http://www.gsdrc.org Academic and policy-relevant publications on governance and international development. en-uk Copyright © 2012 Governance and Social Development Resource Centre Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:11 GMT Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:11 GMT http://www.gsdrc.org/rss/open george@gsdrc.org george@gsdrc.org http://www.gsdrc.org/images/logos/logo_gsdrc.gif http://www.gsdrc.org 205 90 GSDRC logo Arjan de Haan This paper examines how India's Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes categories are applied in poverty analysis and social policy, including in India's targeted poverty programmes and BPL (Below Poverty Line) Census. It finds that, while Indian poverty debates highlight the severe inequalities between social groups, they pay insufficient attention to the nature of exclusion. In some respects, support to deprived groups has led to the opposite of what progressive legislators intended and has made social identities more deeply entrenched in political frameworks. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4202&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4202&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT World Bank This study notes that investments in health and education – human capital endowments – shape the ability of men and women to reach their full potential. It examines gender gaps in education and health, and progress in addressing them. It finds that great progress had been made in cases where removing a single barrier – in markets, households or institutions – is required. However, progress has been slower either where multiple barriers need to be lifted at the same time or where a single point of entry produces bottlenecks. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4200&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4200&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT World Health Organisation and the World Bank This report finds that more than a billion people, about 15 per cent of the world's population, are estimated to live with some form of disability. It synthesises the evidence on how to address the barriers they face in health, rehabilitation, support and assistance, environments, education and employment. It argues that many of the barriers are avoidable, and that the disadvantages associated with disability can be overcome. Multiple, systemic interventions are needed. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4193&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4193&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Social Protection Floor Advisory Group This report outlines recommendations on how to extend social protection coverage through the social protection floor approach. A social protection floor involves an integrated set of nationally-driven and tailored policies designed to guarantee a) income security (through social transfers in cash or in kind); and b) universal access to essential, affordable social services. The successful phasing-in of a social protection floor will require political will, fiscal space and effective institutions. Where low-income countries require some initial assistance for social protection floor initiatives, donors need to improve aid coordination and provide multi-year, direct budgetary support and capacity building. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4184&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4184&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Salomé Bronkhorst What lessons can be learned from work by NGOs to address climate and environmental conflicts in the southern Sahel? This study suggests that NGOs and international organisations can play an important role in providing funding and technical support to address climate and environmental related conflicts. They can help to reduce environmental threats, to address structural factors (deprivations and exclusions) that increase people's vulnerability to such threats, and they can help to build conflict resolution capacity. Current participatory methods can enhance traditional conflict resolution mechanisms. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4156&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4156&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT World Bank There are a number of pathways back from the brink of violent conflict, but there are two common elements in successful cases. The first is building 'inclusive-enough' coalitions, and identifying the signals and commitment mechanisms that can galvanise support for change. Pacts to end violence need not be all-inclusive, and can promote peace if they are minimally inclusive at the beginning. The second element is delivering results on the ground to build confidence in citizen security, justice and economic prospects. For both elements, successful transitions have made astute use of capacity from the private sector, traditional institutions and non-governmental organisations. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4145&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4145&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Kate Higgins, Kate Bird and Dan Harris How should public policy address the spatial dimensions of poverty? This paper reviews policy documents and eight country cases to identify how the spatial dimensions of poverty are reflected in development policies. Lessons include the need to: 1) balance universalism and targeting; 2) manage the form and processes of integration in the economy; 3) use both short-term and longer-term policies; and 4) respond to different scales and settings of spatial poverty traps. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4110&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4110&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Concern Worldwide and Oxfam GB Do cash transfers (CTs) in emergency contexts currently benefit women and contribute to women's empowerment? How can NGOs and donors develop more gender-sensitive CT programmes that help to redress inequality and work towards empowerment? This report examines the impacts of cash transfers on gender dynamics within households and communities. It finds mixed impacts and insufficient consideration of gender inequality and gender analysis in programme processes. To realise the potential value of CTs for women, NGOs and donors need to ensure, for example, that all emergency responses include a gender and social analysis; that clear and attainable gender aims are specified for each stage of the intervention; and that more investment is made in staff training. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4089&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4089&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT Cecilia Luttrell and Sitna Quiroz What are the implications of the various concepts of empowerment for development practice? This paper argues that a failure to define empowerment can weaken its value as an agent for change and as a tool for analysis. Empowerment can be broadly defined as a progression that helps people to gain control over their own lives and increases their capacity to act on issues they themselves think are important. A multidimensional approach to empowerment must consider both individual capacities and collective action to address inequalities that cause poverty. Awareness of the different forms of power and their dynamic nature can help to identify the strategies needed to shift unequal power relations. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4077&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4077&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT Naila Kabeer How can development interventions manage information and ideas so as to empower women more effectively? This paper suggests that particular attention must be given to strengthening women's capacity for voice and action at five 'critical moments' of an intervention's planning cycle: conception, design, implementation, evaluation, and learning. At these moments, the ideas, values and knowledge of key actors profoundly affect how an intervention plays out in practice, and thus what it is able to achieve. Gender equality concerns are especially important at the conceptualisation stage, so as to plan follow-through. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4065&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4065&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT GSMA Development Fund, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and Vital Wave Consulting How can mobile phones advance the socio-economic development of women? This report highlights the gender gap in mobile phone ownership in low and middle-income countries. Closing this gap would bring the benefits of mobile phones to 300 million women and represent a 13 billion US dollar opportunity for mobile operators. Mobile phone ownership offers women opportunities such as improved access to education, health, business and employment. Empowering women with mobile phones requires the involvement of the private, non-profit and public sectors. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4047&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=4047&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Nicola Jones et al. Do social institutions result in gender differences in the incidence of poverty? This paper finds that discriminatory family codes, son bias, limited resource entitlements, physical insecurity and restricted civil liberties play a role in chronic poverty, specifically that of young women. It is therefore important to: eliminate gender discrimination through legal provisions; support girls' participation in decision-making; invest in child- and gender-sensitive social protection; extend services to hard-to-reach girls; strengthen girls' resource access; and promote girls' control over their bodies. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3996&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3996&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Mariz Tadros Is women's empowerment directly related to the proportion of women in parliament? Have various forms of quota been successful in transforming gender relations? This article examines different pathways to women's empowerment and the assumptions about gender, power, and politics that underlie quotas. It concludes that the focus on women's representation in parliament is too narrow; gender hierarchies that have remained unchallenged in other key power bases (such as key ministries) must be identified and targeted. Further, women's representation must be viewed in terms of the agendas pursued and their influence. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3993&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3993&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development What gender issues are hampering progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals? This paper uses the Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) to examine gender inequality and the MDGs. It focuses on three MDGs: eradicating extreme hunger and poverty (MDG 1), achieving universal primary education (MDG 2) and improving maternal health (MDG 5). 'Missing dimensions' to these three MDGs are found to be: women's control over resources; their access to land and credit; decision-making power and the percentage of early marriages; and violence against women. These dimensions should be more explicitly targeted. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3992&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3992&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Rachel Sabates-Wheeler and Stephen Devereux This paper suggests that social protection programming should be expanded to address structural as well as other types of vulnerability. It proposes an approach involving four (potentially overlapping) categories of instruments: provision measures, which provide relief from deprivation; preventive measures, which attempt to prevent deprivation; promotive measures, which aim to enhance incomes and capabilities; and transformative measures, which seek to address concerns of social justice and exclusion. This approach would enable the identification of powerful synergies between the ‘economic’ (provision, prevention, promotion) and 'social' (transformation) functions performed by several social protection measures. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3988&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3988&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT OHCHR Of the Millennium Development Goals, Goal 5 on improving maternal health is the furthest from being achieved. This report discusses the human rights dimensions of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, reviewing the international and regional initiatives and programmes in place, and the current legal framework. It concludes that a collective commitment from the international community towards developing a systematic human rights based approach is crucial to advancing progress. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3955&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3955&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Alyson Brody, Justina Demetriades and Emily Esplen What is gender equality in the context of climate change? How can adaptation and mitigation measures help to reduce gender inequality? This paper discusses links between climate change and gender inequality and identifies gaps in current research on gender and the environment. It finds that involving women fully in adaptation and mitigation processes will help to redress gender inequality and ensure that the human impacts of climate change are more effectively addressed. Removing obstacles to women's participation requires support for grassroots awareness-raising, confidence building, advocacy and leadership training programmes. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3901&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3901&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT Arnim Langer, Frances Stewart and Rajesh Venugopal How can economic and social policies help to sustain peace processes and promote stability and reconciliation in deeply divided post-conflict societies? This review of studies of Horizontal Inequalities (HIs) in post-conflict countries finds that while HIs are increasingly recognised as a cause of conflict, policies to address them have been very limited. Such policies may be direct (targeting particular groups), indirect (universally applicable) or integrationist (bringing groups together). Indirect and integrationist policies are particularly appropriate in post-conflict contexts. Policymakers should take HIs more seriously. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3845&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3845&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT Frances Stewart and Graham Brown How can the concept of fragile states be operationalised for development policy? This paper offers a working definition of fragile states as states that are failing, or at high risk of failing, in their: 1) authority to protect citizens, 2) comprehensive provision of basic services, or 3) governance legitimacy. To design appropriately differentiated policies, policymakers must first identify the dimension(s) of fragility in a country and then the main causes of the failures in each dimension. The most challenging situations are where governments are opposed to inclusive policies. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3843&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3843&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth How can developing countries increase the poor's access to utilities while maximising the spillover benefits? This issue of 'Poverty in Focus' argues that universal access to basic utilities is justified both on human rights grounds and because it is a public good with positive externalities. Where initial utility coverage is low, subsidy and cross-subsidy schemes are the best option. Where access is higher and privatisation can be considered, contracts must transfer risk to private providers. Instead of focusing on 'public versus private', policy debates should consider the constraints on public intervention, possible improvements, and the potential for alternative provision under a poverty reduction framework. http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3834&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed http://www.gsdrc.org/go/display&type=Document&id=3834&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gsdrc&utm_source=newsfeed Inequality Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT