Poverty

Policy briefs

• 7 Reasons why a universal income makes sense in middle-income countries 
  
  ­Policy brief which argues that a universal income grant would be a powerful intervention for radically reducing the depth and scale of impoverishment, and for enhancing ­liberty.
  Marais, H., September 2011
• A poverty reduction strategy for Nova Scotia 
  
  ­A multi-year plan with four goals: enable and reward work, invest in households in need, focus on children, and coordinate and collaborate.
  Caledon Institute of Social Policy, November 2009
• Can State and civil society become real partners in fighting poverty in Africa? 
  
  This brief captures a short intervention at the 2005 Public Service Day teleconference organised by the South African Department of Public Service and Administration.
  Kabemba, C, January 2005
• Childhood poverty persistence: Facts and consequences 
  
  A policy brief which links poverty status at birth, poverty persistence, and adult outcomes.
  Urban Institute, June 2010
• Conditional cash transfer programmes: their relevance for Nepal 
  
  The second in a series of papers aimed at strengthening the understanding of policy makers and citizens on the implications of social protection programmes for the achievement of poverty reduction and broader social development.
  Wahenga, March 2011
• Decisive action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals 
  
  An HSRC policy brief on Millennium Development Goals relating to water, sanitation, education and health challenges facing the Southern African Development Community.
  
  Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), January 2011
• Development on the move: Measuring and optimising migration's economic and social impacts 
  
  Executive summary of a report on a wide range of migration's impacts on development, including poverty reduction in developing countries.
  Institute for Public Policy Research, May 2010
• Disparities exist in citizen's perceptions of service delivery by local government officials in Tanzania 
  
  Compares citizen's perceptions of municipal service delivery between 2003 and 2006.
  Research on Policy Alleviation, November 2008
• Does research reduce poverty? Assessing the welfare impacts of policy-oriented research in agriculture 
  
  Research summary of a paper which aims to identify different ways of assessing the impact of ‘policy-oriented’ development research.
  Institute of Development Studies (IDS, March 2011
• From Evidence to Action: a newsletter of the Policy > Action Network 
  
  Issue 4 of the newsletter focuses on the issue of violent crime in South Africa. The newsletter aims to stimulate debate around evidence-based policy-making. To contribute to future editions plesae send your submissions to pan@hsrc.ac.za­.
  Policy > Action Network, August 2011
• From Evidence to Action: Issue three: Child-centred policy 
  
  Issue Three of the PAN newsletter focuses on the interface between child-centred evidence and related policy. It features a range of resources that illustrate how child-focused data and research evidence can contribute to and inform better outcomes for children when formulating social policy.
  Human Sciences Research Council and the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development, June 2011
• From the global politics of poverty alleviation to the global politics of welfare state rebuilding 
  
  Argues that the current focus on policies ­for poverty alleviation should give way to the global politics of welfare state rebuilding.
  Comparative Research Programme on Poverty (CROP), June 2010
• Low quality education as a poverty trap 
  
  Summarises some of the main findings from a research project undertaken by the Social Policy Research Group in the Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University.
  Social Policy Research Group, Department of Economics, Stellenbosch University, March 2011
• Mental Health and Poverty Project policy briefs 
  
  A series of nine policy briefs on policy development and analysis aimed at breaking the cycle of mental ill­-health and poverty.
  Mental Health and Poverty Project, University of Cape Town, 2010
• Millennium Development Goals report card: Learning from progress 
  
  A summary which is part of initial findings from an ongoing review of progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals.
  Overseas Development Institute (ODI), June 2010
• Poverty, race and children's progress at school in South Africa 
  
  This briefing is based on the analysis of the 2008 National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS).
  It aims to explore the inequalities in children’s schooling in South Africa.
  School of Development Studies, University of KwaZulu/Natal, September 2011
• Rethinking poverty: Report on the world social situation 2010: Child poverty insights 
  
