DevDispatch Recommends: May 2022 Publications
COVID-19, Climate Change, drought, violence against women and threats to the digital safety of Muslim Women Human Right Defenders in the Greater Horn of Africa spell a world in dire need of resuscitation. Luckily, all is not lost, we believe a regular dose of research and knowledge is the first step towards positive change. This month’s publications address each of these topics and provide some key recommendations.
Enjoy!
Social Dialogue Report 2022: Collective bargaining for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery
By ILO
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic which continues to shift the world of work, ILO released the first flagship Social Dialogue Report focusing on collective bargaining.
The report stresses the importance of democratic principles that serve as the bedrock of stable and just workplaces including freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining. It argues that upholding democratic principles of labour markets can pave way for a human-centred recovery, one that is inclusive, sustainable and resilient.
The report is lengthy at 230 pages, but offers a detailed breakdown of collective bargaining, scope of collective agreements and negotiating for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery. It is recommended for labour unions and human resources practitioners.
Economic Report on Africa 2021: addressing poverty and vulnerability in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic
By The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
UNECA’s Economic Report on Africa 2021 centers poverty as one of the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, making a case for ways to achieve sustained poverty reduction on the continent.
The report proposes that the inability of disadvantaged households to manage uninsured risks increases their vulnerability and that sustained poverty reduction requires a thorough understanding of the nexus of poverty, risks and vulnerability.
It puts forward that the largest proportion of people most vulnerable to falling into poverty are in West Africa (6.6%) and East Africa (5.6%). Egypt, Mauritius and Seychelles are cited as having low poverty rates and vulnerability owing to sound policies and strong steps to mitigate the pandemic’s impact.
The 150 pager is recommended for African governments, policy makers and economists.
Economic Impacts of Climate Change: Exploring short-term climate related shocks for financial actors with macroeconomic models
By UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR)
he report assesses the unprecedented risks posed to the world economy and global financial system by climate change, breaking down these risks into physical and transition risks. Physical risks include increased severity of extreme events such as wildfires and hurricanes and transition risks can arise from disruptions related to shifts to a low-carbon economy. Both can cause financial instability.
In 76 pages, the report breaks down macroeconomic shock preparedness, climate scenario analysis- which is increasingly being used as a tool by financial institutions to better understand their climate preparedness- and gives recommendations including macroeconomic modeling for climate change.
This is a good resource for financiers working at the intersection of policy and the environment.
DROUGHT IN NUMBERS 2022 (COP-15 Côte d'Ivoire) - restoration for readiness and resilience
By United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
The publication presents an upward trajectory in the duration and severity of impacts of droughts, asserting this as the greatest threat to sustainable development, especially in developing countries and increasingly in developed nations too.
The publication uses data visualization to depict the severity of droughts and cites chilling figures including the fact that from 1970 to 2019, drought was one of the hazards that led to the largest human losses with a total of approximately 650,000 deaths, and an estimated 55 million people globally are directly affected by droughts every year, making it the most serious hazard to livestock and crops in nearly every part of the world.
Land restoration and sustainable land management are posited as one of the most comprehensive ways to combat droughts as they address many of the underlying factors of degraded water cycles and the loss of soil fertility.
The publication has 51 pages and is recommended for ecologists, agriculturists and policy makers within the environment sphere.
Transit Oriented Development in practice.
A powerful example of impact on the ground in the area of Housing by our Brazil Cities team – and a story of how interventions in one city led to an approach that was scaled up and adopted as part of a Brazilian national law that set the standards for better quality social housing.
Three Challenges to Safe and Affordable Urban Housing
The blog raises three critical challenges: (i) importance of core services in informal settlements and slums, (ii) need to support housing rental markets, and (iii) making better use of underutilized land in city centers.
Can Housing Be Affordable Without Being Efficient?
The blog highlights the importance of giving due attention to building efficiency in affordable housing projects, both location efficiency and on-site energy and water efficiency. The key message: over their lifetimes, efficient homes are more affordable, healthier and provide better opportunities for residents than conventional buildings.
Global technical guidance for collection and use of administrative data on violence against women
By UN Women
For quick reads, check out these blog posts
This technical guidance by UN Women argues for comprehensive and effective data collection on Violence Against Women (VAW) to aid designing of interventions for survivors of said violence.
The report identifies eight steps for improving the collection and use of VAW administrative data including:
1. Knowing the appropriate uses of VAW administrative data and identifying priorities
2. Creating a national or subnational VAW administrative data coordination mechanism
3. Analyzing and aligning with the VAW legislative, policy and data environment
4. Convening a VAW administrative data user-producer dialogue
5. Agreeing what VAW administrative data will be collected, analyzed and reported
6. Creating an implementation plan to collect and use VAW administrative data
7. Implementing and monitoring regular reporting of VAW administrative data
8. Engaging in data communication
The report is 77 pages long and is a recommended go-to for policymakers and researchers working in organisations fighting Violence Against Women.
Transit Oriented Development in practice.
A powerful example of impact on the ground in the area of Housing by our Brazil Cities team – and a story of how interventions in one city led to an approach that was scaled up and adopted as part of a Brazilian national law that set the standards for better quality social housing.
Three Challenges to Safe and Affordable Urban Housing
The blog raises three critical challenges: (i) importance of core services in informal settlements and slums, (ii) need to support housing rental markets, and (iii) making better use of underutilized land in city centers.
Can Housing Be Affordable Without Being Efficient?
The blog highlights the importance of giving due attention to building efficiency in affordable housing projects, both location efficiency and on-site energy and water efficiency. The key message: over their lifetimes, efficient homes are more affordable, healthier and provide better opportunities for residents than conventional buildings.
Malawi Economic Monitor, December 2020 : Doing More with Less - Improving Service Delivery in Energy and Water
By the World Bank
The pandemic has induced a sharp recession in many countries across the globe. Malawi’s economy has been heavily affected, with growth projected at 1.0 percent in 2020, down from earlier projections of 4.8 percent. With population growth around 3.0 percent, this represents a 2.0 percent contraction in per capita GDP. Political stability has returned following the June 2020 Presidential elections, which should support investment. However, global and domestic factors emanating from the pandemic are affecting Malawi’s economy, including: 1) disruption in global value chains and trade and logistics; 2) decrease in tourism; and 3) decrease in remittances. This has combined with social distancing policies and behavior to also reduce domestic demand. The Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM) provides an analysis of economic and structural development issues in Malawi. The publication intends to foster better-informed policy analysis and debate regarding the key challenges that Malawi faces in its endeavor to achieve high rates of inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
(In)Visible The Digital Threats Muslim Women Human Rights Defenders Face in the Greater Horn of Africa
By Pollicy, Mardiya Siba Yahaya, and Neema Iyer.
The report explores the digital threats Muslim Women Human Right Defenders (MWHRDs) face while working to uphold gender and family law in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHoA). The research was carried out to better understand some of the threats and challenges faced by MWHRDs in their online activism, in a bid to to recommend long-term actionable strategies for Muslim organizations working on family law reforms, movements and activists in the GHoA region.
Some of the key findings in the report include: challenges to secure funding for advocacy in the region, MWHRDs face threats of violence from religious leaders due to their inherent challenge of patriarchal systems within their countries and communities. Some of the threats they experience in their daily lives include sexual violence, trolling and misinformation, financial violence, threats of murder, verbal abuse and harassment. Digital inequalities also pose accessibility threats specifically regarding their access to digital spaces, and ensuring online safety given that they struggle with basic digital engagement skills.
The report contains 60 pages worth of key information for activists, cyber security policy makers and women’s rights advocates within the Greater Horn of Africa and beyond.
Global SDG Accountability Report
By the Transparency, Accountability and Participation (TAP) Network.
This report serves to ascertain the level of accountability for the Sustainable Development Goals at a subnational, national and international level. Information gathered from the SDG Accountability Survey serves as the basis of this report by collecting reflections and inputs from stakeholders around the world.
Split into four sections the report looks at:
1. The foundations of the 2030 Agenda – which explains and contextualises the SDGs;
2. A snapshot of SDG accountability – which outlines the challenges being faced by stakeholders in implementing the SDGs especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic
3. Building a Global Multistakeholder Movement for SDG Accountability – which focuses on case studies of different stakeholders and their role in accountability and how they can improve accountability
4. Recommendations to Advance Accountability for the SDGs & the 2030 Agenda – which summarises the findings of the report and provides recommendations for specific stakeholders.
This report is an asset for the media, parliamentarians and national human rights institutions. It’s 101 pages but is organised such that it can be read in sections relevant to the information you are looking for.
The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Education, Livelihoods & Food Security Status: Policy Implications For Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
By P. Tamasiga, A.T. Guta, H. Onyeaka, H. Nkoutchou and M.S. Kalane.
Sub-Saharan countries were particularly vulnerable to the impacts of the COVID-19 as they were already experiencing weak health care systems, low financing for testing and very few resources for response measures. This data-driven report outlines the key trends of the COVID-19 pandemic by region, highlighting case trajectories, lockdown and containment measures, economic impacts, education impacts and health impacts. South Africa still accounts for the highest number of cases and deaths followed by Ethiopia and Nigeria.
Along with containing COVID-19, Central Africa is still facing the additional challenges of pre-existing health concerns, especially malaria.
The policy implications are focussed on supply chains, trade and market access, food and agricultural production, misinformation and the media, health, education and strategic communication. Sub-Saharan Africa has already been deemed to be the most at risk for food insecurity and this is expected to increase 2.5 fold.
Global progress report on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, 2021
By WHO
This report looks into how effective the strategies planned for 2016-2021 have been in the fight against HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs. Progress has indeed been made despite the disruption of the global pandemic but in the same breath, there are still many targets that have not been reached. The number of new HIV infections has fallen by 23% to its lowest rate since 2010 with 1.7 million new infections in 2019 however this is far from the target of only 500 000 new infections.
Stigma and lack of resources to implement people-centred policies and services still remain the largest hindrance. COVID-19 severely affected the ability for people to get tested easily. This report analyses the success and shortfalls of each WHO region. The report recommends that the only way to try and get back on track is for governments to collaborate their efforts into universal health care systems beneficial for the most vulnerable.
This report is targeted at anyone who works with marginalised communities of people infected by HIV, hepatitis or any STIs and is also a good read for health care workers and policy makers. It is moderately long at 108 pages.
Mainstreaming gender in urban public transport
By Stockholm Environment Institute
Africa is the fastest urbanizing continent, yet walking still remains the most affordable mode of transport in urban areas. This is due to a lack of service provision. There is also a large gender inequality problem when it comes to transport both in operation and in use. This report seeks to shed light on the under researched matter of women’s participation in transport decision making and their use of public transport systems.
The report uses the case studies of Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala by interviewing all members of society from taxi drivers to policy makers in the ministries of transport and transport planners. The report identifies accessibility and safety of public transport systems, sexual assault and harassment, lack of integrated and gender sensitive urban planning and underrepresentation as larger barriers towards gene=der mainstreaming in transport.
This report is the perfect short read for city and transport planners at only 40 pages.
Terrorism in the Sahel Facts and Figures
By NATO Strategic Direction- South, ACSRT
The fight against terrorism in the Sahel is still a major issue that deserves attention as the number of terrorist attacks has increased by 18.5% in 2020. This report analyses current and past data to show a conclusive analysis on the rate of terrorism. The largest threats come from the following terrorist groups Boko Haram, ISGS, JNIM and ISWAP and the most affected countries are Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad.
This analysis is taken in the form of quantitative analysis with a lot of informative graphs and infographics as well as qualitatively by looking at the types of attacks. The report concludes that 2020 has been the most intense year in terms of terrorism in the Sahel.
This report is target to all members defence ministries and counter-terrorism organisations. It is a very brief read with only 37 pages.