- All case studies, overview papers, and thematic papers can be found at the Flagship Report website.
- Workshop on the Malaysian case study, held 22-23 November 2007
- First workshop for Poverty Reduction and Policy Regimes, held 21-23 February 2007 in Geneva
- Link to Conference News 17, Poverty Reduction and Policy Regimes
Project Background
The Project on Poverty Reduction and Policy regimes began in 2005 building on previous findings and insights drawn from UNRISD research on Social Policy in a Development Context (2000-2005). The research seeks to engage with current policy debates on poverty reduction from a developmental and social policy perspective. It contributes to policy coherence and to an understanding of how the political and institutional context, and social and economic policy, affect poverty reduction and should work more synergistically to promote inclusive and equitable development. This is in consonance with a social and human development approach to poverty reduction.
Among the findings of previous UNRISD research on Social Policy in a Development Context (2000–2005) informing this new research are that poverty eradication is always embedded in social and development policy; that effective social policy against poverty must address issues of redistribution, production, protection and reproduction; and that policies and institutions related to each of these aspects must work in harmony.
This is in marked contrast to other policy initiatives, such as the Millenium Development Goals which commit governments to halve the incidence of poverty and hunger by 2015 or the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) required by lending programmes of international financial institutions from recipient governments in low-income countries, which have been lauded for placing poverty at the core of the development agenda, yet do not place adequate attention to wider issues of development and social policy. TheUNRISD research initiative aims to contribute to debates on new policy approaches to poverty reduction.
The research:
- assesses a range of contemporary approaches to poverty reduction, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs);
- identifies key institutional, policy and political issues that are not being addressed in current poverty reduction strategies; and
- examines the contradictions, complementarities and synergies between different components of "policy regimes", including social, labour market and macroeconomic policies, and political and regulatory institutions.
Project Components:
The project consists of two sets of activities. Firstly, a set of 8 commissioned in-depth case studies and 8 country overview papers, and secondly, preparation of the UNRISD Flagship Report: Combating Poverty and Inequality, to be published in September 2010. The report will draw inputs from the case studies and overview papers, past UNRISD work, thematic papers commissioned for the report chapters, and current projects related to issues of poverty and inequality being conducted under several other UNRISD programmes.
The case research focuses on countries which have historically involved the state as an active agent of development, as well as boast some growth spells and attempts at structural transformation. The eight studies are:
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Costa Rica
- India
- Kenya
- Malaysia
- South Africa
- China (Taiwan Province)
In addition, eight country overview papers on the theme of ‘Development Strategies, Welfare Regime and Poverty Reduction’ are covered in each of the following countries:
- China
- Finland
- Ireland
- Republic of Korea
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- USSR
- Vietnam
For more information on the UNRISD Flagship Report Combating Poverty and Inequality and all related thematic papers, please click here.
