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2. Keys for sustaining Tanzania’s economic development
- Author:
- Oliver Morrissey and Maureen Were
- Publication Date:
- 03-2024
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Sustainable economic development hinges on the ability of firms and households to maintain growth and wellbeing. How have Tanzania’s firms and households performed in recent decades, and what policies can improve their resilience against future shocks?
- Topic:
- Economy, Economic Development, Sustainability, and Resilience
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Tanzania
3. Firm performance, trade linkages, and the growth of SMEs in Tanzania
- Author:
- Josaphat Kweka, Julian Boys, and Amrita Saha
- Publication Date:
- 03-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The private sector and enterprises have a key role to play in the development of the Tanzanian economy. This Policy Brief provides insights and solutions that could offer business sectors the vital policy support that they need to develop and grow.
- Topic:
- Development, Economy, Economic Growth, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Tanzania
4. Better livelihoods through income diversification in Tanzania
- Author:
- Oliver Morrissey and Milla Nyyssölä
- Publication Date:
- 04-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Diversifying income sources is an important livelihood strategy for households in low-income countries. Having several sources of income helps in increasing total income, and in spreading the risks. New findings on the benefits of income diversification from Tanzanian households can inform policy aiming to develop welfare at the grassroots level and beyond.
- Topic:
- Labor Issues, Diversification, and Livelihoods
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Tanzania
5. The economic gains of reducing the employment gender gap in Morocco
- Author:
- Olivier Bargain and Maria C. Lo Bue
- Publication Date:
- 06-2021
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, including Morocco, currently record the lowest rates of female labour force participation (FLFP) in the world. These rates — between 20-30% in 2019 — appear substantially low in comparison to Western countries, but also compared to low- and middle-income countries that average between 40% (Asia) and 55% (Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa).
- Topic:
- Economics, Gender Issues, Women, Employment, and Economic Growth
- Political Geography:
- North Africa and Morocco
6. Policy implications of empirically estimated fiscal multipliers for South Africa
- Author:
- Johannes Hermanus Kemp and Hylton Hollander
- Publication Date:
- 07-2020
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Despite the frequent use of fiscal policy for stabilization purposes, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the impact of fiscal policy decisions on macroeconomic outcomes. This impact is quantified by calculating fiscal multipliers. A fiscal multiplier measures the impact of government’s tax and spending decisions on economic output.
- Topic:
- Macroeconomics, Fiscal Policy, and Financial Stability
- Political Geography:
- Africa and South Africa
7. Designing inclusive public finance policies in developing countries: Five key issues and solutions
- Author:
- Jukka Pirttilä and Finn Tarp
- Publication Date:
- 07-2020
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Taxation, and public sector matters more generally, are high on the agenda for the international development community. This is clearly reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG17 stipulates the need for improving domestic resource mobilization directly, and most of the other SDGs cannot be achieved without adequate tax and spending policies.
- Topic:
- Developing World, Sustainable Development Goals, Tax Systems, Public Spending, and Inclusion
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
8. Mining for change How can natural resources support inclusive growth in Africa
- Author:
- John Page and Finn Tarp
- Publication Date:
- 11-2020
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- For a growing number of countries in Africa the discovery of natural resources is a great opportunity, but one accompanied by considerable risks. There is an extensive literature linking natural resource dependence to poor economic performance. One cause is that resource-abundant economies tend to have economic and export structures that are highly concentrated on only few export products. Most of Africa’s resource-rich economies experienced increases in export concentration during the first decade of the twenty-first century.
- Topic:
- Industrial Policy, Natural Resources, Economic Growth, Mining, and Inclusion
- Political Geography:
- Africa
9. Migration governance in the Global South
- Author:
- Rachel M. Gisselquist and Finn Tarp
- Publication Date:
- 09-2020
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Building knowledge about migration governance and policy in the Global South is a priority for research and policy. Migration is a defining feature of our time and one closely linked with processes of economic and political development. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 10.7 prioritizes the facilitation of ‘orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies’. What exactly constitutes ‘well-managed’ migration policies remains a point of some discussion.
- Topic:
- Development, Migration, Governance, and Sustainable Development Goals
- Political Geography:
- Global South
10. Resurgent Asia: Diversity in Development
- Author:
- Deepak Nayyar
- Publication Date:
- 09-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In 1820, Asia accounted for two-thirds of world population and over half of world income. The subsequent decline of Asia was attributable to its integration with a world economy shaped by colonialism and driven by imperialism. By 1970, Asia was the poorest continent in the world, marginal except for its large population. Its demographic and social indicators, among the worst anywhere, epitomized its underdevelopment. A deep pessimism about Asia’s economic prospects, voiced by Gunnar Myrdal in Asian Drama, was widespread at the time.
- Topic:
- Economics, History, Economic Growth, and Economic Transformation
- Political Geography:
- Asia
11. Is global inequality rising or falling?
- Author:
- Tony Addison, Jukka Pirttilä, and Finn Tarp
- Publication Date:
- 02-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- When measured in relative terms, global inequality has been decreasing. However, in absolute terms it has been increasing. What does this mean for analysing and addressing inequality? While it remains vital to continue reducing the global incidence of poverty, inequality has risen both in international and national agendas. Inequalities — in incomes, assets, and human development — matter for citizens as ethical and political issues. Large inequalities matter for economic development as they and can slow economic growth, generate economic crises, and destabilize political systems.
- Topic:
- Development, Poverty, Inequality, and Economic Growth
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
12. Inequality in Brazil: Inclusive growth trend of this millennium is over
- Author:
- Marcelo Neri
- Publication Date:
- 05-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- After three decades of persistently high inequality, Brazil has been experiencing a downward trend since 2001, accompanied by a rise in household incomes. These trends lasted until 2014 when a major reversal took place on both fronts.
- Topic:
- Education, Inequality, Finance, and Income Inequality
- Political Geography:
- Brazil and South America
13. The politics of social protection in Eastern and Southern Africa: Actors, institutions and dynamics
- Author:
- Sam Hickey, Tom Laver, Miguel Niño-Zarazúa, and Jeremy Seekings
- Publication Date:
- 12-2019
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Since the mid-1990s, there has been in Africa something of a ‘quiet revolution’ in poverty reduction strategies with the proliferation of social assistance programmes that entail cash transfers to the poor. The past two decades have also been characterized by a series of important political developments that have reshaped both state–society relations within sub-Saharan Africa and its relationship with transnational actors. What lies behind these changes?
- Topic:
- Development, International Organization, Poverty, and Social Services
- Political Geography:
- Africa, South Africa, and East Africa
14. Inequality in India on the rise
- Author:
- Hai-Anh Dang and Peter Lanjouw
- Publication Date:
- 12-2018
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Following the introduction of economic reforms in the early 1990s, India today is achieving unprecedented per capita growth rates. Poverty reduction has also accelerated and is justly celebrated. There is great concern, however, that this growth is being accompanied by rising inequality.
- Topic:
- Economics, Reform, Inequality, and Economic Growth
- Political Geography:
- India and South America
15. Industries without smokestacks: Industrialization in Africa reconsidered
- Author:
- Richard Newfarmer and John Page
- Publication Date:
- 10-2018
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Our research shows that structural change in Africa is relying on a new set of economic activities, called ‘industries without smokestacks’, created by recent technological changes and a changing global market place. Adopting a broad concept of industrialization is crucial to recognizing that manufacturing, while important, is not everything. However, a lot needs to be done internationally, regionally and at the country-level to push these unique drivers of structural change.
