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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 73–84 of 15450 results

Opinion

Reflecting on ‘success’ in smallholder farming in Zimbabwe

This blog offers a compilation of blogs published over the past weeks, which have offered a reflection on how local people understand ‘success’ and its changes over time especially in the period since the 2000 land reform. We have worked in a diversity of A1 smallholder land reform and...

1 July 2025

Working Paper

Fragmented Power, Access and Legitimacy: The Politics of Social Assistance in Yemen’s Conflict (2014–24)

BASIC Research Working Paper 38

This paper examines the politics and dynamics of social assistance in Yemen, where international humanitarian aid dominates support to conflict-affected populations.

30 June 2025

Publication

Renewable Energy in the UK, Botswana and Kenya

This K4DD Rapid Evidence Review privileges recent evidence, drawing on academic literature, national government energy strategies, published NDC commitments to the Paris Agreement, and relevant grey literature, including from multilateral agencies such as the IEA, to provide an overview of the...

30 June 2025

Publication

Tourism as a Driver for Nature Protection

This K4DD Rapid Evidence Review explores the potential of tourism to protect nature or restore natural lands. Sustainable tourism aims to conserve biodiversity, respect local cultural heritage and values, and to evenly distribute socioeconomic benefits from tourism revenues, for example,...

30 June 2025

Past Event

Between the Lines Podcast

Podcast S07 Ep5: Dignity in development

The development sector proclaims that it values dignity. Yet it often breaks this promise, with people leaving encounters with charities feeling bruised and unseen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T2L4v4DOhw In this podcast, drawn from a recent lecture at IDS, research fellow Marina Apgar...

27 June 2025

News

Podcast: Dignity in development

The development sector proclaims that it values dignity. Yet it often breaks this promise, with people leaving encounters with charities feeling bruised and unseen. In this podcast, drawn from a recent lecture at IDS, research fellow Marina Apgar is in conversation with Tom Wein from the...

26 June 2025

Opinion

Consea back in operation again

One of President Lula’s early acts as President of Brazil for the third time was to reinstate the national food and nutrition security council, after the previous President Jair Bolsonaro had dismantled it in 2019. Earlier this month, I was at the inaugural meeting for this council,...

25 June 2025

Past Event

AI in tax administration: Opportunities, risks and emerging practice

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way governments manage data, detect fraud, and engage with citizens—and tax administrations are no exception. From chatbots and risk scores to automated audits and predictive analytics, AI holds the promise of smarter, faster, and more efficient...

25 June 2025

Opinion

The power of communities during civic space closure in Central America

Lea la versión en español de esta opinión. Every time a community organises, learns, and cares for its members, it is exercising power. That power doesn’t always make the headlines, but it is still there. We see it when someone speaks out, when one person defends another against...

Rocío Elizabeth Ramírez Argueta, Oficial de programas y proyectos, COMCAVIS TRANS

& 3 others

24 June 2025

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).

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