Swaziland

News Item:  National research oversight an urgent priority

UNDP is supporting the Government of Swaziland establish the National Commission for Research, Science and Technology as a key institution for strengthening policy analysis and evidence based decision-making.

The commission is to be the successor to the National Research Council that which was founded in 1972, but never successfully took off. However increasing levels of poverty and health concerns resulting from HIV and AIDS has increased demand for timely quality information, analysis and policy advise to support key national decisions in a range of national priority areas including economic and social programmes.

Despite the absence of a central coordinating mechanism, various domestic institutions have established their own research units to satisfy their needs for information and analysis on a range of subjects. Among these include government ministries including agriculture, the Central Bank, the University of Swaziland, Finance and Economic Planning and Development have established research units to satisfy their internal need for information. However information sharing is limited, as a result, duplication and conflicting information is often published.

The Commission which has been endorsed by all stakeholders is now awaiting cabinet approval so that the Attorney General drafts a Bill enabling the facility to be presented to parliament and legislation creating the Commission as legal entity enacted.

Stakeholders who include Government, the private sector and civil society institutions are agreed on the need for an apex organization that will be responsible for authorizing research initiatives and ensuring the application of ethical standards. The body will also make sure that research information, including that from research undertaken by external institutions is made available to all stakeholders.

The lack of accurate quality and timely data has also been highlighted as a serious problem. The importance of accurate, quality and timely data has been highlighted among the handicaps in the compilation of the MDG country progress report.

Key partners in the development of the national commission, is the Ministry of Education and the University of Swaziland as well as Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and civil society stakeholders.