- Topic:
- Development, Economic Growth, Investment, Diversification, and Industry
- Political Geography:
- Africa
16. Toward gender equity and women’s empowerment
- Author:
- Jean-Philippe Platteau
- Publication Date:
- 10-2018
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- There are three main channels of women’s empowerment: legal or policy reforms, outside economic opportunities, and collective action. Legal (or policy) reforms are generally based on statutory laws that enact rules to be followed or prohibit certain practices. External economic opportunities for women represent alternative activities and places of working and living. Collective action brings women together to advance their collective interests.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Women, Discrimination, Equality, and Empowerment
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan, Africa, China, Europe, Turkey, India, Asia, and Senegal
17. Inequality dynamics in China: Income growth for the poor, but more for the rich
- Author:
- Shi Li and Terry Sicular
- Publication Date:
- 12-2018
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In the late 1970s, China embarked on a major programme of economic transition and reform. Since then, China’s economy has been transformed from a socialist planned economy to a predominately market economy characterized by a combination of state, private, and mixed forms of ownership. Over the past forty years, household incomes have risen six-fold, poverty has declined dramatically, and in recent years a new class of ultra-rich has emerged. These developments have naturally led to questions about inequality trends in China.
- Topic:
- Economics, Poverty, Reform, Income Inequality, and Welfare
- Political Geography:
- China and Asia
18. Multidimensional poverty and wellbeing in Mozambique
- Author:
- Ricardo Santos and Vincenzo Salvucci
- Publication Date:
- 02-2017
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon involving things other than consumption — such as access to and quality of health and education, housing, possession of durable goods, freedom, and many other factors. The consumption and multidimensional poverty approaches are complementary: it is possible for example that a family has consumption levels below the poverty line but lives in a good quality home, its members have a good level of education, and vice versa.
- Topic:
- Education, Health, Poverty, Survey, and Housing
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Mozambique
19. Development assistance for peacebuilding
- Author:
- Rachel M. Gisselquist
- Publication Date:
- 02-2017
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Development assistance to fragile states and conflict-affected areas is a core component of peacebuilding. It includes support for the restoration of core government functions, delivery of basic services, the rule of law, and economic revitalization. Yet, while aid has been among the largest financial inflows to fragile states in recent years, its impact has been mixed. Better understanding of what works and why thus remains a core challenge for development researchers and practitioners.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Foreign Aid, Conflict, and Peace
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
20. Aid, environment and climate change
- Author:
- Channing Arndt and Finn Tarp
- Publication Date:
- 12-2017
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Development aid by itself cannot ‘save the planet’. Yet, development aid and institutions have the potential to remain important catalytic actors in achieving developmental and global environmental objectives. Developing countries must be crucial players in successful climate change mitigation as they are responsible for 88% of the growth in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 1970. However, the current aid architecture — which was designed in the 1970s when environmental issues were a distant concern — is not well suited to support environmental challenges that extend beyond low-income countries.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Development, Environment, and Foreign Aid
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
21. Aid for governance: How to support effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions for sustainable development?
- Author:
- Rachel M. Gisselquist and Danielle Resnick
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Aiding government effectiveness in developing countries has been a priority issue for the international donor community since the 1990s. With the Paris Declaration in 1994, donors further committed to aiding government effectiveness in a manner consistent with local ownership and harmonization with national development objectives. These issues have received renewed attention in discussions surrounding the Sustainable Development Goals, which have highlighted the importance of effective governance and institutions.
- Topic:
- Development, Foreign Aid, Governance, and Inclusion
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
22. How do governments respond to food price volatility?
- Author:
- Per Pinstrup-Andersen
- Publication Date:
- 01-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Large food price fluctuations—caused primarily by extreme weather events, market disruptions, investor behaviour and government policy—began in the world market in 2007 and presented serious challenges for governments, private traders, farmers and consumers. A collaborative project between Cornell University, University of Copenhagen, and UNU-WIDER on the political economy of food price policy studied how selected governments responded to increasing food price volatility, and explains why they responded as they did. The degree to which world market price volatility was transmitted to national and local markets varied greatly among the 16 countries included in the project. This was due to trade policies, differences between import and export parity prices, and several other factors. The low degree to which international prices were reflected in domestic prices in some cases, and the large impact of national factors—such as local weather events, poorly functioning domestic markets, and limited dependence on foreign trade—meant that the behavioural response by governments to the international food crisis tended to be similar to the responses to earlier food price fluctuations caused by national factors. Path dependence was widespread.
- Topic:
- Government, Markets, Food, and Volatility
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
23. Four key areas to improve aid effectiveness
- Author:
- Tony Addison and Finn Tarp
- Publication Date:
- 08-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The design and implementation of effective aid policy requires a deeper understanding of the impact of aid and the overall environment in which development aid operates. This policy brief addresses four areas which are key to understanding how aid works: the relationship between aid and economic growth, the effects of aid volatility, the benefits of co-operation, and the macroeconomic management of aid flows.
- Topic:
- Foreign Aid, Economic Growth, and Macroeconomics
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
24. Migrant and Refugee Integration in Global Cities: The Role of Cities and Businesses
- Author:
- Teressa Juzwiak, Elaine McGregor, and Melissa Siegel
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This policy brief considers how businesses and governments in global cities contribute to the integration of migrant and refugee populations, either through outreach, specialized programmes, the provision of services, or targeted funding of non-governmental organizations (NGOs); and to what extent these contributions can be deepened or expanded. The research involved the study of eight cities around the world representing a diversity of immigration experiences: Auckland (New Zealand), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Chicago (USA), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Lisbon (Portugal), Nairobi (Kenya), Rotterdam (The Netherlands), and São Paulo (Brazil).
- Topic:
- Non-Governmental Organization, Immigration, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Kenya, Malaysia, Brazil, Lisbon, Portugal, New Zealand, Chicago, and Kuala Lumpur
25. Women in the Informal Economy: Experiments in Governance from Emerging Countries
- Author:
- Shyama V. Ramani, Ajay Thutupalli, Sutapa Chattopadhyay, Veena Ravichandran, and Tamás Medovarszki
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Women entrepreneurs in the informal economy need business engagements with other women (and men) that offer 'spaces' for dialogue to learn and build business capabilities. While formalization of entrepreneurial activity is favourable under some circumstances, it can be detrimental under others, necessitating a case-by-case evaluation. Many top-down actions for women's empowerment in the informal sector are only effective in gender-neutral economic development programmes. In this Policy Brief, we argue that although policy interventions may be favourable, they are neither necessary nor sufficient for change, as successful women role models are often the best agents for sweeping change.
