Workshop Series: Juba Workshop on Barriers and Enabling Factors of Local Research Capacity

Integrity’s South Sudan Country Manager Diana Ware hosted a workshop in Juba on Friday 20 March 2015, for the second instalment in a series of workshops focusing on youth employment and the role of local research.

Amongst the participants were individuals from a diverse range of organisations, including NGOs, research consultancies, local and international researchers and university representatives.

The workshop identified important barriers to the collaboration between local researchers and international interlocutors working on youth employment in South Sudan. Throughout the day, participants worked together to generate ideas and answers regarding two primary questions: 1) What factors prevent research being produced by local and national actors (including the youth) to inform programming by international actors on youth employment? And 2) In what ways can both national and international actors address these challenges and improve the uptake of local research?

One of the key findings was poor networking between national and international actors as a barrier to the use of local researchers.

The outcomes of this workshop will inform a learning network that connects relevant actors to shared experiences and challenges, creating a useful platform for continued work in South Sudan. The workshop was supported by the Netherlands-based Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law as part of a larger series on exploring local research capacity.