Inequalities and Poverty

IDS works with global partners to generate new knowledge and evidence to identify the underlying causes of inequalities and poverty in all their dimensions and the progressive policies and practices that can help bring about transformative change.

Eradicating extreme poverty remains one of the world’s most pressing challenges, and addressing it requires the rising economic, social and political inequalities that harm people in rich and poor countries alike to be tackled.

IDS has also played a prominent part in promoting an approach that puts power at the heart of development analysis and contributed to strengthening understanding of the relationship between power, gender, sexual rights and poverty.

We continue to provide new analysis on inequalities and poverty trends, particularly in relation to the expansion of digital technologies and their impact on the lives of the poorest and most marginalised, and the growth of global cities and what this means for both urban and rural livelihoods, social relations and sustainability. Moreover, we work with governments, civil society, businesses and many others to help ensure this analysis shapes policies and programmes such as social protection and cash transfers to reduce poverty and vulnerability and strengthen livelihoods including agriculture.

People

Deepta Chopra

Professorial Research Fellow

Keetie Roelen

IDS Honorary Associate

Jerker Edström

Research Fellow

Melissa Leach

Emeritus Fellow

John Gaventa

Research Fellow and Director, Action for Empowerment and Accountability (A4EA) programme

Danny Burns

Professorial Research Fellow

Sohela Nazneen

Research Fellow

Patricia Justino

Professorial Fellow

Programmes and centres

Projects

Recent work

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Upcoming Event

Navigating uncertainty: Radical rethinking for a turbulent World

In this talk, Ian Scoones will introduce his new book, Navigating Uncertainty: Radical Rethinking for a Turbulent World (Polity Books, 2024). Uncertainties are everywhere. Whether it’s climate change, financial volatility, pandemic outbreaks or new technologies, we don’t know what the...

3 October 2024

News

Essential reading and listening for 2024

IDS staff and students have put together an essential reading and listening list for the year so far. These books and podcasts cover a whole range of topical themes within development studies including: immigration gender rights climate change micro-finance financial...

6 August 2024

Opinion

How to tax the ultra-rich: G20 proposal vs. the tools at hand

"It is important for all taxpayers, including the ultra-high-net-worth individuals, to contribute their fair share in taxes," said the finance ministers and central bankers in a joint statement marking the conclusion of two days of meeting in Brazil. Brazil, which this year is presiding over...

5 August 2024

Opinion

We need to embrace nature’s complexity for disease prevention

Covid-19 reminded the world of the interconnectedness of human and animal health. When a wild animal in a Chinese seafood market became suspect number one in the search for the source of the virus behind the pandemic, it was a wake-up call to many working in public health. Understanding the...

Professor Robyn Alders, Honorary Professor at The Australian National University
Professor Dirk Pfeiffer, Chow Tak Fung Chair Professor of One Health at City University of Hong Kong

5 August 2024

Book

Navigating Uncertainty: Radical Rethinking for a Turbulent World

Uncertainties are everywhere. Whether it’s climate change, financial volatility, pandemic outbreaks or new technologies, we don’t know what the future will hold. For many contemporary challenges, navigating uncertainty – where we cannot predict what may happen – is essential and, as the...

1 August 2024

Opinion

A new era for social protection?

Despite social protection’s significant advances in recent years, its potential to contribute to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has not been fully exploited. This can be seen by considering three empirical facts discussed here first, and followed by analysis of how...

Juan Gonzalo Jaramillo Mejia, UN World Food Programme

1 August 2024

News

Podcast: What are the benefits of long-term research funding

Funding from development agencies for research projects is integral for trying to reduce global poverty, but often short-term funding produces short-term results which are hard to track in the terms of a positive impact. But what are the benefits of long-term funding of a long...

31 July 2024

Working Paper

Sustaining Yemeni Capacities for Social Assistance: Lessons From a Decade of War

BASIC Research Working Paper 24

Yemen has sometimes been held up as an impressive example of how existing social protection systems and capacities can be maintained and supported even during a prolonged war. While providing support to meet immediate life-saving needs is the humanitarian priority in Yemen, aid organisations...

25 July 2024

Why learn with us.

In an extraordinary time of challenge and change, we use more than 50 years of expertise to transform development approaches that create more equitable and sustainable futures. The work you do with us will help make progressive change towards universal development; to build and connect solidarities for collective action, locally and globally. The University of Sussex has been ranked 1st in the world for Development Studies for the past five years (QS World University Rankings by Subject).