As school enrolment and attainment rise across developing countries, policymakers are increasingly directing attention to interventions that affect student learning. In this context, how effective is making schools accountable for performance in addressing deficiencies in service provision? This study evaluates the effect of four randomised interventions aimed at strengthening ...» more
Library
This e-library contains more than 4500 external publications on governance, social development, conflict and humanitarian issues. It includes academic and grey literature selected for its basis in good quality research and coverage of a range of perspectives. Policy-oriented summaries of each document are provided, plus links to the full text.
Power Sharing and Inclusive Politics in Africa’s Uncertain Democracies
How should international policymakers respond to evidence of a 'stolen' election? This article argues that support for inclusive political institutions needs to take account of the distinction between strengthening states and strengthening democracy. When used in response to flawed elections, pacts guaranteeing political inclusion can promote short-term peace, but they ...» more
Strengthening Women’s Participation in Local Governance: Lessons and Strategies
To what extent do South Africa's municipal participation mechanisms enable meaningful engagement in development planning and local governance by poor or marginalised women? What interventions or alternative approaches are required? This article finds a disconnect between women's experience and knowledge and state policy and programmatic responses. It proposes two, formally ...» more
What Makes a Good Governance Indicator?
What are the most common pitfalls associated with the use of governance indicators? How can these be avoided? This brief examines the different types of governance indicator, their use and their misuse. Users need to ask critical questions about what exactly indicators are measuring, and to remember the limited ability of broad governance indicators to demonstrate causality. ...» more
Supporting Statebuilding in Situations of Fragility and Conflict: Policy Guidance
How should the international community support state-building in fragile and conflict-affected situations? This book argues that state-building is an endogenous process rooted in state-society relations and the politics of the particular context. Critical aspects of state-building are: the political settlement; the capability and responsiveness of the state to fulfil its ...» more
Social dimensions of climate change: Equity and vulnerability in a warming world
This introductory chapter calls for the combination of climate change measures with social development and sustainability goals, and emphasises the impact of climate change on inclusion and social justice. Many current mitigation measures risk undermining the livelihoods of those most vulnerable to impacts of climate change, with unintended consequences. It introduces key ...» more
Timepass: Youth, class, and time among unemployed young men in India
Through an analysis of unemployed young men in Uttar Pradesh, this article provides an ethnographic perspective on the relationship between economic reform in India and the insecurities of marginalised young men. It informs broader understandings of the temporal and spatial insecurities of young people marginalised by processes of neoliberal economic change, Exploring how ...» more
Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women
Comprehensive legislation is fundamental for an effective and coordinated response to violence against women. This Handbook intends to provide all stakeholders with detailed guidance to support the adoption and effective implementation of legislation that prevents violence against women, punishes perpetrators, and ensures the rights of survivors everywhere. It is especially ...» more
Monitoring and Evaluating Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Mitigation Programs: A Facilitator’s Training Guide
This facilitator’s guide provides essential information to organise and implement a one-and-a-half days training session on monitoring and evaluating (M&E) gender-based violence (GBV) prevention and mitigation programmes. The accompanying module is designed and intended to be delivered following the two-day training sessions on Gender-Based Violence: A Primer. The module is ...» more
Women and Men: Hand in Hand against Violence: Strategies and Approaches to Working with Men and Boys for Ending Violence against Women
Ending violence against women (VAW) requires the collaboration of all community members. There is a growing awareness that men, in partnership with women, can play a significant role in ending violence against women. This training resource was developed for use in Arab countries in order to teach the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to promote gender equality and to ...» more
Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health
This paper outlines the UN’s strategy for more fully improving the health of women and children around the world from 2010-2015. It sets out the key areas where urgent action is required to enhance financing, strengthen policy and improve service delivery. The Global Strategy focuses on women and children when they are most vulnerable. In the poorest areas of the world, ...» more
Adaptation finance: Climate Finance Fundamentals
What are the links between adaptation finance and official development assistance and what multilateral adaptation finance instruments that have disbursed up to date? This brief looks at these issues and examines five main multilateral adaptation finance instruments that have disbursed.Key findings:There have been several recently published estimates of financial needs for ...» more
Ten-year Impact Study on Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security in Peacekeeping
This report attempts to review a decade of implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (SCR 1325) focusing on 7 selected thematic areas, each of them distinct and complex. The review covers 12 UN peacekeeping missions in 11 countries. The study assesses the impact of peacekeeping operations as regards the advancement of women’s rights and the promotion of ...» more
Guide on How to Integrate Disability into Gender Assessments and Analyses
Conducting a gender analysis is a requirement for all USAID Operating Units prior to developing projects and activities, and a gender assessment is required for Mission-wide strategies. Both these analyses and assessments should look at the roles and potential inequalities between all women and men within a targeted geographic area and should encompass all individuals, ...» more
Changing the way UNHCR does business? An evaluation of the Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming Strategy, 2004-2009
The UNHCR Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming (AGDM) strategy was intended to introduce a new model of development for UNHCR, towards planning and implementation that put the diverse priorities and needs of persons of concern at the heart of what UNHCR does. This paper is an evaluation of its implementation and progress between 2004 and 2009. Its main purpose was to review ...» more
Making the MDGs Work Better for Women: Implementing Gender-Responsive National Development Plans and Programmes
It is now recognized that sustainable human development cannot be achieved without gender equality. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 hinges on making tangible progress with regard to gender equality and women's empowerment, not only as a goal in itself (MDG 3), but also in the achievement of all the other goals. When women are integrated meaningfully ...» more
Do Elections Matter for Economic Performance?
In mature democracies, elections discipline leaders to deliver good economic performance. Since the fall of the Soviet Union most developing countries also hold elections, but these are often marred by illicit tactics. Using a new global data set, this paper investigates whether these illicit tactics are merely blemishes or substantially undermine the economic efficacy of ...» more
European conflict resolution policies: truncated peace-building
European commitments to build conflict strategies around development and governance initiatives have been around for over a decade. A long succession of documents has flagged up the ‘security, governance and development’ trinity. The European Security Strategy and its 2008 update both identify these linkages as pivotal to more effective EU conflict resolution.This paper ...» more
Fragile States: Stuck in a Capability Trap?
This background paper, written by and for development practitioners who are working in fragile, failed (and flailing) states, addresses some of the challenges facing fragile states. The paper articulates four generic features of how the standard approach to development interacts with fragile and post-conflict states in ways that are conducive to failure: emphasising form over ...» more
Report of the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons: Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons
Displacement is a life-changing event. While the experience of displacement cannot be undone, internally displaced persons (IDPs) need to be able to resume a normal life by achieving a durable solution.This report sets out a framework on durable solutions for internally displaced persons. It is organised around four questions: what is a durable solution for internally displaced ...» more
