Barbados: Strengthening evidence-based policy making

This project aims to modernize and strengthen evidence-based policy development in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean with the use and adaptation of global methodologies. In collaboration with the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Barbados, the project activities are designed to strengthen capacities of Caribbean decision-makers in the use of democratic governance assessments and indicators to support SIDS policy formulation, monitoring and implementation. This capacity development project will support

country-led governance assessments,
a mix of global research methodologies including public/poll surveys to generate comprehensive, comparable, country specific, disaggregated, accurate, useful and user-friendly data for use by national, regional and international governance stakeholders.
beneficiary groups including governments, political parties, civil society organizations, research and learning institutions and development partner agencies.

The following 5 primary areas of Caribbean democratic governance relevance will be supported through:

strengthening of the democratic architecture, institutions and practices addressing issues of constitutional and justice sector reforms, decentralization and local governance, public sector reform, e-government and political parties
public participation and civil society
public education and awareness
gender advancement
addressing and mitigating systems’ threats - multi-ethnicity, multiculturalism, economic crisis, crime, conflict management, resolution and consensus building.

View the project launch report.