One year has passed since the publication of the first Evidence Commission report, which is now available in seven languages and in multiple formats. The Commission sees reasons for optimism, as well as reasons to double-down on efforts to implement the report’s recommendations.

While government policy-makers in some countries (like newly elected ones in some Latin American countries) are open to new approaches to decision-making and evidence use, many policy-makers, organisational leaders and professionals have largely returned to pre-pandemic approaches. While some funders and donors and some impact-oriented evidence producers have piloted coordination mechanisms, many evidence producers continue to operate without coordination and to generate significant research waste. While many citizens have become more aware of the potential value of evidence, many others have become more distrustful of decision-makers and evidence.

This (first) annual update is focused on three implementation priorities:

• Formalize and strengthen domestic evidence-support systems: conduct or participate in a rapid evidence-support system assessment for your country and find ways to act on the lessons learned if one has already been conducted.
• Enhance and leverage the global evidence architecture: encourage funders and donors – both in your own country and those operating globally – to be part of the solution and encourage impact-oriented evidence producers – especially those producing global public goods like living evidence syntheses – to work in more coordinated ways and to build connections to domestic evidence-support networks and units.
• Put evidence at the centre of everyday life: support citizen-serving NGOs and citizen leaders to take action in your country.