Economic Policies and Social Justice

Our work focuses on the feasibility and implementation of economic, social and cultural rights and their practical contribution to social justice and poverty reduction. This includes research on measures and indicators of specific rights such as health and education, approaches to social exclusion, empowerment and non discrimination with particular focus on gender and women’s rights and the linkages between rights and social protection.

This project involves designing a set of methods and tools for assessing whether or not governments are complying with their obligations in relation to the human rights to education and health. The aim is to go beyond simply measuring whether people’s rights to education and health are being met, and to ask whether governments are doing all they should so that people have the ability to enjoy these rights. This requires, in particular, defining and monitoring the concepts of a) progressive realisation, b) minimum core content, and c) non-discrimination in the areas of education and health. It also requires taking into account the likely constraints to government action (e.g. resource constraints), particularly in low income countries. Funded by Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR).

The aim of this project is to identify areas of agreement and consensus between the three reports related to the issue of equity and/or equality: the 2006 World Development Report, the 2005 Human Development Report, and the 2005 Report on the World Social Situation. Three broad questions were addressed: a) should equity be a goal of development policy, and if so which particular conception of equity should be used?; b) is there a distinct equity policy agenda, different from existing policy agendas?, and c) how can the equity policy agenda be implemented?
Funded by ODI Civil Society Partnership Programme.

Evaluation of UNESCO Cross-Cutting Projects on Poverty Eradication
February 2006 to August 2006
Marta Foresti

This project is part of a larger evaluation exercise aimed at assessing the 'Cross Cutting Theme Approach' adopted by UNESCO to promote intersectoral cooperation among its own departments, as well as with other agencies and partners at national level. The twenty interdisciplinary projects on poverty eradication funded by UNESCO have a clear focus on poverty as a human rights issue and share a common objective of influencing policy at national and of contributing to achieving MDG1 by 2015.

The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the relevance, usefulness and success of the intersectoral approach in tackling poverty. The research will focus on a selection of case studies on UNESCO work on poverty eradication, including a country study in Mali. The study is being funded by UNESCO.

Inequality Workshop: a New Equity Agenda?
31st March 2006
Edward Anderson and Tammie O'Neil (main contact)

In 2005, the focus of the international community was on reducing $1-a-day poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Towards the end of the year, however, three major Development Reports appeared which focused our attention not so much on the amount of absolute deprivation in the world, but on the large differences in individual life chances and life outcomes which exist, within and between countries. These are the 2006 World Development Report, the 2005 Human Development Report, and the 2005 Report on the World Social Situation. In each case, the suggestion was that development will not happen or be sustained unless greater efforts are made to reduce such gaps, and to promote greater equity.

The aim of the workshop was to identify areas of agreement and consensus between the three reports in relation to three broad questions: Should equity be a goal of development policy, and if so which particular conception of equity should be used? Is there a distinct equity policy agenda, different from existing policy agendas? How can the equity policy agenda be implemented? The workshop was funded by the ODI Civil Society Partnerships Programme

Inequality research at ODI
Inter-Regional Inequality Facility
2004-2006
The Inter-Regional Inequality Facility existed to promote inter-regional dialogue and knowledge sharing on the issue of inequality - how it affects development, and how it can be addressed by policy - between Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The Facility funds research, exchanges and advocacy activities which strengthen South-South dialogue on this issue, and help build a coalition in favour of a more equal and inclusive development process.

During 2005 the Inter-Regional Inequality Facility commissioned a set of 3 Regional Synthesis Papers and 15 Policy Briefs , covering 5 topics. The aim was to review the most recent evidence on inequality in Africa, Asia and Latin America, placing a particular focus on research done by institutions within each region; and to provide accessible information about which policy instruments for addressing inequality work best in which country contexts.
>> Read the papers