Research Use and Impact Assessment

Policy briefs

RIA works in the area of getting research into policy and practice. The unit thus prepares policy briefs topical issues. These briefs are available:

2012 Briefs

The country we want to live in: Hate crimes and homophobia in the lives of black lesbian South Africans (March 2012)
N MKHIZE, J BENNETT, V REDDY & R MOLETSANE
This policy brief looks at the socio-political environment experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTI) living in South Africa, it looks at terminology and perspective. The brief calls for policies that protect the rights of all, including LGBTI people, it calls for public condemnation of these crimes by NGOs, donors and international agencies, and for these agencies to continue to document and raise visibility about hate crimes directed at lesbians.
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Citizen Report Card Surveys, A tool for effective social accountability (March 2012)
SB ZAMA
This policy brief recommends a starting point to remedy service delivery. It looks at tools to monitor government services in terms of accountability and efficiency, effective mechanisms which can be used by municipalities to consult and communicate with citizens, and it explores strengthening participation and creating open engagement. (both positive and negative feedback is key to achieving this).
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Protecting food insecure households against rapid food price inflation (March 2012)
P JACOBS

Higher food prices increase the overall cost of living. This policy brief explores an integrated food security strategy, looks at the social grant system and food price inflation. It identifies ways to ensure a more food secure future for vulnerable South Africans, including gender-based targeting in food security,stabilisation of food prices and an M&E system for early support.
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Educator leave in the South African public schooling system (March 2012)
C PRINSLOO & V REDDY
This policy brief takes a look at how to manage and reduce leave-taking by educators to reduce the loss of teaching and learning time for students. Recommendations include: reducing the educator leave rates in schools where it is higher than 10%; improving working conditions to encourage educators and learners to attend school; improving the process of recording leave and administrative systems and support in schools; recording leave for official business on a central database and monitoring the national leave rates.
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Technological initiatives for rural development (March 2012)
T HART, M ALIBER, B LETTY, M MSIBI, M BAIPHETHI & Z NXELE
This policy brief makes a number of recommendations in order to improve the effectiveness of technological initiatives such as social facilitation, challenges and conditions, building institutional, technical and non-technical capacity among project beneficiaries, encouraging entrepreneurs and establishing an M&E system that allows for challenges to be identified and addressed to ensure impact..
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Reclaiming indigenous languages for posterity (March 2012)
K YU
This policy brief explores reality in conflict with policy intention, why indigenous languages are under-studied and how to reinvigorate indigenous languages.
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2011 Briefs

The gendered dimensions of food security in South Africa: A review of the literature (March 2011)
V Reddy and R Molesane
This policy brief explores women as a central factor in food security. It investigates the gendered dimensions of hunger and malnutrition in South Africa, in order to foster an understanding of the relations between gender, food insecurity and policy.
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Gender equality in the mathematics and science school curriculum (March 2011)
R Moletsane and V Reddy
This policy brief focuses on the extent to which gender equality policies and interventions impact on teachers’ commitment to MDG3. It investigates South African educators’ perceptions, attitudes and beliefs regarding girls’ access to, participation and success in mathematics and science in high schools.
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Women’s participation in industrial science, engineering and technology (March 2011)
R Moletsane and V Reddy
Although women’s entry into higher education in South Africa over the past decade has increased, they remain under-represented within the Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) sector.
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South African Crude Oil Import Portfolio Risks: which way out? (February 2011)
N Wabiri and H Amusa
This policy brief explores the nature of South Africa’s oil-import risks and the impact on oil prices; potential government diversification strategies to mitigate against such risks; and the impact of such strategies on South Africa’s oil-import diversification policy.
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Decisive action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (January 2011)
Dr David Hemson, Dr Edward Chikhwenda, Prof Wilbard Kombe and Dr Morena Rankgopo
This research brief reports on a set of studies undertaken by the HSRC and research partners in Botswana, Malawi, and Tanzania in 2009–2010 and which reviewed 51 MDG targets. It found that 18 targets would be reached by 2015 but that the pace of change was too slow in 22 others. In 11 targets no progress was recorded.
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High university drop-out rates: a threat to South Africa's future (March 2008)
Moeketsi Letseka and Simeon Maile
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Age of hope or anxiety? Dynamics of the fear of crime in South Africa (March 2008)
Benjamin Roberts
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No sign of a dependency culture in South Africa (March 2008)
Michael Noble and Phakama Ntshongwana
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