  Policy brief suggesting­ that current conventional policy approaches to poverty eradication are insufficient and require serious rethinking by policy makers.
  UNICEF, September 2010
• The politics of what works in tackling chronic poverty 
  
  Focuses on policies and programmes that have been successful in reducing extreme forms of poverty.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, August 2007
• The role of the state in a developing market economy 
  
  One in a series of policy briefs drawn from the Poverty and Human Development Report 2009, Government of Tanzania­.
  REPOA: Research on Poverty Alleviation, 2009
• Transitioning in and out of poverty 
  
  Aims to uncover ­events leading people into poverty and those which help them escape.
  Urban Institute, September 2009
• Understanding the extent, composition, and characteristics of the poor 
  
  Policy note using using various rounds of the FIES and APIS as panel data sets to guide the government in formulating interventions for different groups of households, especially the chronic and transient poor.­
  Phlippine Institute for Development Studies, March 2011
• University of Stellenbosch policy briefs: Education 
  
  ­Download the following policy briefs from the University of Stellenbosch's Departrment of Economics:

  ­For richer, for poorer? Can lessons learnt from wealthy schools be applied to help poor schools deliver better results?
  The role of educational attainment and quality schooling in reducing racial earnings inequality
  Identifying policy priorities to improve outcomes for poor primary school learners
  The vital role of good school management in improving primary school outcomes
  New evidence in the case for improving the quality of secondary school learning outcomes­­

  Department of Economics, 2011
• Vacancy: Head: Research Use and Impact Assessment (RIA) (Deputy Executive Director) 
  
  The Research Use and Impact (RIA) programme at the HSRC wishes to appoint a suitable candidate to lead the programme. The successful candidate will be based in Pretoria on a 5 year contract. The closing date for applications is 18 November 2011.­­
  Human Sciences Research Council, November 2011
• What is the impact of the Bolsa Familia programme on education? 
  
  Considers whether the Bolsa Família programme increases school enrolment, reduces dropout rates and improves grades.
  International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth , March 2010

Research reports & papers

• Poverty, race, and children's progress at school in South Africa 
  
  This article investigates inequalities in children’s schooling in South Africa in 2008 using community-based data collected by the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS). ­
  School of Development Studies, University of KwaZulu/Natal, September 2011
• Towards better use of evidence in policy formation: A discussion paper 
  
  A report intended as an initial high-level paper to stimulate discussion amongst New Zealand policy advisors and policy makers.­
  Gluckman, P., May 2011
• 2010 Global hunger index: The challenge of hunger: Focus on the crisis of child undernutrtion 
  
  With a focus on lifelong consequences of childhood hunger for health, productivity and economic performance. ­
  International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), October 2010
• Africa progress report 2011: The transformative power of partnerships:  
  
  A concise overview of the progress Africa has made over the previous year in seven areas, namely economic growth, governance, peace and security, social development, food and nutrition security, climate change, and development cooperation and finance. Provides a series of practical recommendations for policy makers.
  Africa Progress Panel, May 2011
• Assessing pro-poor qualities of public policy and practice in urban areas in Ghana 
  
  Discusses trends in urban poverty, based on an analysis of the pro-poor qualities of public sector initiatives in urban areas in Ghana between 1991 and 2008.
  Global Development Network (GDN), November 2009
• Assessing progress in Africa toward the Millennium Development Goals 
  
  Highlights policy innovations including expanded social protection programmes in Africa that are facilitating progress toward at­tainment of the Millennium Development Goals.
  United Nations Development Programme, September 2010
• Breaking the grip of poverty and inequality in South Africa 2004-2014 - current trends, issues and future policy options 
  
  Argues that poverty and inequality are very different, with important public policy consequences.
  Centre for Civil Society, December 2003
• Can government policies be said to be pro-poor?: An exploration of policy: working paper No 4 
  
  Reviews some ­policies which seek to alleviate and eventually eradicate poverty and its causes,­ and,­ provides a budget and benefit incidence in five government departments.
  Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute, September 2009
• Changing poverty and changing antipoverty policies 
  
