Following the Kigali Conference on the 4-5 March 2009 where Prof. Sean Kealy of the Boston University delivered a presentation on 'Evidence-based Legislation Making' together with International Consortium for Law and Development (ICLAD www.iclad-law.org), we have began to plan a workshop on 'Evidence-based Law Making'.
The Workshop will probably cover one or more countries since it will not be easy to collect 'evidence' at continental level and also because it might be more productive to work at a regional level.
We have already began to explore different options and also plan to involve local institutions to root for the evidence-based legislation making into local universities and research institutions.
It is apparent that without an adequate theory and methodology as a guide, drafters too often employ fall-back methodologies that produce inadequately designed legislation. Instead of enacting transformative laws in the public interest, many new lawmakers end up adapting to the status quo. As a result the people lose the fatal race.
The workshop will provide the methodologies and tools that a drafter needs to conceptualize, draft and justify a bill’s detailed provisions.
The problem-solving methodology comprises of four decision-making steps a drafter needs to conceptualize and develop a bill:
The key benefit of providing information and research services in support of 'Evidence-based Legislation Making' (EbLM) is producing better policies that are effective and forward-looking. Members need to be able to apply sound evidence to the policy making process rather than respond to short-term pressures so that they address the causes and not just the symptoms of problems.
We hope to be able to finalise the partners and programme of the workshop for June 2009. We will keep you posted.
an initative of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)