The record of aid to fragile and poorly-performing states is the real test of aid effectiveness. Rich countries can justify aid to fragile states both through altruism and self-interest. But, with some exceptions, donors have appeared at the wrong times and with the wrong attitudes, even...

Is the high degree of gender inequality in developing countries in education, personal autonomy, and more explained by underdevelopment itself? Or do the societies that are poor today hold certain cultural views that lead to gender inequality? This article discusses several mechanisms through...

This paper presents some of the findings of our recent study on women’s representation and participation in panchayats. Some of the findings of the study (Buch; 1999) of women in panchayats after the amendment in 1992 mandating a minimum one-third representation to women in all panchayats...

Poor governance and lack of state capabilities in around 45 countries pose a threat to global security and development. The involvement of the international community is required to help these states break out of their low development– high-conflict traps. Recent years have seen a number...

This paper summarises research on aid allocation and effectiveness, highlighting the current findings of recent research on aid allocation to fragile states. Fragile states are defined by the donor community as those with either critically poor policies or poorly performing institutions, or...

The formal school is seen as the only means of withdrawing all children from work. Furthermore, in the case of girls, formal school prevents them from getting into child marriage. Schooling is recognised as playing a crucial role in the overall strategy for raising their status. Schools are...

Gender inequality in South Asia is an important policy issue; gender imbalances in mortality have been of particular concern. Policy makers often argue that increasing the level of development and access to health care are crucial to addressing this inequality. This paper analyzes the...

This brief shows how three of the biggest donors to global HIV/AIDS programs can go beyond their stated commitments to address gender inequality and more effectively combat HIV and AIDS.

The term gender budgeting has become a catch phrase to describe various government initiatives that seek to address gender issues in the domain of public expenditure and policy. In India, the strategic framework for gender sensitivity in resource allocation has been earmarking a specific minimum...

The WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for Water and Sanitation, which tracks progress towards the water and sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goals, estimates that 36% of the world's population, or 2.5 billion people, lack access to an improved sanitation facility, defined...