  Calls for shifts in anti-poverty policies as economic growth is not sufficient to reduce poverty.
  Institute for Research on Policy, April 2009
• Chronic poverty report 2008-09: escaping poverty traps  
  
  Identifies five main traps that underpin chronic poverty –  insecurity, limited citizenship, spatial disadvantage, social discrimination and poor work opportunities. Outlines key policy responses 
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, June 2008
• Citizens' engagement in policymaking and the design of public services 
  
  Citizen participation in policymaking and service design has been debated or attempted, but too infrequently realised. Considers current reform initiatives in the Australian Public Service (APS) and examines the implications of citizen-centric ideals for the processes and structures of government agencies.­
  Australian Public Service (APS), July 2011
• Combating poverty and inequality: Structural change, social policy and politics 
  
  This UNRISD Flagship Report explores the causes, dynamics and persistence of poverty and lays out a range of policies and institutional measures that countries can adopt to alleviate poverty.
  United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), September 2010
• Crafting a graduation pathway for the ultra poor: lessons and evidence from a BRAC programme 
  
  An innovative approach that BRAC has been experimenting with is described. Outlines a number of key lessons for the broader thinking on tackling ultra poverty.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, March 2008
• Destined for destitution: intergenerational poverty and persistence in Indonesia 
  
  Estimates intergenerational poverty persistence in Indonesia using a panel dataset. 
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, January 2009
• DFID cash transfers evidence paper 
  
  Provides a synthesis of current global evidence on the impact of cash transfers in developing countries, and of what works in different contexts, or for different development objectives.
  Department for International Development (DFID), April 2011
• Divided we stand: Why inequality keeps rising 
  
  ­Reports that the gap between the rich and the poor in OECD countries has reached its highest level for over over 30 years. Includes a special focus on inequality in growing economies.
  OECD, December 2011
• Dynamic social security for Africa: an agenda for development: development and trends 
  
  The first regional developments and trends report on Africa proposing an approach to understanding and addressing key challenges ISSA member organisations face in different regions.
  International Social Security Association, November 2008
• Economic growth and poverty dynamics 
  
  ­Briefly reviews the literature on economic growth and poverty and examines whether economic growth influences poverty dynamics.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, February 2009
• Estimating poverty lines for South Africa 
  
  Briefly outlines work done on estimating a poverty line as commissioned by the Department of Social Development. Describes three types of poverty measures and describes and presents current estimates for two types of poverty lines.
  UCT for the Department of Social Development, July 2008
• Evidence for social policy and practice: Perspectives on how research and evidence can influence decision making in public services 
  
  Essays from organisations using different methodologies and approaches to generate evidence and influence policy and practice in a number of service areas including criminal justice, childrens' services and poverty reduction.
  NESTA, April 2011
• From agenda to action: Turning resources into results for people 
  
  Reviews developments over the past five years, identifying six priority areas, three for African policymakers and three for their international partners.
  Africa Progress Panel, May 2010
• From poverty to power 
  
  A monograph with related case studies, background papers and an ongoing debate.
  Green, D, Oxfam, September 2009
• Global poverty and the new bottom billion: What if three-quarters of the world's poor live in middle-income countries? 
  
  Working paper for comment and debate which argues that the global poverty problem has changed because most of the world's poor no lon­ger live in poor (low-income) countries.­
  Institute of Development Studies (IDS), September 2010
• Human Development Report 2010 - 20th Anniversary: The real wealth of nations: Pathways to human development 
  
  L­ooks back rigorously at the past several decades and identifies often surprising trends and patterns with important lessons for the future.
  United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), November 2010
• Implementing the APRM: Views from civil society  
  
  Assembled collaboratively over the past year by several South African civil society organisations (CSOs), this report scrutinises the country’s track record in fighting corruption, managing diversity, addressing xenophobia and racism, managing elections, consolidating democracy and upholding the rule of law, as well as confronting social exclusion and effective service delivery. ­­
  APRM Monitoring Project (AMP), June 2011
• Income and non-income inequality in post- apartheid South Africa: What are the drivers and possible policy interventions? 
  
