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

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 2773–2784 of 14678 results

Brief

Transforming Food Markets for Social Good

Business, Markets and the State Position Paper 4

Access to nutritious food is a human right, for which households increasingly rely on the functioning of markets. However, food markets and the value chains that supply them are in transition in many parts of the world. IDS is leading research on food systems, within which the Business, Markets...

Evert-jan Quak
Evert-jan Quak & 2 others

29 April 2020

Brief

Making Finance Work for the Greater Good

Business, Markets and the State Position Paper 3

Finance is a key factor in economic growth and the pursuit of all other development objectives. Yet, financial markets have produced destructive crises and have contributed to rising inequality and unjust allocations of resources. Consequently, many efforts have focused on redesigning finance,...

29 April 2020

Opinion

China and the future of global health governance

The Covid-19 pandemic is the latest – though most significant - in a series of disease outbreaks and we can expect others in the future. Rapid changes in the global economy, major population movements, environmental exposure to health risks and climate-related shocks are likely to require...

29 April 2020

News

IDS affirms partnerships for improved responses to humanitarian crises

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) has established a formal Memorandum of Understanding with two longstanding and valued partners, Anthrologica, and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), to help strengthen global responses to humanitarian crises such as Covid-19,...

28 April 2020

Opinion

Safety of sanitation workers should not be overlooked

While the Covid-19 pandemic has driven many of us into our homes to seek safety and shelter, sanitation workers remain an indispensable part of our frontline workforce. On World Day for Safety and Health at Work, it is important to recognise and address sanitation workers’ vital need to...

28 April 2020

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).