- Topic:
- Development, Diplomacy, Gender Issues, and International Trade and Finance
26. Death Penalty Policy in Countries in Transition
- Author:
- Madoka Futamura
- Publication Date:
- 12-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Countries under transition from war to peace or from an authoritarian to a democratic regime face fundamental political and social transformations and difficulties in emerging from a problematic past. The transition presents challenges but also opportunities for countries to reconsider their death penalty policies. It is in such a context that some countries abolish, retain or even actively resort to the death penalty to tackle transitional needs. Those who are working for abolition of the death penalty need to go beyond the human rights approach and take a more holistic approach to understand the fragile and complex local situation and needs in which the death penalty becomes a highly political issue.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Democratization, Development, Human Rights, Political Economy, Prisons/Penal Systems, and Reform
27. Multi-actor Approaches to Total Sanitation in Africa
- Author:
- Kei Otsuki, Weena Gera, and David Mungai
- Publication Date:
- 12-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Since the 2000s, African cities have witnessed a series of interventions to improve water and sanitation. This policy brief outlines key lessons learned from the intervention experience, drawing on the UNU research project Multi-level Urban Governance for Total Sanitation (2011-2013) under the Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) Project. It highlights the importance of multi-actor approaches for promoting: (1) an institutional framework to coordinate civil society organizations, community-based organizations, and the state agencies across levels; (2) policy recognition of water and sanitation as socially embedded infrastructure with gendered dimensions; and (3) the relevance of scientific research and university education to ongoing policy interventions.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Development, Health, and Infrastructure
- Political Geography:
- Africa
28. Democratic Trajectories in Africa: Unravelling the Impact of Foreign Aid
- Author:
- Danielle Resnick
- Publication Date:
- 10-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- When, why and how has foreign aid facilitated, or hindered, democracy in recipient countries? Focusing on sub-Saharan Africa, this policy brief examines the impact of foreign aid on supporting transitions from one-party to multi-party regimes, preventing democratic breakdown and the erosion of civil liberties, enhancing vertical and horizontal accountability, and enabling competitive political party systems. Particular attention is given to the trade-offs and complementarities between different types of foreign aid, namely democracy assistance and economic development aid. Select policy recommendations are offered to improve aid effectiveness at bolstering democratic trajectories within the region.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Democratization, Development, Economics, Human Rights, Political Economy, and Foreign Aid
- Political Geography:
- Africa
29. Towards Zero Waste in Industrial Networks: Policy Recommendations from the ZeroWIN Project
- Author:
- Claudia Luepschen, Ruediger Kuehr, and Federico Magalini
- Publication Date:
- 10-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- ZeroWIN (Towards Zero Waste in Industrial Networks) is a five-year project (2009-2014) under the European Commission's Seventh Research Framework Programme. The ZeroWIN project has developed effective strategies for waste prevention through industrial networks. Ten industrial case studies in the automotive, construction, electronics and photovoltaic industries form the core of the project and exchange energy, water and materials in such a way that waste from one industry becomes raw material for another. This brief suggests what can be done to advance the implementation of industrial networks in practice, based on first outcomes of the ZeroWIN project. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme FP7 2007-2013 under grant agreement n° 226752
- Topic:
- Energy Policy, Health, Industrial Policy, and Infrastructure
- Political Geography:
- Europe
30. Changing climates, moving people: Framing migration, displacement and planned relocation
- Author:
- Koko Warner, Tamer Afifi, Walter Kälin, Scott Leckie, Beth Ferris, Susan F. Martin, and David Wrathall
- Publication Date:
- 06-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The needs of affected people vary across types of human mobility: migration, displacement and planned relocation. Climate policy should draw on state-of-the-art knowledge and experience to distinguish between migration, displacement and planned relocation to improve the resilience of affected countries and communities.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Energy Policy, Environment, and Migration
31. Indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes (SEPLs)
- Author:
- Nadia Bergamini, Robert Blasiak, Pablo Eyzaguirre, Kaoru Ichikawa, Dunja Mijatovic, Fumiko Nakao, and Suneetha M. Subramanian
- Publication Date:
- 04-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The following policy report constitutes an important supplement to a set of 20 indicators for resilience in socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPLs) that was developed over the course of joint collaboration between Bioversity International and the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS). The indicators were disseminated widely in pamphlet form for the first time in March 2012. Subsequently, a need was identified for sharing a more in-depth overview of the considerations that went into creating this list of indicators as well as the outcomes of initial field-testing.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Environment, and Sociology
32. Business and the Barrel of a Gun: Understanding Entrepreneurship and Violent Conflict in Developing Countries
- Author:
- Philip Verwimp, Wim Naudé, and Tilman Brück
- Publication Date:
- 04-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Although the impacts of violent conflict on investment, production, incomes and inequality have been widely studied on an aggregate level, comparatively less is known about the more diverse impacts of such conflict at the micro (particularly firm) level. Understanding such impacts can improve policies to mitigate the human and financial costs of violent conflict in developing countries. This policy brief discusses lessons from recent studies to address this gap.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Political Violence, Economics, International Trade and Finance, and War
33. Water Security the Global Water Agenda
- Author:
- Sefano Burchi, Pasquale Steduto, Eelco van Beek, Patrick MacQuarrie, Anton Earle, Anders Jägerskog, and David Coates et al
- Publication Date:
- 03-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This Brief offers a working definition of water security developed from contributions made by the broad range of organizations, agencies, programmes and institutions that form UN-Water. Through this Brief, UN-Water aims to capture the constantly evolving dimensions of water-related issues, offering a holistic outlook on challenges under the umbrella of water security. It highlights the main challenges to be addressed, the role water security plays in policy agendas, and possible options for addressing water security challenges.
- Topic:
- Security, Health, Natural Resources, and Water
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
34. Bytes beyond Borders: Strengthening Transboundary Information Sharing on Wildlife Crime through the Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring System (WEMS) Initiative
- Publication Date:
- 02-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade is a global crisis that not only threatens the conservation of protected species but also has deep implications for peace and security in nations across the world. As wildlife trafficking becomes more organized and illegal trade of wildlife continues to flourish on the ground and in cyberspace, there is an urgent need for a concerted international effort to gather and share wildlife crime information among law enforcement and policymakers, empowering them to stem the tide of wildlife trafficking. There are several good examples out of such efforts, primarily by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and INTERPOL, to combat wildlife poaching and transboundary illegal wildlife trade. At a policy level, the formation of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) can be considered as one of the major achievements in recent times, where CITES, INTERPOL, World Bank, UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) and World Customs Organization have come together as one unit to address the issue. The good work done by civil society, including WWF, TRAFFIC, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and member organizations of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Species Survival Network (SSN) including grass root NGOs, is noteworthy as well. Yet, combating wildlife crime remains a big challenge. The collective efforts of the conservation community and governments are still unable to check the behaviour of poaching syndicates and organized criminals. We remain far behind in finding an adequate response to the crisis.
- Topic:
- Crime, Globalization, International Law, International Organization, Natural Resources, and Law Enforcement
35. Achieving Development Success: Strategies and Lessons from the Developing World
- Author:
- Augustin K. Fosu
- Publication Date:
- 03-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- What can the less well-off developing countries learn from the “successes” of other developing countries? This Policy Brief highlights successful development strategies and lessons from in-depth case studies of select countries from the developing world. The coverage includes East Asia and the Pacific, the emerging Asian giants, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa, along with respective regional syntheses. Although countries' experiences are not necessarily replicable, the recurrent themes across countries and regions provide the appropriate connectedness for a comprehensive global perspective on development strategies and lessons.
- Topic:
- Development, Emerging Markets, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Middle East, Israel, and Latin America
36. What is the (New) Deal with Fragile States?
- Author:
- Wim Naudé
- Publication Date:
- 01-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Some states lack the capability and/or the willingness to progressively promote the shared development of their citizens and are particularly vulnerable to external shocks and internal conflicts. They have been described as "fragile states". The poor governance and lack of state capabilities in around 45 fragile states pose a threat to global security and development. Effective international partnerships are necessary to pull them out of low-development–high-conflict traps. The "New Deal on Fragile States" announced on 30 November 2011 at the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan by the g7+ (see "The International Dialogue on Peace-building and State-building and the g7+" Box) is the most recent initiative to foster such partnerships.
- Topic:
- Security, Development, Political Economy, Terrorism, Foreign Aid, and Fragile/Failed State
37. Research Capacity Development for Environmental Management in Cambodia: Outlining a Multi-Sector Approach
- Author:
- Kei Otsuki and Shimako Takahashi
- Publication Date:
- 02-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Research capacity development at the higher education level in order to improve environmental planning and management has been considered invaluable in ensuring the sustainable development of developing countries. In least developed countries (LDCs), such as Cambodia, people are especially vulnerable to environmental changes and advanced knowledge is urgently needed to enhance their socio-ecological resilience; however, governments lack both the financial and human resources needed to ensure adequate academic infrastructure for knowledge generation and dissemination. Furthermore, the international aid community has rarely placed emphasis on investing in higher education in developing countries; instead, producing basically skilled labourers through primary and secondary education was considered more effective in bringing return on investment and enhancing economic development. Neither national nor international development agendas have so far resulted in a substantial commitment to research capacity development of academic institutions in LDCs.
- Topic:
- Development, Education, and Environment
- Political Geography:
- Cambodia and Southeast Asia
38. Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries
- Author:
- Wim Naudé, Adam Szirmai, and Micheline Goedhuys
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Nobody can be left in any doubt as to the importance of innovation for prosperity upon reading that “people living in the first decade of the twentieth century did not know modern dental and medical equipment, penicillin, bypass operations, safe births, control of genetically transmitted diseases, personal computers, compact discs, television sets, automobiles, opportunities for fast and cheap worldwide travel, affordable universities, central heating, air conditioning . . . technological change has transformed the quality of our lives.”
