Publications

Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk.

The YES I DO programme found that arranged child marriages are being cancelled in the Bahir Dar Zuria and Kewet woredas, in the Amhara region in Ethiopia, but there was limited evidence about the implications of the cancellations on the lives of adolescent girls.

This brief highlights the main findings of a study conducted within the YES I DO programme that focused on the experiences of adolescents girls who had cancelled their child marriage. It details some key recommendations for policymakers and programme implementers to further support adolescent girls who want to cancel arranged child marriages.

The publication is also available in Amharic, download here.

Access to affordable and reliable financing in agrifood commodity chains is of key importance for all actors along the chain, to use as working capital, and to invest in capital assets. There are a wide range of financing instruments available but these do not always meet the demands of these businesses. Smallholder farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other vulnerable groups in developing countries are at a particular disadvantage with regard to access to necessary financing services.

Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk.

With a wide range of potential benefits – such as improved traceability, food safety, and environmental sustainability, as well as increased farmer income– blockchain has become an increasingly popular technology option for commodity value chains. Yet, there is little knowledge among agri-food professionals of how the technology works, and there is (still) limited evidence of the impact blockchain has on the efficiency, the transparency of transactions, and the costs and benefits this may have for smallholders in particular. Most agri-food stakeholders also lack a detailed understanding of which potential applications are most relevant and valuable to their needs, or in software terms, what is the right ‘use case’. This article provides a brief introduction to blockchain, give examples of its use in the agri-food sector and how it has benefited smallholders, provide some key questions for those that are thinking of investing in blockchain, and offer some further sources of information for those interested to dive deeper. The most up to date evidence of proven business cases and tangible developmental impacts are also considered.

This article contextualises experience within the history of previous efforts to measure maternal mortality in Afghanistan, reviews lessons learnt and reflects on their implications.

Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk.

Facing internal and external crises, the European Union and the African Union have revitalized their inter-regional cooperation. This article theorizes inter-regional norm dynamics and explores how, in times of crises, gender equality norms are shaped in inter-regional relations between the African Union and the European Union.

Inclusive Decision at Local Level (IDEAL) is a programme implemented by VNG International (VNG-I) which supports local governments in building bridges with all their citizens and allows them to better cope with fragility and its associated risk.

Over the past decade, two movements have profoundly changed the environment in which global health epidemiologists work: research integrity and research fairness. Both ought to be equally nurtured by global health epidemiologists who aim to produce high quality impactful research. Yet bridging between these two aspirations can lead to practical and ethical dilemmas.

Solving problems of youth sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is significant for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Young people aged 15 to 24 constitute 17% (45 million) of the total Indonesian population (Indonesian Central Statistics Agency, 2011). The availability of services, information, and education related to reproductive health is of paramount importance for youth.

For aquaculture to continue along its current growth trajectory and contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, value chains must become more inclusive. Smallholders and other local value chain actors are often constrained by circumstances and market failures in the global aquaculture industry. Integrating these actors into aquaculture value chains through inclusive business models (IBMs) is often touted as a solution to sustainable and ethical trade and business that can generate development outcomes.