AFIDEP 2021-2022 PRB Policy Communication Fellowship for Developing Countries

The PRB Policy Communication Fellows Program seeks to train the next generation of leaders shaping policy in their countries. The fellowship is hosted in partnership with African research and advocacy experts to encourage South-South collaboration and knowledge exchange. The year-long fellowship program engages participants through a blended learning approach. Fellows are required to attend a weeklong training workshop, complete instructional curricula online, and submit assignments throughout the fellowship. Eligible Fields of Research:  Family planning and/or reproductive health (FP/RH). Contraceptive use/behavior. Maternal and child health (MCH), specifically family planning/MCH integration. Population growth. Adolescent reproductive health. Poverty, health equity, and connections with reproductive health. Gender issues, specifically gender-based violence (GBV), early marriage, and male engagement in family planning. Population, health, and environment interrelations. The goals of the Policy Fellows program are to: Understand the process by which research informs the policy environment. Learn how to communicate research to policy audiences in a way that encourages action. Improve participants’ communication skills using a variety of formats and platforms. The Policy Fellows program, initiated in the 1980s, has close to 400 alumni. Policy Communication Alumni Fellows are highly respected in the field and actively engaged in advocacy work. The program aims to bridge the gap between research findings and the policy development process. While research often has profound policy implications, it must be communicated effectively to a variety of non-technical audiences in order to have an impact.