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Globalization, and Markets
39. The Global Financial Crisis and Africa's "Immiserizing Wealth"
- Author:
- Luc Soete and Alexis Habiyaremye
- Publication Date:
- 01-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Before the current global recession, many resource-rich African countries were recording unprecedented levels of growth due to a raw material price boom. However, the collapse in raw material prices and the ensuing severe economic difficulties have again exposed the vulnerability of these countries' natural resource export-focussed economic structures. In this research brief, we describe how Africa's abundance of natural resources attracted disruptive and predatory foreign forces that have hindered innovation-based growth and economic diversification by delaying the accumulation of sufficient stocks of human capital. We suggest that for their long-term prosperity, resource-rich African countries shift their strategic emphasis from natural to human resources and technological capabilities needed to transform those natural resources into valuable goods and services to compete in the global market.
- Topic:
- Economics, Emerging Markets, Industrial Policy, Global Recession, Natural Resources, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Africa, China, and India
40. Towards a Human Security Approach to Peacebuilding
- Author:
- Shahrbanou Tadjbakhsh, Edward Newman, and Madoka Futamura
- Publication Date:
- 02-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In recent decades, international peacebuilding and reconstruction after civil wars have managed to promote stability and contain conflict in many regions around the world, ending violence and enabling communities to rebuild their lives and societies. However, the peacebuilding record indicates that there are problems related to the effectiveness and legitimacy of peacebuilding, especially related to the promotion of liberal democracy, market reform and state institutions. This brief considers these limitations and argues that a new human security-based approach may offer insights for a more sustainable form of peacebuilding.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, Security, Human Welfare, and Peacekeeping
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan
41. The Responsibility to Protect Minorities and the Problem of the Kin-State
- Author:
- Nicholas Turner and Nanako Otsuki
- Publication Date:
- 02-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Genocide and ethnic cleansing have all- too-clearly demonstrated the dangers of failing to protect minority groups. A “kin-state” with strong ethnic, cultural, religious or linguistic links to a minority population abroad, may be well-placed to assist in its protection. But unilateral interference by kin-states can raise tensions with host-states, endangering international peace and security.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Ethnic Conflict, Human Rights, Nationalism, Treaties and Agreements, United Nations, and Minorities
42. Promoting Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries: Policy Challenges
- Author:
- Wim Naudé
- Publication Date:
- 04-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This policy brief provides some fresh perspectives on the relationship between entrepreneurship and development, and considers policy design issues. It reports on the UNU-WIDER two-year research project “Promoting Entrepreneurial Capacity”, which aimed to understand whether and how entrepreneurship matters for development, how it could derail development, how entrepreneurs function in high growth as well as in conflict environments, and how female entrepreneurship differs across countries at various stages of development.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Emerging Markets, and Third World
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, Iraq, and Burundi
43. Sexed Pistols: The Gendered Impacts of Prolific Small Arms
- Author:
- Albrecht Schnabel, Vanessa Farr, and Henri Myrttinen
- Publication Date:
- 01-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Every day, small arms and light weapons (salw) kill, maim, wound and threaten millions of adults and children. The victims are combatants and civilians in war zones or communities in degraded “peacetime” environments characterized by large-scale criminal or political violence, and can also be found in “societies at peace” where SALW may be used in cases of domestic violence or shooting sprees. Due to their widespread availability, mobility and ease of use, prolific SALW play a significant role in maintaining social dislocation, destabilization, insecurity and crime in the build-up to war, in wartime and in the aftermath of violent conflict. Small arms are misused within domestic settings as well as in public spaces, and they affect everyone in the community regardless of sex or age.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Gender Issues
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
44. The Internationalization of Chinese and Indian Firms: Trends, Motivations and Policy Implications
- Author:
- Sandeep Kapur and Suma Athreye
- Publication Date:
- 01-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The last two decades have seen a significant rise in the internationalization of firms from developing economies. In addition to their growing participation in international trade, a number of leading emerging economies are contributing to growing outflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. According to the 2008 World Investment Report, outward flows of FDI from developing countries rose from about US$6 billion between 1989 and 1991 to US$225 billion in 2007. As a percentage of total global outflows, the share of developing countries grew from 2.7% to nearly 13.0% during this period.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Economics, Globalization, International Political Economy, Markets, Foreign Direct Investment, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, and India
45. The Global Economic Crisis after One Year: Is a New Paradigm for Recovery in Developing Countries Emerging?
- Author:
- Wim Naudé
- Publication Date:
- 08-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- T HE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AND RECESSION, WHICH spread across the globe following the US sub-prime mortgage crisis in September 2008, has become the dominant news topic of the past year. One year into the crisis it has become clear that the paradigm for international development has changed irrevocably. With leadership, moral authority and the capacity of the West diminishing, developing countries' recovery and future growth will critically depend on their own initiatives and solutions.
- Topic:
- Economics, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- United States
46. Policy Responses to the Global Economic Crisis in Africa
- Author:
- Wim Naudé and Augustin Kwasi Fosu
- Publication Date:
- 08-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS OF 2008 HAS INDUCED two negative external shocks in African countries. The first is a financial shock with the availability of credit declining and the cost of international credit increasing (a financial crisis); and the second is a shock relating to the demand for and price of exports, as most of Africa's important markets went into recession and commodity prices tumbled (an economic crisis).
- Topic:
- Globalization, Poverty, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Africa
47. Partnerships for Women's Health: Striving for Best Practice within the UN Global Compact
- Author:
- Monika Kruesmann and Martina Timmermann
- Publication Date:
- 09-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Women represent the great majority of the world's poor. With this poverty comes a range of well-documented problems: low educational attainment; low income and earning potential; inferior social power, status and influence compared with men; and importantly, poor health outcomes for both women and their children. High rates of maternal mortality and morbidity remain apparently intractable problems in many countries, particularly developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth; and 20 more suffer injury, infection or disease.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Health, Treaties and Agreements, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- United States
48. Toward a Global Science and Technology Policy Agenda for Sustainable Development
- Author:
- Paul A. David, Can Huang, Luc Soete, and Adriaan van Zon
- Publication Date:
- 09-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The current economic crisis has tended to sap the policy momentum that had developed during 2006 and 2007 behind public R programmes and institutional initiatives to expand the portfolio of affordable technological means of controlling global warming. This is unfortunate, since the international negotiations about concerted actions among the leading industrial countries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have so far proceeded very slowly – too slowly, considering both the global nature of the problem and the size of the stakes involved. The initial “bargaining” stance taken by some important players, notably Japan and the United States, was in some respects disappointing in that it appears to fall far short of the EU member countries' endorsement in December 2008 of the package of EC directives designed to activate its “20-20-20” renewable energy strategy – a 20 per cent reduction of GHG emissions, and 20 per cent of energy consumption from renewable sources, by the year 2020. While there have been more promising developments recently, in the convergence towards that target in some of the legislation introduced in the US Congress, and the Obama administration's issuance of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory directives requiring the use of the latest emissions control technologies on new and retrofitted electricity power plants, the outcome of the Copenhagen conference in December 2009 remains uncomfortably uncertain.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Development, International Cooperation, and Science and Technology
- Political Geography:
- United States
49. Comparing the Effectiveness of Accountability Mechanisms in Eastern Europe and Latin America
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski, Johanna Stratton, and Kalle Huebner
- Publication Date:
- 10-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- A society emerging from war or authoritarianism seeks to reckon with past human rights atrocities that, if not addressed, can threaten the state's legitimacy and democratic foundations. It is in the interests of sustainable peacebuilding and democratic consolidation to promote reconciliation and healing, and foster human rights and the rule of law. In order to achieve such a transformation over the long term, the organizational strategies, political styles and mechanisms used to consolidate democracy are of critical importance and deserve closer comparative analysis with the aim to provide valuable lessons for newly democratizing societies.
