http://www.ids.ac.uk/ The lastest publications from Institute of Development Studies /publication/does-land-titling-matter-the-role-of-land-property-rights-in-colombia-s-war-on-drugs The ‘war on drugs’ has failed. Despite an increase in law enforcement, production levels of coca – the crop used to make cocaine – have hardly altered in the last decade. Fri, 07 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/what-constrains-renewable-energy-investment-in-sub-saharan-africa-a-comparison-of-kenya-and-ghana Policymakers in Sub-Saharan Africa face several choices to increase levels of access to electricity under severe budget constraints. First, they need to prioritise technologies that can supply electricity at a low cost. Second, they need to design and implement appropriate policies to attract privat Sat, 01 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/uncovering-community-challenging-an-elusive-concept-in-development-and-disaster-related-work In all areas of academic or practical work related to disaster risk, climate change and development more generally, community and its adjunct community-based have become the default terminology when referring to the local level or working ‘with the people’. The terms are applied extensively to highl Fri, 31 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/jobs-for-ex-militants-in-the-niger-delta-why-isn-t-the-private-sector-involved At the end of violent conflict, the most difficult task for most countries is the reintegration of former combatants into civilian life and employment. Failure to do this can leave the door open for further protests and social disorder. Fri, 17 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/realising-the-potential-of-agribusiness-to-reduce-youth-unemployment-in-ethiopia Agribusiness in Ethiopia has grown significantly in the last 20 years, and this growth is set to continue. This transition presents opportunities to address the country’s high youth unemployment and for agribusinesses to participate in global, regional, and local markets. Fri, 10 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/strengthening-small-and-medium-enterprises-to-address-youth-unemployment-crisis-in-zimbabwe After years of Mugabe’s anti-Western rhetoric closed Zimbabwe’s doors, his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa declared the country ‘open for business’. After such a long period of looking inward, this could be a chance to rebuild the economy through large-scale investment in the private sector, particular Fri, 10 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/from-poverty-to-prosperity-explaining-china-s-growth This paper proposes an institutional analytic framework to explain the path an economy takes from poverty to prosperity. Close examination of the development history of China since the Xinhai Revolution in 1911 under this framework indicates that it is the combination of the unbiased single-peaked g Tue, 07 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/evidence-to-action-highlights-from-transform-nutrition-research Sun, 05 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/uncertainty-in-climate-science-extreme-weather-events-in-india In May 2018, multiple extreme weather events claimed scores of lives, damaged property and brought public life to a standstill in parts of India. In the aftermath of these events, a blame game ensued with some assigning responsibility to scientific and state agencies, and others calling for more res Sat, 04 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/opportunities-for-using-complexity-aware-approaches-to-theory-of-change The purpose of this briefing note is to review opportunities for using complexity aware approaches to Theory of Change (ToC) to inform the SDC approach. It provides an overview of complexity-aware approaches and then focuses on demonstrating how complexity thinking can support programming by buildin Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/equity-and-inclusion-in-health-programming Equity and inclusion are key issues for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), given its strong commitment to the Agenda 2030 principle of “leaving no one behind” and to achieving Universal Health Coverage. However, efforts to guarantee equity and inclusion face not only technical a Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/state-of-the-art-on-use-of-theory-of-change-in-the-development-sector The purpose of this briefing note is to add to SDC’s understanding of Theory of Change (ToC), drawing on the literature and practice to sketch out the current state of the art approach. This involves expanding on ToC beyond SDC’s current practice of using Impact Hypotheses (IH) to bridge it to opera Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/engaging-men-and-boys-in-sanitation-and-hygiene-programmes This issue of Frontiers of CLTS shares and builds on the learning from a desk study that explores examples of men’s and boys’ behaviours and gender roles in sanitation and hygiene (S&H). Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/getting-the-most-out-of-participatory-impact-assessment-reflections-from-a-multi-country-cash-transfer-impact-assessment Mixed methods approaches are widely used in impact evaluations, but all too often a ‘methodological gap’ emerges between broad, large-scale surveys and in-depth, small-scale qualitative investigation that can be difficult to bridge. Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/the-impact-of-solar-mini-grids-on-kenya-s-rural-enterprises Off-grid, renewable based electricity systems are becoming increasingly competitive for remote rural communities. When the electricity supplied is used productively by micro and small enterprises (MSE), it has the potential to contribute to income generation and poverty reduction. MSE are prevalent Wed, 01 Aug 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/what-does-closing-civic-space-mean-for-development-a-literature-review-and-proposed-conceptual-framework What does closing civic space mean for development? Aid donors are concerned about the implications of restrictions on civil society for their partners and programmes, but to date there has been little clarity about what this means for development. Tue, 31 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/ideas-from-ids-graduate-papers-from-2016/17 It gives me great pleasure to present this first edition of published term papers authored by IDS graduates (2016/17) from across our suite of master’s degrees. Mon, 30 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/emerging-economies-and-the-changing-dynamics-of-development-cooperation Almost two decades have passed since ‘emerging donors’ – new providers of development cooperation – began to attract the attention of ‘traditional donors’. Tue, 24 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/sexual-and-reproductive-health-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities The World Health Organization estimates that 15 per cent of the world’s population have a disability and that a higher prevalence of disability occurs among people in lower-income countries. Thu, 19 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/mutual-learning-for-universal-health-coverage Accelerating progress towards the goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030 is an essential component of equitable, sustainable and resilient development. 60 per cent of all deaths are caused by chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease, which disproportion Wed, 04 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/can-icts-increase-tax-experimental-evidence-from-ethiopia The widespread introduction of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and digitalised data management systems is one of the most important developments among African tax administrations in recent years. However, very little evidence is available on their effectiveness in practice, and how Mon, 02 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/welfare-spending-and-political-conflict-in-latin-america-1970-2010 In this article we study an age-old question in political economy: does government spending on welfare ensure peace? This question was at the heart of the European Welfare State model of the early 20th century, and remains relevant today in face of rising inequalities and political conflict. Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/medium-scale-commercial-farms-in-africa-the-experience-of-the-native-purchase-areas-in-zimbabwe In this article we seek to learn lessons from the past by examining the experience of ‘native purchase areas’, which were established from the 1930s in Zimbabwe. Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/taxing-africa-coercion-reform-and-development Taxation has been seen as the domain of charisma-free accountants, lawyers and number crunchers – an unlikely place to encounter big societal questions about democracy, equity or good governance. Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/innovations-for-urban-sanitation-adapting-community-led-approaches Over half the world’s population now lives in urban areas and a large proportion of them lives without improved sanitation. Efforts to tackle open defecation in rural areas has been led by the Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS) movement. Fri, 29 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/tax-reform-for-low-income-countries-five-ideas-for-simplifying-tax-systems-to-fit-local-realities There is no silver bullet to strengthen the tax systems of low-income countries. Dramatic changes in tax systems and tax collection are rare. Successful improvements more often involve a great deal of hard and steady work, and the gradual construction of popular trust and (grudging) support for refo Thu, 28 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/norms-networks-power-and-control-understanding-informal-payments-and-brokerage-in-crossborder-trade-in-sierra-leone This ICTD Research in Brief is a two-page summary of ICTD Working Paper 74 by Vanessa van den Boogaard, Wilson Prichard and Samuel Jibao. This series is aimed at policy makers, tax administrators, fellow researchers and anyone else who is big on interest and short on time. Wed, 27 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/in-from-the-cold-shifting-the-discourse-on-informal-providers-in-bangladesh-and-india In Bangladesh and India, informal healthcare providers (IHPs) have long been part of the countries’health systems. However, formal recognition of their existence is sensitive, partly due to resistanceand concern from professional health bodies. Research by Future Health Systems (FHS) partners ICDDR, Wed, 20 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/climate-change-a-threat-to-child-food-security-in-the-indian-sundarbans The Sundarbans, the mangrove forest delta shared both by India and Bangladesh, is among the worst hit regions of climate change in the world. Even though food insecurities due to climate change are felt across the region, the distribution of vulnerabilities is largely uneven depending upon existing Wed, 20 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT /publication/integrating-actions-to-tackle-antimicrobial-resistance-into-strategies-to-achieve-universal-health-coverage It is critical that ensuring people’s access to effective treatment for common infections is aligned with efforts to reduce the risk of emerging antimicrobial resistance.The Institute of Development Studies, a Future Health Systems partner, is influencing policy agendas to give greater focus on the Wed, 20 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMT