The Vulnerability and Poverty Reduction Team would like to wish all our subscribers a Happy New Year. Highlights this month include a blog from Chris Béné on whether we can actually measure resilience, and a tribute to Nelson Mandela from Stephen Devereux. Cancellation of The Damage Done Conference, 6-8 May 2014 The VPR Team would like to thank everyone who expressed an interest in the conference The Damage Done that was due to be held at IDS in May. Unfortunately, and due to a mix of factors, we have reluctantly had to cancel the conference. We would like to thank you for the interest you have shown and for your proposed input to the conference. We would also like to apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this cancellation may have caused. New Publication Justino, P.; Brück, T. and Verwimp, P. (eds) (2013) A Micro-Level Perspective on the Dynamics of Conflict, Violence, and Development, Oxford: Oxford University Press This volume presents an innovative new analytical framework for understanding the dynamics of violent conflict and its impact on people and communities living in contexts of violence. Bringing together the findings of MICROCON, an influential five year research programme funded by the European Commission, this book provides readers with the most current and comprehensive evidence available on violent conflict from a micro-level perspective. MICROCON was the largest programme on conflict analysis in Europe from 2007-2011, and its policy outreach has helped to influence EU development policy, and supported policy capacity in many conflict-affected countries. To purchase this publication with 20% off, please use the following discount code AAFLY4. Blog Posts Can We Actually Measure Resilience? Chris Béné There is little doubt that resilience is now part of the post 2015 development discourse. The US agency for International Development (USAID) but also the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Canadian International Development Research Center (IDRC), the European Union, the World Food Programmes (WFP) or even the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) are some of the many bi- and multi-lateral agencies which have recently embraced the resilience agenda. In parallel - or perhaps slightly pre-empting this general move - a growing number of non-governmental organisations including CARE, CRS, MercyCorps, Oxfam, World Vision, etc. have also adopted resilience as one of their new programmatic pillars. In these conditions no wonder that resilience will be one of the key topics put forward in both the 2014 World Development Report and the 2014 Human Development Report. Can any Human Being Fail to be Moved by the Death of Nelson Mandela? Stephen Devereux It is often said that we should not mourn the passing of an older person who has led a long and fulfilled life, especially if they were frail and ill towards the end, as Madiba was. We cannot but celebrate the remarkable life, extraordinary achievements and above all the humanity of Nelson Mandela. At the same time we have to mourn the passing of greatness. The real sadness is our fear that there will be no more Nelson Mandelas, that he was the last iconic global leader. Truly, our world is diminished. How to Do Economic Development in Conflict-Affected Contexts (Hint: Its About Politics) Patricia Justino The economic security of individuals and households is a major challenge for development interventions in conflict-affected countries. Once the conflict is over and humanitarian aid leaves, how do you feed people, secure livelihoods and improve markets and market access? An important finding from a major EU-funded research programme on conflict analysis is that the answer to this question is closely linked to processes of institutional change that take place during violent conflict. Urban Poverty Without an Outside? Dolf te Lintelo In recent discussions with development studies colleagues on the relationship between urbanisation and urban poverty, we were often drawn to acknowledge the importance of linkages between the city and the beyond, whether that be the rural, the peri-urban or something else. However, the theoretical, methodological or practical ways of operationalising this in day to day work is not always obvious. The Flexible City Symposium at Oxford University on 24/25 October 2013 offered a chance to learn from urban theory and critical urban geography scholars grappling with this issue. What take away points resound with enhancing our understanding of the dynamics of urban poverty? Recent Publications Understanding and Tackling Violence Outside of Armed Conflict Settings Lind, J. and Mitchell, B. IDS Policy Briefing 37. Understanding and tackling violence that occurs outside of armed conflict settings is essential to improving the wellbeing of some of the worlds poorest communities. Whilst advances have been made in terms of designing policies that address violence in fragile or conflict-affected countries, progress has been slower in relation to dealing with violence happening outside of these settings. A Feminist Political Economy Analysis of Public Policies Related to Care: A Thematic Review Chopra, D., Kelbert, A.W. and Iyer, P. Evidence Report 9. Unpaid care work is directly linked to the economic empowerment of women and girls. There is a large and robust body of evidence about the extent of unpaid care work that women and girls do, and its contributions to both the economy and human development outcomes. But is this evidence being used to inform public policy? Universal Truths or Hidden Realities - Chronic Poverty in Rural Ethiopia Roelen, K. and Camfield, L. Journal of International Development July 2013. Combining qualitative and quantitative longitudinal data to study chronic poverty is now recognised to provide deep and reliable insights. This paper uses quantitative and qualitative data collected by Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty, to identify factors