- Topic:
- Human Rights and Law
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Latin America
50. The Human Rights Regime in the Americas
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski, Nicholas Turner, Thomas Karl Wagner, and Greg Lowden
- Publication Date:
- 01-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This policy brief examines the context, development and future of the human rights regime in the Americas —a region where people in many states have suffered brutal repression on a massive scale. It argues that the changing nature of human rights violations in Latin America demands a refocusing of international and domestic policies, building state capacity and improving the implementation of judicial reforms. The significant progress achieved in protection of civil and political rights should inspire and guide strategies to promote economic, social and cultural rights.
- Topic:
- Democratization, Human Rights, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Latin America
51. Can We Eradicate Hunger?
- Author:
- Basudeb Guha-Khasnobis
- Publication Date:
- 01-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- World hunger is prevalent yet receives relatively less attention compared to poverty. The MDGs have taken a step to address this with the resolution of halving the number of starving people in the world by 2015. A substantial and sustainable reduction in hunger will also greatly improve the chances of meeting the MDGs related to poverty reduction, education, child mortality, maternal health, and disease. Hunger though is not a straightforward problem of producing enough to feed the world's population; it has many cross-cutting dimensions. This study addresses a combination of economic, social, and political perspectives, drawing upon academic research of the economic factors and the experiences of international organizations and civil society.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Development, and International Organization
52. Poverty Reduction in China: Is High Growth Enough?
- Author:
- Guanghua Wan
- Publication Date:
- 04-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Should growth or inequality be prioritized in the design and execution of development policies ? An oft cited paper by Dollar and Kraay of the World Bank advocates growth as the primary objective of development. Opponents argue that growth may not be pro-poor, thus growth alone is insufficient for poverty reduction—the ultimate goal of development. They instead emphasize redistribution as an important policy instrument. From a practical point of view, most policies involve trade-offs between efficiency (i.e., growth) and equity, at least in the short-run. With this in mind, development strategists and policymakers face the challenge or dilemma: what should be prioritized in the design and execution of development policies?
- Political Geography:
- China
53. Legality and Legitimacy in International Order
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski and Nicholas Turner
- Publication Date:
- 05-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The 1999 NATO armed intervention over Kosovo was illegal under international law, but widely regarded as legitimate. The 2003 US invasion of Iraq was both illegal and illegitimate, though unilateral attempts were made to legitimize it, using the Kosovo precedent. The sanctions against Iraq, preceding the 2003 invasion, were legal, but seen by many as illegitimate. These examples are symptomatic of a wider disconnect between legality and legitimacy which affects many areas of international life. Legality is not the only criteria for determining acceptable state behaviour. Other criteria—humanitarian, ethical and political—play a significant role in modern international relations. Ignorance of international law has serious negative consequences, but so has the blind reliance on international law, detached from human aspirations and actual circumstances.
- Topic:
- International Law
- Political Geography:
- United States, Iraq, and Kosovo
54. Fragile States
- Author:
- Mark McGillivray, Wim Naudé, and Amelia U. Santos-Paulino
- Publication Date:
- 03-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Many of the world's poorest countries can be described as “fragile states” wherein governments cannot or will not provide an environment for households to reduce, mitigate or cope with poverty and other risks to well-being. Many of these states are in conflict or just emerging from conflict. The UNU-WIDER project “Fragility and Development” explored state fragility and its relationship to household vulnerability, noting that there is a lack of research on the economic dimensions of conflict, aid and development in fragile states. This research brief provides a summary of the various contributions made by this project, including case studies on Iraq, Kosovo, Palestine and Somalia. It also addresses a number of pertinent questions. When are states fragile? What are the costs that fragile states impose on their people and the international community? Should the sovereignty of fragile states be reconsidered? And how can aid flows to fragile states be made more effective?
- Topic:
- Government, Politics, Post Colonialism, and Political Theory
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Palestine, Kosovo, and Somalia
55. Vulnerability in Developing Countries
- Author:
- Mark McGillivray, Wim Naudé, and Amelia U. Santos-Paulino
- Publication Date:
- 02-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The first Millennium Development Goal aims to halve the number of people in the world living in extreme poverty. In this research brief, emanating from the UNU-WIDER project on “Fragility and Development”, the premise is that we should also be concerned about households which are vulnerable to poverty. This includes those who have little likelihood of escaping from poverty and those who are at risk of falling into poverty in the future. Household vulnerability to poverty is affected by, and affects, vulnerability in other dimensions and levels, such as the vulnerability of a country or region to natural hazards and macro-economic shocks. To address household vulnerability in developing countries requires an understanding of the concept and nature of vulnerability, its measurement and its application. Therefore, this research brief asks what is vulnerability? How can vulnerability be measured? How should households, governments and development agencies respond to vulnerability?
- Topic:
- Development, Political Economy, Post Colonialism, Poverty, and Third World
56. Post-Conflict Countries and Foreign Investment
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski, Nicholas Turner, and Obijiofor Aginam
- Publication Date:
- 08-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Economic development is essential for every country but it is especially crucial for those countries in the aftermath of protracted armed confl ict, needing peacebuilding, recovery and reconstruction. Development aid alone cannot transform damaged economies, and it is here that foreign direct investment (FDI) can be a valuable tool to revitalize industries, rebuild infrastructures and eventually even eliminate the need for aid.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Development, International Cooperation, International Trade and Finance, Markets, Political Economy, and Third World
57. Governance through Civil Society Engagement in Asia
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski, G Shabbir Cheema, Cameron Lowry, and Mark Notaras
- Publication Date:
- 07-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Scholars and development practitioners recognize the centrality of governance capacity to achieve sustainable peace and development objectives, including the eradication of extreme poverty, access to services and livelihoods, promotion of economic growth, environmental protection and gender equality among others. With these in view, developing countries are emphasizing the need to improve governance systems and processes to promote people-centered sustainability. The United Nations, development banks, bilateral donors and private sector foundations have been supporting these efforts through governance assistance programs.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Government, and Political Theory
- Political Geography:
- Asia
58. Measuring Eco-Innovation
- Author:
- René Kemp
- Publication Date:
- 01-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Policymakers are constantly searching for ways to reconcile the goals of economic growth and environmental protection. Underlying this is the belief that the introduction of cleaner technologies and more efficient environmental management processes could help reduce the costs of environmental protection and contribute to growth and jobs.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Environment, Globalization, International Political Economy, Markets, and Political Economy
59. Governance through Civil Society Engagement in Asia
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski, G Shabbir Cheema, Cameron Lowry, and Mark Notaras
- Publication Date:
- 10-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Scholars and development practitioners recognize the centrality of governance capacity to achieve sustainable peace and development objectives, including the eradication of extreme poverty, access to services and livelihoods, promotion of economic growth, environmental protection and gender equality among others. With these in view, developing countries are emphasizing the need to improve governance systems and processes to promote people-centered sustainability. The United Nations, development banks, bilateral donors and private sector foundations have been supporting these efforts through governance assistance programs.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Politics, United Nations, Non State Actors, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Asia
60. Post-Conflict Countries and Foreign Investment
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski, Nicholas Turner, and Obijiofor Aginam
- Publication Date:
- 11-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- It has become increasingly clear that economic development and poverty reduction can significantly reduce the incidence of conflict. This is of particular importance for countries recovering from violent conflicts, considering they are often among the poorest even compared with other developing countries, and are extremely vulnerable to slipping back into violence.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, Development, Third World, Foreign Aid, Infrastructure, and Foreign Direct Investment
61. Food Safety and Trade Liberalization in an Age of Globalization
- Author:
- Obijiofor Aginam and Christina Hansen
- Publication Date:
- 09-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Consumer trust of food producers and the governments that regulate them is in notable decline throughout the world, due to frequent and recurring instances of food contamination. Yet consumer trust is pivotal in order to sustain the increasingly globalized nature of food production, processing, and distribution in the international trading relations of states. With an increasing population, rapid urbanization and rise of the middle class, the demand for processed food is increasing significantly, and thus presents inherent risks for food safety and sustainability. The challenge of ensuring effective global food safety standards is inexorably linked to the progressive trade liberalization agenda of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In a globalized world, food-borne outbreaks, like air-borne infectious diseases, disregard the geopolitical boundaries of sovereign states. Food products grown in one part of the world, because of advancements in food production trends and burgeoning international trade between states, are now easily transported to other regions of the world. International trade norms and policies often focus predominantly on traded goods and services, especially “Northern” access to “Southern” markets. Founded on the free trade agenda of market access, and driven by the principles of “National Treatment” and “Most Favoured Nation”, the international trading system—with nation-states as the dominant actors—is asymmetrical in nature. Very often, the international trading system does not effectively address the many fundamental and pressing issues related to environmental degradation, pesticide use and chemical dependency common in modern agricultural practices.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Globalization, and International Trade and Finance
