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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Showing 25–36 of 14894 results

Report

WFP’s support to strengthening the national social protection system in Mauritania

This case study reviews the World Food Programme’s (WFP) support to social protection in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania since the launch of its 2019–2023 Country Strategic Plan.

Manucheher Shafee

30 August 2024

Impact Story

Influencing policy change in Rwanda and a shift in global tax governance

The Rwandan government changed key aspects of its tax policy following pioneering research by the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD), based at IDS. In recent years, mass registration campaigns have been considered by policymakers and donors alike as a speedy way to boost...

30 August 2024

News

IDS Staff at the Global Evidence Summit 2024

IDS is thrilled to announce that we will be attending the Global Evidence Summit (GES) as a programme partner for the first time this year. This quadrennial event is a unique platform designed to facilitate collaboration and partnership across various sectors, with the shared goal of driving...

29 August 2024

Brief

Just and Resilient Infrastructures in Pakistan and Kenya

IDS Policy Briefing 215

The relationship between infrastructure development and intensifying climate crisis is generating new cycles of 24-hour risks in the urban global South. Research from Karachi and Nairobi points to opportunities to build resilient infrastructures that strengthen and support community networks and...

29 August 2024

Student Opinion

Student-run initiatives at IDS: The Anti-Caste Reading Circle

This academic year, students from our master’s programmes organised a weekly Anti-Caste Reading Circle. MA Gender and Development student Chandni Sai Ganesh writes about her experiences of enriching her learning outside the classroom through the student-run initiative. One of the first...

Chandni Sai Ganesh

29 August 2024

Brief

Key considerations: Mpox, mining, and vulnerabilities of women and children in eastern DRC

SSHAP Brief

This brief presents considerations for contextualising and responding to the mpox outbreak in the mining towns of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It focuses on women and children living and working in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) areas.

28 August 2024

Working Paper

Évaluation de la recherche-action systémique en tant qu’intervention participative de consolidation de la paix au Mali : résultats obtenus à Djenné et à Mopti

IDS Working Paper 611

Ce document de travail présente les résultats d'une évaluation basée sur une théorie intégrée d'une initiative participative de construction de la paix mise en oeuvre dans les cercles de Djenné et de Mopti au Mali dans le cadre du projet Vestibule de la Paix.

27 August 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).