that contribute to households becoming or remaining poor in rural Ethiopia and the effects of movements in and out of poverty on children within those households. Findings highlight the cumulative nature of shocks and their intersection with pre-existing vulnerabilities and suggest that improvements in household welfare may be at the expense of child well-being. Promoting Inclusive Social Protection in the Post-2015 Framework Roelen, K. and Devereux, S. IDS Policy Briefing 39. This policy briefing, part of the special MDG series, examines how the post 2015 development framework should promote Inclusive Social Protection, both to guarantee universal access to social protection and also to ensure that social protection and complementary programmes address the structural causes of poverty and vulnerability, rather than merely responding to the symptoms. Evaluating Outside the Box: An Alternative Framework for Analysing Social Protection Programmes Devereux, S., Roelen, K., Béné, C., Chopra, D., Leavy, J. and McGregor, A. IDS Working Paper 431. The evidence base on social protection programmes is expanding rapidly, largely pointing towards their positive impacts. Most evaluations rely heavily on quantitative techniques and experimental methods to allow for attribution of impacts. In this paper, we argue that new ways of investigation and analysis are needed to expand and deepen the evidence base in support of improved design and implementation of social protection. Informal and Formal Social Protection Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa Devereux, S. and Getu, M (eds) OSSREA Publications 2013. In recent years, social protection issues have gained unprecedented momentum in Africa. This is reflected in the fact that most African countries have either introduced or are considering social protection measures, as witnessed by initiatives within the African Union (AU), African national governments and their development partners in the international donor community. Measuring Conflict Exposure in Micro-Level Surveys Brück, T., Justino, P., Verwimp, P. and Tedesco, A. Published as part of The Living Standards Measurement Study - Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) project. Violent conflict is a key obstacle to overall economic development and specifically to human development. Conflicts vary greatly in their nature - hence the impacts of conflicts on people also vary greatly. If socioeconomic research on conflict has demonstrated one thing, it is that the circumstances of conflict matter greatly for policies designed to end and overcome the legacies of conflict. Unemployment, Service Provision and Violence Reduction Policies in Urban Maharashtra Tranchant, J.P. Evidence Report 17. Over 40 per cent of Maharashtras population live in urban slums, characterised by the acute inequalities of inadequate housing, poor service provision, lack of access to health and sanitation, overcrowded spaces, and limited employment opportunities. With urbanisation poised to increase dramatically over the next decades in India, it is urgent to remedy the current situation lest the social ills associated with unbalanced urbanisation grow worse. Chronic Poverty in Rural Ethiopia Through the Lens of Life-Histories Camfield, L. and Roelen, K. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities: A Multi-Disciplinary Journal for People-Centered Development September 2013. Studying chronic poverty using retrospective qualitative data (life-histories) in conjunction with longitudinal panel data is now recognised to provide deep and reliable insights. This paper uses three rounds of panel data and life-histories collected by Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty, to identify factors that contribute to households becoming or remaining poor in rural Ethiopia. Multidimensional Child Poverty in Vietnam from a Longitudinal Perspective - Improved Lives or Impoverished Conditions? Roelen, K. Child Indicators Research October 2013. Despite a rapid expansion of the bodies of research on the measurement of multidimensional poverty, chronic poverty and child poverty, little attention has been paid to the longitudinal aspects of multidimensional poverty. Even less evidence is available about longitudinal multidimensional child poverty. This paper combines these strands of research, using household survey data from 2004, 2006 and 2008 from Vietnam to analyse cross-sectional poverty trends and longitudinal poverty dynamics. Making the Urban Poor Safer: Lessons from Nairobi and Maharashtra Tranchant, J-P. IDS Policy Briefing 47. Mumbai and Nairobi have acutely unequal urban development, with respectively 40 per cent and 60 per cent of their urban population living in slums. The most impoverished neighbourhoods are characterised by severe lack of service provision and poor access to employment opportunities. Short Film Who Cares: Unpaid Care Work, Poverty and Womens/Girls Human Rights The animation complements a United Nations special report on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, and highlights key findings from research on the empowerment of women and girls. The film has been developed by IDS, with funding from the Department for International Development (DFID). Studying at IDS MA in Poverty and Development IDS is proud to attract students from all over the world who are passionate about tackling poverty, social injustice and environmental sustainability. We welcome experienced development professionals keen to reflect on the practice and learn new analytical tools. The one-year MA in Poverty and Development is designed to examine thinking, policy and practice on vulnerability and poverty. It provides students with the knowledge and skills to engage professionally with the design, implementation and assessment of national and international efforts to reduce poverty.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 13:06:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015