Supporting knowledge translation for research on socio-economic responses to COVID-19

The world has put wide-ranging public health measures and diverse public policies in place to address the spread of COVID-19. The health, social, economic, and political impacts of the global pandemic are now apparent in low-income countries, and they have the potential to widen inequalities, deepen poverty, generate insecurity, undermine governance, and cause lasting effects on capacities to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. There is an urgent need for reliable, contextually grounded local data and evidence to inform appropriate responses to this global pandemic. In response to this need, IDRC launched the Social and Economic Response and Recovery from COVID-19 (SERRC) Initiative, a rapid response funding mechanism that is funding 21 projects. Its goal is to contribute research, evidence, and data for policy and solutions that will mitigate the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 and to promote recovery from the pandemic across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The research will focus on developing macro-economic policy; supporting essential economic activity by protecting workers and small producers; and promoting democratic governance and effective, accountable responses. This new project will support knowledge translation activities to promote and capture learnings of and beyond the SERRC projects that can guide national, regional, and global policies and actions. This includes identifying potential research users, developing knowledge platforms, peer-to-peer learning and exchange, and capacity development within projects to undertake knowledge translation activities.