62. Protracted Refugee Situations and Peacebuilding
- Author:
- Gil Loescher, James Milner, Edward Newman, and Gary Troeller
- Publication Date:
- 05-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Despite the need for a multifaceted approach to protracted refugee situations, the overall response of policy makers remains compartmentalised. Security, development and humanitarian issues tend to be discussed in different forums, each with their own institutional arrangements and independent policy approaches. Meaningful comprehensive solutions for protracted refugee situations must overcome these divisions and instead incorporate the recent policy initiatives of a wide range of actors. This type of broader engagement—with a catalytic role by UNHCR—cannot occur without the sustained engagement of all branches of the UN system. In this way, the establishment of the UN Peacebuilding Commission provides both a timely opportunity and a possible institutional context for this type of cross-sectoral approach.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, International Relations, Disaster Relief, and Humanitarian Aid
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
63. Linking Globalization to Poverty
- Author:
- Erik Thorbecke and Machiko Nissanke
- Publication Date:
- 04-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- While the economic opportunities offered by globalization can be large, a question is often raised as to whether the actual distribution of gains is fair, in particular, whether the poor benefit less than proportionately from globalization and could under some circumstances be hurt by it. This Policy Brief summarizes and examines the various channels and transmission mechanisms, such as greater openness to trade and foreign investment, economic growth, effects on income distribution, technology transfer and labour migration, through which the process of globalization affects different dimensions of poverty in the developing world.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, Globalization, and Poverty
64. Measuring Human Well-being: Key Findings and Policy Lessons
- Author:
- Mark McGillivray and David Clark
- Publication Date:
- 06-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This Policy Brief is an outcome of the UNU-WIDER research project 'Social Development Indicators'. The overall aim of the project was to provide insights into how human well-being might be better conceptualized and, in particular, measured, by reviewing various concepts and measures and then offering recommendations for future practice and research. This Policy Brief outlines a contextual background to the project, by introducing some key concepts and measures used in assessing achieved well-being, especially at the national level. Highlighted are some of the best known and most widely used well-being measures. The Policy Brief then provides an overview of the five edited volumes that have emerged from the project, summarizing some of the main conclusions.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Demographics, Development, and Poverty
65. War in Our Time: Reflections on Iraq, Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Author:
- Ramesh Thakur
- Publication Date:
- 07-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In this policy brief, based on the book with the same title, Ramesh Thakur argues that Iraq confi rms that, as with terrorism, a war of aggression is an unacceptable tactic no matter how just the cause. What was meant as an awesome demonstration of limitless American might and willpower turned out to prove the limits of American power in defeating even a small band of insurgents fighting urban warfare with their own bodies as the primary weapon-delivery system. The fallout with respect to Iran suggests that the United Nations cannot contemptuously be brushed aside as irrelevant and disposable in one crisis, only to be lifted out of the rubbish bin of history, dusted off and put to use in another.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution and Terrorism
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Iran, and Middle East
66. The Significance of Transport Costs in Africa
- Author:
- Wim Naudé and Marianne Matthee
- Publication Date:
- 08-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The success of Africa's exports, as well as its spatial development, depends on lowering transport costs. In this Policy Brief, we address a number of pertinent questions on transport costs in Africa, such as 'what are transport costs?', 'do transport costs matter for trade?', 'how important are transport costs in practice?', and 'why are Africa's transport costs so high?' We present a case study of the firm location decisions of exporters in South Africa to illustrate the significance in particular of domestic transport costs for manufactured exports. The message from this Policy Brief is that Africa's international transport costs are significantly higher than that of other regions, and its domestic transport costs could be just as significant. Moreover we show how domestic transport costs influence the location, the quantity, and the diversity of manufactured exports. Various policy options to reduce transport costs in Africa are discussed.
- Topic:
- Economics, International Trade and Finance, and Markets
- Political Geography:
- Africa
67. Stranger than Fiction? Understanding Institutional Changes and Economic Development
- Author:
- Ha-Joon Chang
- Publication Date:
- 08-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The volume Institutional Change and Economic Development fills some important gaps in our understanding of the relationship between institutional changes and economic development. It does so by developing new discourses on the 'technology of institution building' and by providing detailed case studies—historical and more recent— of institution building. It is argued that functional multiplicity, the importance of informal institutions, unintended consequences, and intended 'perversion' of institutions all imply that the orthodox recipe of importing 'best practice' formal institutions does not work. While denying the existence of universal formulas, the volume distills some general principles of institutions building from theoretical explorations and case studies.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, International Cooperation, and International Trade and Finance
68. Religious Perspectives on the Use of Force
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski and Nicholas Turner
- Publication Date:
- 01-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Decisions over the use of force are the most significant and dangerous that leaders must take, both morally and in terms of achieving their goals. Consideration of the reasons that can justify behaviour resulting in the elimination of human life is as philosophical and ethical as it is political and legal. In the context of exponential increases in the destructiveness of war, particularly with the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, such consideration assumes an even greater significance.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, Security, Peace Studies, and Religion
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo
69. Building the Rule of Law under UN Transitional Administration
- Author:
- Carolyn Bull
- Publication Date:
- 01-2007
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- For international actors seeking to consolidate peace and democracy in disrupted states, the importance of establishing the rule of law is well-recognised. Yet this goal has proven frustratingly elusive. In the hostile intervention environment of the post-conflict disrupted state, international actors in the UN system and elsewhere have struggled to build legitimate state structures to redress disputes peacefully. They have found it even more challenging to instil principles of governance that promote accountability to the law, protect against abuse and generate trust in the state. This brief examines the difficulties faced by UN peace operations in attempting to build the rule of law, with reference to UN transitional administrations in Cambodia, Kosovo and East Timor.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Development, Government, International Law, and International Organization
- Political Geography:
- Kosovo and Cambodia
70. The Impact of Spoilers on Peace Processes and Peacebuilding
- Author:
- Edward Newman and Oliver Richmond
- Publication Date:
- 01-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Many ceasefires and peace agreements in civil wars are initially unsuccessful and give way to renewed violence. In other cases, peace processes have become interminably protracted: lengthy and circular negotiations in which concessions are rare and even if agreements are reached they falter at the implementation phase. State-building and peacebuilding processes are also often subject to outbreaks of violence, as recent experience in Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Kosovo and East Timor illustrate. Given the huge material and human costs of a failed peace process, the consolidation of conflict settlement and dealing with threats to peacebuilding are critical challenges for the international community. After a history of painful experience in cases such as Angola and Bosnia, the importance of this was finally addressed in December 2005 by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1645 which calls for the creation of a UN Peacebuilding Commission. Th is new organ is expected to improve coordination amongst, and effectiveness of, all agencies involved in peacebuilding, peacekeeping, disarmament and demobilization, development, human rights issues, and the administration of former conflict zones.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Security, Peace Studies, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and Kosovo
71. The Ethical Challenges of International Human Rights NGOs
- Author:
- Jean-Marc Coicaud and Daniel Bell
- Publication Date:
- 10-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- International human rights and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) are major players on the world stage. They fund human rights projects, actively participate in human rights and humanitarian work, and criticize human rights violations in foreign lands. They work in cooperative networks with each other, with local NGOs, and with international organizations. They consult and lobby governments and international organizations, sometimes participating in high level negotiations and diplomacy for global policy development. They cooperate and negotiate with economic and political organizations in the field for the implementation of their projects, whether this be monitoring or assistance. In short, they are generating a new type of political power, the purpose of which is to secure the vital interests of human beings on an international scale, regardless of state boundaries.
