Microfinance’s promise was oversold, not broken
The Wall Street Journal recently published a sobering account of microfinance’s shortcomings, documenting troubling cases of over-indebtedness, land loss, and borrower distress in countries such
Less focus on poverty reduction? An evaluation of the EU 2028-2034 development aid plan
European Union development aid is emphasising poverty reduction less and directing attention to other geopolitical priorities. As part of the planned European Union budget for
Why do I care about human capital?
Society tells us that our potential for greatness is measured by how hard we work. Irrespective of material advantages, the qualities of discipline, determination, and
Extreme poverty: hard-won gains, new risks ahead
For decades, the world made remarkable progress in reducing extreme poverty. This transformation, driven in large part by economic growth, lifted more than a billion
Between values and interests: drivers of EU aid
EU aid is still more poverty-focused than peers, but external policy drivers are growing and reshaping development cooperation after Global Gateway. This paper examines whether
Can we even measure progress? The state of development data
Imagine you’ve just been appointed Minister of Finance. Tomorrow morning, you must decide where to build schools and clinics, how much to borrow, and which
Oil shocks, remittances, and growth: the data behind South Asia’s energy vulnerability
Consider a family whose income has suddenly fallen short of covering basic needs. Fuel costs have risen, reducing what the household budget can afford, and
Post-pandemic trends in extreme poverty around the world
Years of shocks and imbalanced recoveries have significantly impacted longstanding global poverty trends. In just the last five years, the economic pressures induced by the crises of
The overlooked power of communities in poverty measurement
As with the informal economy, the lack of data on social capital in developing nations has contributed to its exclusion from poverty models. However, if poverty
The overlooked power of communities in poverty measurement
As with the informal economy, the lack of data on social capital in developing nations has contributed to its exclusion from poverty models. However, if poverty
