Strengthening women's access to digital financial services is key for equitable access to benefits. ➡️Effective women's empowerment programs must address care work and gender-based violence alongside economic challenges. ➡️Micro-credit programs have had some success in business creation but haven't significantly increased profits or empowerment indicators. ➡️Many programs focus on inputs and outputs, not outcomes, missing gender differences in benefits. We are encouraged by the commitment of stakeholders like USAID and the Government of India to use research and data to inform policy reforms and future programming. Check out the linked article for more details on the event and our study. https://bit.ly/3zHMj3v What do you think are the most pressing issues in achieving gender equality in India? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Evidence without action fails our youth. It's time to bridge the gap.  This #YouthSkillsDay, we’re reflecting on how to transform evidence into impact for youth. We conducted a series of engagements on youth skills development in East Africa over the last couple of weeks. Sharing some insights from Tanzania. The in-country team, joined by Dr Divya Nambiar, Phalasha Nagpal, and Jeffrey Ben Matu from the Skills, Livelihoods, and Education Systems Hub in our Education Practice, hosted a networking and learning session on 27th June 2024. We shared insights from India's Skill Impact Bond programme and explored how these lessons could tackle skills and employability challenges in Tanzania. The discussions were enriched by experts in the skills and livelihoods sector, multilateral and bilateral organisations, NGOs, youth groups, and civil society organisations, building on our team’s rich experience in results-based financing projects. The result was a stimulating discussion, which left us inspired!    We dug into some crucial questions: ➡️How can we channel funds to boost inclusive skills, livelihoods, and education outcomes? Could results-based financing drive long-term employment, include vulnerable groups like women, and foster a culture of evidence-based learning? ➡️What's the best way to bridge the skills gap in Tanzania? We explored what skills are needed and for whom. Could nationwide apprenticeship programs for graduates be the answer? ➡️How can education, skills, and employment programmes in Tanzania be made more inclusive and context-relevant? We brainstormed ways to encourage women in non-traditional roles (especially in manufacturing), boost teacher retention, and expand opportunities for rural youth.    We learned that collectively finding answers to these questions is an important first step to driving better outcomes for youth in East Africa. We are grateful to all the stakeholders who attended the event in person and shared their insights and experience with us. The feedback was incredible! It's inspired us to keep the 'Transforming Evidence into Impact' learning series going. A big thank you to everyone. Watch this space to learn more about our interactions from Kenya and Ethiopia.    For more information on our work on skills, livelihoods and education please visit https://opm.global/3WbloEO Charles Sokile, Christopher Tomlinson, Sourovi De, Sadashiv Nayanpally, Pamela Shao, Asia Makoleo, Deo Medardi, Kaley Milao.

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀? We’re excited about the potential of AI to amplify our impact in development. Our team is currently exploring various related topics, such as the use of AI in evaluations, the use of AI in healthcare, and the combination of new sources of data and AI in the context of poverty measurement. (Links to our work can be found in the comments) But we’re not just focused on our own projects. Our Data Innovation Lead, Paul Jasper has been diving into the broader implications of AI in sustainable development. In this article for SDG Action, he explores the transformative role AI could play in accelerating progress towards the SDGs. Key discussion points include: ·      AI's impact on disaster prediction and climate modelling ·      AI applications in healthcare diagnostics ·      Personalised learning experiences powered by AI in education ·      AI-driven transformation of poverty mapping and reduction efforts ·      AI's ability to unveil crucial connections between a variety of different development issues. While the possibilities are exciting, we must navigate challenges when implementing this emerging technology, including data biases, energy consumption, and ethical considerations. We’d love to hear your views on this critical topic. Read the full article and share your insights on AI's role in sustainable development in the comments below: https://bit.ly/4bUcIbL

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗱𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀? Our Data & Evidence to End Extreme Poverty (povertyevidence) researchers, Vidya Diwakar and Ida Brzezinska take an in-depth look.  Bangladesh has achieved strong poverty reduction since the turn of the century, with the share of people living in extreme poverty falling from 33.3% in 2000 to 13.5% in 2016, based on the international poverty line of US$ 2.15 a day.  However, an estimated 𝟭.𝟲 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 people experienced poverty during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Key factors for extreme poverty experienced by people in Bangladesh over the last two decades included ill health and death of earning household members, food price increases, high indebtedness, land disputes, limited education or job opportunities, climate-related disasters, and, more recently, economic disruptions emerging during the Covid-19 pandemic.  This paper examines three crises – namely 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 (droughts and floods), 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱-𝟭𝟵 and related economic shocks and stressors, and 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 – to assess their relationship with household poverty dynamics in rural Bangladesh. Read the full paper here: https://bit.ly/3zJS3ta 

𝗪𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿. Our Data Innovation team has developed a guide that could transform how we measure and understand poverty using research by the University of Southampton and in partnership with povertyevidence. By combining small area estimation techniques with big geospatial data rather than census data, we are exploring ways to generate regular, granular poverty estimates at significantly lower cost. This method provides estimates more frequently since there is no need to wait for decennial censuses and it offers valuable insights for previously unmapped or under-surveyed areas. This innovative approach addresses key challenges in poverty estimation: 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: More regular updates to inform timely policy decisions; 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Detailed estimates down to district or even village level; 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Covering areas often missed by traditional surveys. Our latest blog post details the limitations of current poverty estimation methods, explains the mechanics of our small area estimation approach, and presents a case study illustrating the new method in Bangladesh. For those interested in the technical aspects and potential applications, please read the full article: https://opm.global/3WcC7ZC

We’re really looking forward to sharing ideas and insights at our upcoming networking and learning session in Nairobi! Jeffrey Ben Matu Phalasha Nagpal Dr Divya Nambiar