- Topic:
- Government, Human Rights, International Organization, and Non-Governmental Organization
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
72. Foreign Direct Investment: Key Issues for Promotion Agencies
- Author:
- Sergey Filippov, Iornara Costa, and Mariana Zanatta
- Publication Date:
- 10-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The growing importance attached to attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) is evidenced by the steady rise of investment promotion agencies (IPAs) worldwide, especially from the early 1990s. Since its launch in 1995, the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) has registered a growing number of members representing cities, regions, countries and free zones from all over the world: from 112 in 2002, 161 in 2004, rising to 191 members from 149 countries in 2006. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) there were around 500 IPAs in more than 160 countries in 2004.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Development, Economics, and International Trade and Finance
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
73. Mobilizing Talent for Global Development
- Author:
- Andrs Solimano
- Publication Date:
- 08-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The generation of new ideas and their application for productive uses is an important engine for growth and development. This is an area in which developing countries usually lag behind developed countries and is where development gaps are more evident. Behind the generation of ideas, innovations, and new technologies there is 'human talent': an inner capacity of individuals to develop ideas and objects, some of them with a high economic value. The 'human factor' is critical to the success or failure of many endeavours. Several countries, particularly China and India, followed by Russia, Poland, and some Latin American countries, are becoming an important source of talented people with PhDs and degrees in science, engineering, and other areas that can lead to change in the international patterns of comparative advantages and reduce development gaps. Part of the new talent formed in developing countries goes to live and work to developed countries, typically the USA, UK, and other OECD nations. At the same time multinational corporations are outsourcing several of their productive and service activities, including research and development, to developing countries (China and India are main destinations) to take advantage of the (less expensive) talent being developed there. Today, therefore, we see a double movement of talent and capital around the globe: on the one hand talent from developing countries is moving north seeking better opportunities where people are equipped with more capital, technologies, and effective organizations. On the hand capital from the north pursues talent in the south; a process largely led by multinational corporations.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Human Welfare, and Migration
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, United Kingdom, and India
74. International Criminal Accountability and Children's Rights
- Author:
- Vesselin Popovski and Karen Arts
- Publication Date:
- 07-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- It is common knowledge that children suffer from armed conflicts—both directly, as victims of atrocities, and indirectly, as their childhood, education, family life and expectations are ruined. According to UNICEF, during the last decade more than two million children died as a direct result of armed conflicts, and more than three times that number of children were permanently disabled or seriously injured. An estimated 20 million children have been forced to flee their homes and more than one million have been orphaned or separated from their families. Some 300,000 child soldiers, boys and girls under the age of 18, are involved in more than 30 conflicts worldwide.
- Topic:
- Crime, Human Rights, and International Law
- Political Geography:
- United Nations
75. Fiscal Policy for Poverty Reduction, Reconstruction, and Growth
- Author:
- Matthew Smith, Alan Roe, and Tony Addison
- Publication Date:
- 06-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- An effective state is able to mobilize revenue and spend it on infrastructure, services, and public goods that both enhance human capital and the well-being of communities (especially the poor), as well as stimulating investment and employment creation by the private sector. An effective state also manages public finance to ensure that macroeconomic balance is maintained—with policy neither too restrictive to discourage private investment and growth, nor too accommodative to create high inflation and crowd out private investment. Fiscal issues are therefore at the heart of the state's role in the development process and failure in this policy area—whether it is in taxation, public expenditures, or in managing the fiscal deficit and public debt—can quickly undermine growth and poverty reduction. Fiscal weakness can also be fatal to social peace when one or more ethnic, religious, or regional groups are taxed unfairly—or receives too little in the allocation of public spending.
- Topic:
- Debt, Development, Economics, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Asia
76. Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Transport Alternatives: Issues for Developing Countries
- Author:
- Grant Boyle and Lynn Mytelka
- Publication Date:
- 05-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Recent technological advances in the application of hydrogen fuel cells in the transport sector have drawn considerable attention and increased funding from both public and private sources over the past ten years. The International Energy Agency estimates that about US$1billion per year is currently being invested in public hydrogen and fuel cell research, development, test vehicles, prototype refuelling stations and demonstration projects, as compared to the total annual public budget for energy research, development and demonstration of around US$8billion. While still in the early stages of development and costly in comparison to conventional vehicle propulsion and fuel technologies, fuel cells and hydrogen offer a promising solution to address growing concerns over the transport sector's dependence on oil and its impact on climate change.
- Topic:
- Development, Energy Policy, Science and Technology, and Third World
- Political Geography:
- United States and Europe
77. Open Source and Open Standards: A New Frontier for Economic Development?
- Author:
- Philip Schmidt and Rishab Aiyer Ghosh
- Publication Date:
- 03-2006
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Free software (also called open source software or libre software) has become one of the most talked about phenomena in the ICT world in recent years. This is remarkable, not only for the usual reasons—that open source has been around for many years as a volunteer driven success story before being discovered by big business and now government— but also because it has largely developed quietly on its own without the headline coverage and glare of international attention that it now receives.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, Science and Technology, and Third World
- Political Geography:
- United States
78. Reforming from the Top - A Leaders' 20 Summit
- Author:
- Andrew F. Cooper, Ramesh Thakur, and John English
- Publication Date:
- 10-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This document is based on a forthcoming book that examines the feasibility of creating an institution known as the “L20”, a summit of twenty world leaders whose objective would be to break the international deadlock over some of the most pressing problems facing the world. In a climate of despondency over the achievements of existing global institutions such as the G7/8, the United Nations, the World Bank and others in dealing with these major issues—which include terrorism, HIV/AIDS, globalization and the “global apartheid” between the developed North and the developing South —this document asks what is new and unique about the L20 that might enable it to make the breakthrough where others are deemed to have failed. Is the L20 destined to be the defining institution of the 21st century, or is it doomed to remain merely an idea?
- Topic:
- Development, Globalization, International Trade and Finance, and United Nations
79. Regulating Bioprospecting: Institutions for Drug Research, Access and Benefit-Sharing
- Author:
- Padmashree Gehl Sampath
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- This policy brief summarizes the main arguments and conclusions of a forthcoming book by United Nations University Press, which examines the regulation of bioprospecting for drug research from an interdisciplinary law and economics perspective. Bioprospecting was once touted as a promising opportunity for collaborative ventures in biotechnology-based research and development (R) between the genetic resources-rich South and the technology-rich North, especially in the case of drug research. However this promise has yet to materialize. Understanding why this is so is a central policy question for countries in the South that wish to leverage their biodiversity endowments in the development process.
- Topic:
- Development, Environment, Health, and Science and Technology
80. Rising Spatial Disparities and Development
- Author:
- Ravi Kanbur and Anthony J. Venables
- Publication Date:
- 09-2005
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Amidst a growing concern about increasing inequality, the spatial dimensions of inequality have begun to attract considerable policy interest. In China, Russia, India, Mexico, and South Africa, as well as most other developing and transition economies, there is a sense that spatial and regional disparities in economic activity, incomes and social indicators, are on the increase. Spatial inequality is a dimension of overall inequality, but it has added significance when spatial and regional divisions align with political and ethnic tensions to undermine social and political stability. Also important in the policy debate is a perceived sense that increasing internal spatial inequality is related to greater openness of economies, and to globalization in general.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Demographics, and Development
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, India, South Africa, and Mexico
81. New Sources of Development Finance: Funding the Millenium Development Goals
- Author:
- Anthony B. Atkinson
- Publication Date:
- 09-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), substantial additional external funding needs to be mobilized. Estimates differ, but a 'ballpark' figure is an annual increase of US$50 billion. This could be achieved by a doubling of official development assistance (ODA). Welcome steps have been made in that direction, but this takes time, and time is of the essence. For this reason alone, it is necessary to consider new sources.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, International Cooperation, and United Nations
- Political Geography:
- United States
82. Sustainability of External Development Financing to Developing Countries
- Author:
- Matthew Odedokun
- Publication Date:
- 03-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- External development finance consists of those foreign sources of funds that promote or at least have the potential to promote development in the destination countries if delivered in the appropriate form. This rather broad definition qualifies all forms of external finance, and the quality and quantity of their inflows to developing countries are thus covered in the studies that form the background to this Policy Brief. These include official bilateral and multilateral, private commercial, and private noncommercial flows. A common characteristic is that all these types of flows are inadequate or becoming inadequate on the one hand and that their distribution is lopsided geographically and/or temporally, on the other.