  Aims to identify drivers of inequality in post-apartheid South Africa and evaluate appropriate policy interventions.
  Development Policy Research Unit, September 2009
• Innovation and poverty reduction 
  
  Discusses the concept of innovation and how it can be applied to local solutions to reduce poverty.
  Caledon Institute of Social Policy, November 2003
• Knowledge, networks and nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century 
  
  Reviews the changing patterns of science, and scientific collaboration, in order to provide a basis for understanding such ongoing changes. Aims to identify the opportunities and benefits of international collaboration, to consider how they can best be realised, and to initiate a debate on how international scientific collaboration can be harnessed to tackle global problems more effectively.
  Royal Society, March 2011
• Links between poverty, matriculation and the child support grant: a review of the evidence 
  
  Reviews evidence on whether child support grants positively influence schooling outcomes.
  Centre for the Study of South African Social Policy, October 2008
• Making growth inclusive: Some lessons from countries and the literature 
  
  E­xtracts lessons from case studies of Brazil, Vietnam, and Ghana to suggest three key areas where action by governments is likely to deliver: a proper redistributive agenda, appropriate macroeconomic prudence, and a policy environment that fosters a pro-poor private sector.
  Oxfam International, April 2011
• Pro-poor development: Distribution, growth and policy interactions 
  
  Explores the main lines of interaction between growth and distribution to determine the potential for pro-poor growth.
  Rao, J.H., February 2002
• Prospects for South Africa's future: Development report 2011 
  
  ­This report seeks to focus on the core, critical interventions that will be needed if South Africa’s development objectives are to be ­met.
  Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), November 2011
• Rural poverty report 2011 
  
  Contains updated estimates on how many rural poor people there are in developing countries, poverty rates in rural areas, and the percentage of poor people residing in rural areas.
  International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), December 2010
• Social protection and poverty 
  
  ­Provides an overview of social protection and an assessment of its potential contribution to addressing poverty ­in developing countries.
  UNRISD, March 2010
• Social protection index for committed poverty reduction 
  
  This ADB report presents a methodology for assessing and comparing social protection efforts of countries, providing indicators for use by policymakers 
  Asian Development Bank, June 2008
• Social protection is centuries old!: Culture and social protection for the very poor in Uganda: evidence and policy implications 
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, May 2009
• South Africa's public policy clubs of exclusion  
  
  Commentary from the South African Civil Society Information Service (Sacsis) that the Zuma administration is attempting to insulate public policy choices from contestation in society, and as a consequence failing to build broader­ policy consensus.­
  Hassen, E-K., July 2010
• South African Development Index (SADI) 
  
  An initiative by the South African Institute of Race Relations which aims to track development trends in South Africa, and will be released on a quarterly basis. ­
  South African Institute of Race Relations, February 2011
• South African social attitudes: The 2nd report: Reflections on the age of hope 
  
  The second in th­e HSRC series that aims to monitor the evolving dynamics of South African social values in relation to broader societal developments.
  Human Sciences Research Council, September 2010
• State of the cities report: Towards resilient cities 
  
  Assesses the progress made by South African cities over the last decade in relation to key development outcomes and reviews strategic problems and opportunities relating to planning and management­
  South African Cities Network (SACN), April 2011
• State, business and growth in post-apartheid South Africa 
  
  Explores the relationship between ‘state-business relations’ and pro-poor growth in post-apartheid South Africa. ­
  Research Programme Consortium for Improving Institutions for Pro-Poor Growth (IPPG), January 2010
• The global financial crisis: Are women more likely to be pushed into chronic poverty? 
  
