Our research partnerships examine how to tackle deeply entrenched inequalities that lead to social and economic injustices.
Our work draws attention to the needs of people living in chronic poverty, identifies how religious minority groups are discriminated against, and investigates how heritage can help to build social cohesion. We have a long track record in gender and development, with a current focus on finding ways to counter the anti-feminist backlash.
Our findings shed new light on tackling inequalities, inform government and donor policy and enable activists and community groups to develop new ways of working.
Can social audits help realise the right to food? Evidence from Odisha, India
01 October 2026
Centre for Social Protection
Working to mainstream social protection in development policy and encourage social protection systems and instruments that are comprehensive, long-term, sustainable and pro-poor.
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Countering Backlash: Reclaiming Gender Justice
A six-year programme of work aiming to create new knowledge of the backlash against gender justice, to enable the co-creation of more effective and mutual ways of resisting it.
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Chronic Poverty Advisory Network
A network of researchers, policy makers and practitioners across 17 low- and middle-income countries focused on tackling chronic poverty and getting to zero extreme poverty and deprivation.
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Sustaining Power: Women’s struggles against contemporary backlash in South Asia
Research on the strategies and mechanisms that women use to retain power and sustain gains in women's rights in South Asia.
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Urban equity
Our work on towns and cities focuses on crucial topics such as displacement and migration, local governance and the impact of humanitarian interventions.
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Disability
Building empirical evidence about the concerns and perspectives of people with disabilities, especially in contexts of poverty in middle and low-income settings in the global South.
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MA Poverty, Policy and Development Practice
Our Master’s in Poverty, Policy and Development Practice helps you gain the interdisciplinary knowledge and cutting-edge skills to engage with the research, design, implementation and assessment of national and international efforts to get to zero poverty.
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MA Gender and Development
Study with IDS to gain the skills required to participate effectively in gender- and development-related research, policy-making and programme implementation.
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Explore our research
Find out more about our work in social and economic justice.
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Bolivia has achieved high rates of electricity access, yet rural and semi-rural producers still face major barriers to securing reliable, affordable energy for productive use. Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agrifood sector play…
October 2026
This booklet synthesises learning from the process to show how ATIP addressed gaps in each of seven science, technology and innovation (STI) system dimensions.
September 2026
This toolkit was produced by the African Technology and Innovation Partnerships (ATIP) programme which is funded by the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
September 2026
This research briefing identifies how frontline workers delivering health, education, and social protection services in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS) can be better supported. It synthesises evidence from six major research programmes that undertook studies…
September 2026