- Topic:
- Development, Economics, International Cooperation, and United Nations
83. Poverty, International Migration and Asylum
- Author:
- Christina Boswell and Jeff Crisp
- Publication Date:
- 02-2004
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- In recent years, the issues of international migration and asylum have risen to the top of the international agenda. The pressures and opportunities linked to the process of globalization have led to an increase in the number of people moving from one country and continent to another. At the same time, insecurity and armed conflict in many of the world's poorest and economically marginalized states have triggered new waves of displaced people.
- Topic:
- Economics, Migration, Poverty, and United Nations
84. e-development? Development and the New Economy
- Author:
- Matthew Clarke
- Publication Date:
- 12-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The world economy has recently changed. A new world economy has emerged over the last decade as two long-run broad trends, globalization and advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have converged. This 'new economy' is significantly different to the 'old economy', as knowledge has replaced traditional productivity inputs, such as labour and natural resources, as the primary ingredient for economic growth. A new landscape exists and countries must adapt their approaches and policies for development to achieve progress in the future.
- Topic:
- Economics, Globalization, International Political Economy, and Science and Technology
85. Africa's Recovery from Conflict: Making Peace Work for the Poor
- Author:
- Tony Addison
- Publication Date:
- 03-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The period 1990-2000 saw 19 major armed-conflicts in Africa, ranging from civil wars to the 1998-2000 war between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Peace has been elusive, and the term 'post-conflict' is often a sad misnomer.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Economics, and Poverty
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Ethiopia, and Eritrea
86. Work In Progress: Introducing the UNU Inter-Linkages Initiative: Focusing on the Implementation of Sustainable Development
- Author:
- Jerry Velasque and Uli Piest
- Publication Date:
- 05-2003
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Embedded in the United Nations University's Environment and Sustainable Development Programme (ESD), the Inter-linkages Initiative is an innovative approach to managing sustainable development. Based on the recognition that environmental management is strongly related to human behaviour at all levels of natural and human interaction, it promotes greater connectivity between ecosystems and societal performance. On a practical level, the inter-linkages initiative is based on the assumption that improving the implementation of existing environmental mechanisms does not necessarily require new instruments but, rather, a greater level of coherence among the tools already available. In this regard, Interlinkages represents a time- and cost-effective approach to strengthening the existing systems of managing sustainable development.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, International Cooperation, and United Nations
87. Work In Progress: The Peace and Governance Programme: At the Interface of Ideas and Policy
- Publication Date:
- 06-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The mission of the United Nations University is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States. The work of the Peace and Governance Programme is a core element of this mission, and one that is complex and demanding. The concept of peace and security is evolving and broadening considerably, both in the worlds of academia and policy. Traditionally, national and international security were mainly defined in military and territorial terms, in an international system characterized by interaction among states. The UN Charter, while ultimately working in the interests of “the peoples,” is predicated on the relationship between unitary states in the maintenance of international peace and security. Within this system, the challenge was traditionally seen as mediating between liberal internationalist and power-political “realist” forces.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Development, International Organization, and United Nations
88. Governing Globalization: Issues and Institutions
- Author:
- Deepak Nayyar and Julius Court
- Publication Date:
- 06-2002
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- It is now more than fifty years since the United Nations system and the Bretton Woods institutions were created. However, the world has changed dramatically during the second half of the twentieth century. The technological revolution in transport and communications has eroded the barriers of distance and time. National economies have become ever more closely integrated through cross-border flows of trade, investment and finance. In the political realm, communism has collapsed and capitalism has emerged triumphant. The context has obviously changed. But thinking about development is also very different. And there is now a myriad of new actors—from transnational firms to NGO—participating in the global economy and polity.
- Topic:
- Economics, Globalization, Migration, and United Nations
89. Inequality, Growth and Poverty in the Era of Liberalization and Globalization
- Author:
- Julius Court and Giovanni Andrea Cornia
- Publication Date:
- 11-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Eradicating poverty has become the international community's number one development objective. The overriding target—endorsed at the recent United Nations Millennium Summit by virtually all world leaders—is to reduce the incidence of income-poverty in developing countries from 30 percent to 15 percent between 1990 and 2015. The problem is that that further progress has stalled and the number of people living in poverty has remained at around 1.2 billion people—a fifth of the world's population.
- Topic:
- Economics, Globalization, International Cooperation, and Poverty
90. Access to Land and Land Policy Reforms
- Author:
- Alaine de Janvry and Elisabeth Sadoulet
- Publication Date:
- 04-2001
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Who should have access to land? What is the optimum definition of property rights and use rights in each particular context? Is government intervention justified to influence who has access to land and under what conditions? These questions remain, in most developing countries, highly contentious. It is indeed the case that land is all too often misallocated among potential users and worked under conditions of property or user rights that create perverse incentives. As a consequence, investments to enhance productivity are postponed, and responses to market incentives are weakened; many poor rural households are unable to gain sufficient (or any) access to land when this could be their best option out of poverty; land remains under-used and often idle side-by-side with unsatisfied demands for access to land; land is frequently abused by current users, jeopardizing sustainability; and violence over land rights and land use is all too frequent. With population growth and increasing market integration for the products of the land, these problems tend to become more acute rather than the reverse. As a result, rising pressures to correct these situations have led many countries to reopen the question of access to land and land policy reforms. While large scale expropriative and redistributive land reforms are generally no longer compatible with current political realities, there exist many alternative forms of property and use rights that offer policy instruments to alter the conditions of access to land and land use. A rich agenda of land policy interventions thus exists to alter who has access to land and under what conditions for the purposes of increasing efficiency, reducing poverty, enhancing sustainability, and achieving political stability.Historically, the most glamorous path of access to land has been through statemanaged coercive land reform. In most situations, however, this is not the dominant way land was accessed by current users and, in the future, this will increasingly be the case. Most of the land in use has been accessed through private transfers, community membership, direct appropriation, and market transactions. There are also new types of state-managed programmes of access to land that do not rely on coercion. For governments and development agents (NGOs, bi-lateral and international development agencies), the rapid decline in opportunities to access land through coercive land reform should thus not be seen as the end of the role of the state and development agents in promoting and altering access to land. The following paths of access to land in formal or informal, and in collective or individualized ownership can, in particular, be explored (Figure 1): (1) Intra-family transfers such as inheritances, inter-vivo transfers, and allocation of plots to specific family members; (2) access through community membership and informal land markets; (3) access through land sales markets; and (4) access through specific non-coercive policy interventions such colonization schemes, decollectivization and devolution, and land market-assisted land reform. Access to land in use can also be achieved through land rental markets (informal loans, land rental contracts) originating in any of these forms of land ownership. Each of these paths of access to land has, in turn, implications for the way land is used. Each can also be the object of policy interventions to alter these implications of land use. The focus of this policy brief is to explore each of these paths and analyse how to enhance their roles in helping increase efficiency, reduce poverty, increase equality, enhance sustainability, and achieve political stability.
- Topic:
- Demographics, Economics, and Government
- Political Geography:
- United States
91. Social and Economic Policies to Prevent Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
- Author:
- Jeni Klugman
- Publication Date:
- 01-1999
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- Complex humanitarian emergencies have caused widespread death and suffering over the last two decades. While recent tragedies in Bosnia, Rwanda and Angola have made the world more aware of the terrible human toll involved, the international community has yet to develop effective policy responses to stem such crises.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Development, Economics, Genocide, Human Rights, Migration, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Bosnia, Rwanda, and Angola