  Harmful household coping strategies may push many, particularly many women and their dependents, into chronic poverty.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, November 2009
• The MDGs and beyond: Pro-poor policy in a changing world 
  
  Analyses what the MDGs have achieved, what the 2010 MDG review should do, giving an overview of the changing outlook up to ­2020.
  European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), March 2010
• The promise of protection: Social protection and development in Asia and the Pacific 
  
  Provides an argument for linking efforts to reduce poverty and exclusion with the social protection agenda in Asia and the Pacific. ­
  Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), April 2011
• The state of the world's children 2011: Adolescence - an age of opportunity 
  
  Examines the global state of adolescents, outlines the challenges they face in health, education, protection and participation, and argues that investing in them now is our best hope of breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty and inequity and laying the foundation for a more peaceful, tolerant and equitable world.
  UNICEF, March 2011
• The university in development case studies of use-oriented research 
  
  This analysis provides new understandings of current concepts of 'globalisation', 'use-oriented' research, 'knowledge society and economy', and 'national system of innovation'.
  HSRC Press, November 2011
• Towards a democratic definition of poverty: Socially perceived necessities in South Africa 
  
  Presents a 'democratically derived' definition of poverty to inform poverty reduction policies.
  Human Sciences Research Council, 2008
• Universal minimum old age pensions: Impact on poverty and fiscal cost in 18 Latin American countries 
  
  Examines the impact of pensions on old age poverty and their cost in 18 Latin American countries using household survey data.
  World Bank, May 2010
• Wage subsidies to combat unemployment and poverty: Assessing South Africa's options 
  
  Investigates whether the introduction of wage subsidies is an appropriate policy measure for dealing with South Africa’s particular sources of unemployment.
  International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) , May 2010
• Why is crime In South Africa so violent?: Rapid evidence assessment 
  
  ­The objective of this Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) is to identify the reasons given in the existing research literature for why crime in South Africa is so violent.
  May 2011
• World development report 2011: Conflict, security, and development 
  
  Examines the changing nature of violence in the 21st century, and underlines the negative impact of repeated cycles of violence on a country or region’s development prospects.
  World Bank, April 2011

Case studies

• Call for proposals: To conduct a series of case studies on the policy influence of impact studies 
  
  Call for proposals to conduct a series of case studies to identify factors that contribute to or impede evidence from rigorous impact evaluations to influence policy(deadline is 28 February 2011).
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), February 2011
• Cooperatives and development 
  
  A helpdesk research report which provides an overview of the role of cooperatives in pro-poor aid interventions and development, and identifies­ donor approaches and lessons learned in supporting and facilitating their role and impact.
  Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, April 2011
• Grameen Foundation 
  
  The ­Grameen Foundation website highlights successful microfinancing case studies in a number of countries, and how these were implemented. Note information on the Progress out of Poverty Index.
  2009
• Moving out of poverty 
  
  ­A study carried out in 15 countries, which attempts to analyse mobility out of poverty rather than poverty alone.
  World Bank, March 2010
• Systematic review database 
  
  ­This database provides policymakers and practitioners with easy access to systematic reviews that examine evidence on the effects of social and economic development interventions in low- and middle-income countries. It draws together systematic reviews from a range of sources and covers all sectors.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), September 2011
• The rural poverty report 2010  
  
  A work in progress looking at issues from the perspective of poor rural people, ­aiming to provide policy-relevant inputs for developing pro-poor agendas at all levels.
  International Fund for Agricultural Development, February 2010
• The smoke that calls: Insurgent citizenship, collective violence and the struggle for a place in the new South Africa  
  
  Eight case studies of community protest and xenophobic violence in South Africa with recommendations under the categories of social justice activism, reforming the state, and socio-economic interventions.­
  Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), July 2011

Country studies

• Africa Capacity indicators 2011: Capacity development in fragile states 
  
  This report introduces a unique and unprecedented series of data on the state of capacity in Africa. It also examines key issues and challenges confronting in-country and cross-border capacity development.
  African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), February 2011
• Assessing progress in Africa towards the Millennium Development Goals 
  
