Regional Collaborative Action Research Initiative (RCARI) on Decent Work and Social Protection

The Thematic Portfolio Social Protection (TPSP) in Central Africa 2022-2026, initiated by Enabel in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, comprises five strategic pillars that aim to promote social protection (SP) and decent work (DW) in the Great Lakes Region. 

The Regional Collaborative Action Research Initiative (RCARI) is the research component of the thematic portfolio. RCARI is geared towards supporting the TPSP interventions and related policy environment by providing evidence-based support and facilitating regional research collaboration. RCARI is set to explore a range of topics that hold significant potential for enhancing social protection and decent work in the Great Lakes region.

RCARI focuses on developing a regional network for the exchange of best-fit practices and capability building in the Great Lakes Region. National and regional research institutions will collaborate in gathering evidence while also advancing the conceptual work around social protection and decent work to inform national and regional policies. HIVA-KU Leuven is a Belgian research institute that partners with Enabel and national institutes in this project. 

The expected outcomes of RCARI are fivefold. Firstly, RCARI aims to contribute to the implementation and monitoring of the TPSP. Secondly, joint research reports and other outputs will be published and disseminated among a wider and international audience of academics and institutions. Thirdly, RCARI will inform and help shape policy-oriented activities concerned with SP and DW. Fourthly, the project aims to bolster the capacity of Enabel and the national research institutes to research and impact on decent work and social protection themes. Lastly, by extension of the direct RCARI collaboration between research institutes, we hope to strengthen existing and emerging networks of SP and DW researchers in the region and beyond.

Decent Work and Social protection

Thematic and Regional Studies 

RCARI comprises several thematic studies and a regional study. The national research partners will be involved in determining the total number of studies and their topics. For each thematic study, research questions will be designed to address specific problems or issues related to the topic under investigation and will be informed by a clear understanding of the significance and potential impact of the research. By rigorously examining each topic and identifying key research questions, the project aims to provide a head start in producing high-quality research that can inform evidence-based policy and practice, ultimately contributing to positive social and economic outcomes in the region.

Decent Work Checks

Besides the thematic and regional studies, RCARI involves decent work assessments in two sectors of each of the three countries under the TP-SP program. The assessments will be carried out using a standardized research protocol, that was developed and tested by HIVA-KU Leuven, with a baseline measurement scheduled for 2023, and a follow-up measurement in 2025-2026.

RCARI seeks to achieve three objectives through the decent work assessment assignment. Firstly, it aims to contribute to the TP-SP program's monitoring and evaluation efforts by assessing its impact on workers, self-employed individuals, and farmers. Secondly, the research will provide research-based inputs to support social dialogue in Enabel's portfolio sectors. Lastly, it aims to promote ongoing learning processes by facilitating knowledge sharing among Enabel's TP-SP teams and their partners in the three countries and at the regional level.

Action Research

Learning through action  

RCARI follows an action research methodology. This methodology facilitates and takes as point-of-departure learning through experimentation and practice (Reason & Bradbury, 2001; Van Ongevalle, 2014). Action research is directed at developing a practice that is embedded and tailored to the context and actors involved. This practice is usually the result of an iterative research cycle whereby suggestions for improvement of the original situation are tested and tweaked. Action research shifts from a theory-driven way of research to a practice-driven way of research, thereby generating questions and understandings that have strong practical relevance for the field. This type of research has underpinned research aimed at bringing about societal change in the region, including a study on restorative justice (Kiyala, 2019). 

The action research conducted within RCARI is situated at the actor level, where stakeholders engage in mutual collaboration to investigate and refine future strategies in response to various critical challenges and interests of the TPSP. HIVA-KU Leuven can draw on its previous experience in conducting action research among and within institutional stakeholders (Van Ongevalle, 2014). By engaging key stakeholders, including policymakers, practitioners, and civil society organizations in the research process, the initiative seeks to ensure that research findings are relevant, useful, and applicable in practice. 

RCARI will adopt a sequenced approach whereby the studies are conducted consecutively, to build upon and complement previous ones. This design aims to develop a coherent and comprehensive body of insight and knowledge, while also bolstering institutional processes and capacities.

National research institutes 

• Rwanda : Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR)  : The IPAR-Rwanda is the leading independent, not-for-profit research and policy analysis Think Tank in Rwanda. It became fully functional in 2008 with the support of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

  The IPAR mission is to enhance evidence-based policy making through research and policy analysis to improve policy and impact change in Rwanda, We aim at becoming an independent internationally recognised Research, and Policy Analysis Centre that promotes a culture of dialogue and debate in Rwanda. 

• Uganda : Economic Policy Research Centre (EPCR) : EPRC is an autonomous not-for-profit organisation limited by guarantee. It was established in 1993 to fill a void in Uganda’s economic research, policy analysis, and capacity building for effective policy formulation processes.

  Today EPRC is a reputable, credible and independent policy think tank in Uganda renowned for providing research based evidence and policy analysis to support the formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government policies.

• DRC : Chaire de Dynamique Sociale (CDS) : The Social Dynamics Chair (CDS) is an innovative and collaborative interdisciplinary research center, founded as a vital connection between academia and society in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With its base of operations located at the esteemed University of Kinshasa, CDS is a non-profit association (ASBL) that not only prioritizes fundamental research, but also actively engages in research-action to benefit its local community. Through its commitment to capacity building, CDS aims to catalyze sustainable development and serve as a valuable resource for its surrounding communities.

Who we ware 

HIVA-KU Leuven Research Institute for Work and Society is a multidisciplinary research institution at KU Leuven. HIVA carries out scientific policy-oriented research. The institute has extensive experience and expertise in research and evaluation work on social protection, decent work and the social economy. This ranges from fundamental research on components of the decent work agenda for various actors to applied research and evaluation work for multilateral institutions. Since 2018, HIVA hosts a chair on decent work and the Sustainable Development Goals.