  The third in a series which discusses what needs to be done further in reaching the MDGs,  an abridged version of a much more comprehensive joint Economic Commission for Africa, African Union Commission, and African Development Bank report.
  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, February 2009
• Diagnostic overview 
  
  Aims to identify the main challenges confronting the country and examine their underlying causes. Serves to advance the discussion about the major issues confronting South Africa.
  National Planning Commission (NPC), June 2011
• HungerFREE scorecard 2010 
  
  Aims to evaluate countries on progress in fulfilling their commitments to end global hunger. Makes use of 'aid indicators' and 'policy indicators'. ­
  Action Aid, October 2010
• Public support to food security in India, Brazil and South Africa: Elements for a policy dialogue 
  
  A comparative study of the food-security policy agendas in the IBSA countries which aims to  identify and examine critical issues and good practices in order to reveal relevant points for knowledge sharing. Includes a one-page summary.­
  International Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth (IPC-IG), May 2011

Toolkits & guidelines

• AusAID-DFID-3ie call for systematic reviews: Grants for new evidence on what works for the poor 
  
  A call for proposals for systematic reviews to strengthen international capacity for pro-poor evidence-based policy making.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), October 2010
• Call for submissions: Terms of reference for an online course on how to build a policy influence plan 
  
  Call for the development of a course which will improve  organizational capacity to influence public policies in developing countries - deadline 23 January 2011
  Global Development Network (GDNet), January 2011
• Data strategies for policymaking: Identifying international good practice 
  
  Reviews international good practice for using data in policymaking and develops a conceptual framework for characterising and classifying the different elements of a data strategy for public sector orga­nisations.
  RAND Corporation, 2010
• Drivers of chronic poverty policy processes 
  
  A series of guidance sheets on what drives chronic poverty policy processes which could be adapted to other social and economic policies.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, February 2010
• e-Atlas of global development 
  
  A free, online, interactive tool, which maps and graphs more than 175 indicators from the World Bank’s development database.
  World Bank, March 2011
• From Evidence to Action: Issue 6: Evaluating our way to better government performance 
  
  In the final issue of the PAN newsletter for 2011 ­we look at how the evaluation of government programmes can be invaluable in improving performance and service delivery.
  Policy > Action Network, Human Sciences Research Council, December 2011
• From Evidence to Action: P>AN Newsletter 1/2010 
  
  This is the first edition of the Policy > Action Network newsletter, From Evidence to Action, published with support from the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD), a partnership between the Presidency and the Eu­ropean Union.­
  Policy > Action Network, November 2010
• Handbook on monitoring, evaluating and managing knowledge for policy influence 
  
  The main purpose of this handbook is to facilitate the investment process of a public research institute in developing a system (from the simplest to the most sophisticated) of monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and knowledge management (KM) of the impact of research on public policy.
  CIPPEC, February 2011
• How to develop a pro-poor land policy - process, guide and lessons 
  
  ­Outlines a partipatory policy process that can be adapted to each country and the specific aspect of land policy that needs to be addressed.
  UN Habitat, 2008
• Knowledge, policy and power: Six dimensions of the knowledge-development policy interface 
  
  Explores six key areas of the knowledge–development policy interface, aiming to stimulate nuanced debates and the development of tools for knowledge translation.
  Overseas Development Institute, August 2009
• Magenta book 
  
  Sets out the key issues to consider when designing and managing evaluations, and the presentation and interpretation of evaluation results. Describes why thinking about evaluation before and during the policy design phase can help to improve the quality of evaluation results without needing to hinder the policy proce­ss.
  HM Treasury, April 2011
• Managing for development results: A focus on Africa 
  
  A case book aimed at ensuring­ that managers are using evidence to make decisions and development stakeholders are able to keep track of progress.
  African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results, 2010
• Methods toolbox for poverty research 
  
  A work in progress from the Chronic Poverty Research Centre.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, 2008
• Multidimensional poverty index 
  
  A new poverty ­measure that goes beyond income by reflecting a range of deprivations that afflict a person’s life at the same time, released in advance of the report's October 2010 publication.
  Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), July 2010
• Poverty, equality and growth: the role of social transfers: A handbook for parliamentarians 
  
  A handbook designed for parliamentarians in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on the role of social transfers as a specific social protection policy instrument for reducing chronic poverty and inequality and for promoting inclusive, or pro-poor, economic growth.
  Wahenga, April 2011
• Research as a tool for advocacy 
  
  A presentation outlining approaches to achieving research-based­ policies.
  Institute for Security Studies (ISS), 2010
• Sound expectations: From impact evaluations to policy change 
  
  A conceptual framework to be used in the production of case studies which identify factors that help or hinder rigorous impact evaluations from influencing policy.
  International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), April 2011
• Tools and resources 
  
  Aims to provide analytical tools and resources to assist analysts and managers with policy development or service-planning projects.
  Population and Sustainable Development, New Zealand, March 2011

Conference & seminar papers

• Escaping the poverty traps conference 
  
  Aims to establish the dynamics between poverty reduction and economic growth.
  
  January 2009
• Between ourselves workshop 
  
  Report on contribution of research intermediaries to pro-poor evidence based policy and practice.
  Institute for Development Studies, July 2008
• Call for papers: National conference on structural poverty in South Africa: Overcoming inequality and structural poverty in South Africa: Towards inclusive growth and development 
  
  A three-day national conference on structural poverty to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from ­20 - 22 September 2010.­
  Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies, September 2010
• Child Rights: Children's rights at a crossroads 
  
  A conference aiming to contribute to collaboration for the improved use of research and greater youth involvement in participatory re­search.
  African Child Policy Forum, November 2009
• Education and poverty reduction strategies: colloquium proceedings 
  
  Investigates links between education and poverty reduction, cross-sectoral co-ordination and policy coherence.
  Human Sciences Research Council, November 2008
• Harnessing Knowledge to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa 
  
  Presentations from meeting which explored how best African countries can harness knowledge to advance their development and to achieve the targets of the Millennium Declaration Goals (MDGs).
  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), November 2010
• High level policy dialogue: Eradicating extreme poverty & hunger in southern Africa: The role of social protection 
  
  Documentation from policy ­dialogue on the role of social protection as an element of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy - evaluating the extent of its contribution over the previous 15 years.
  Wahenga, September 2010
• National conference on structural poverty in South Africa 
  
  Conference presentations can now be downloaded. Also look at the summing-­up, Cross cutting golden threads.
  Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) et al., September 2010
• Organising for social justice and poverty reduction 
  
  Papers from a Non-Governmental Public Action (London School of  Economics) conference.
  
  London School of Economics, January 2009
• Policies to foster and sustain equitable development in times of crisis: PEGNet 2010 conference 
  
  Presentations from a ­conference held in September 2010 at the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
  PEGNet, September 2010
• Poverty and inequality: Facts, trends, and hard choices 
  
  Report on a CDE round table where some of South Africa’s leading experts discussed the politics and economics of inequality.
  Centre for Development and Enterprise, August 2010
• Presentation: Evaluation as a key source of evidence for policy-making 
  
  Presentation from a seminar which reviewed evidence-based policy-making and the potential role of evaluation as a key, and a systematic, source of evidence. Presented by Dr Ian Goldman, Deputy Director General, Evaluation and Research, DPME,­ The Presidency.­
  Goldman, I., January 2012
• Producing knowledge syntheses that are both rigorous and relevant to policy makers 
  
  Workshop report where participants were enabled to apply a knowledge synthesis ­method including: choosing a relevant policy for study, analysing it, performing a literature review (in a way that differs from literature reviews on simple interventions) and organising deliberative processes.
  National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, June 2011
• Public policy: Why ethics matters 
  
  Essays based on a conference which aimed to ­encourage and facilitate debate about the ethical basis for policy making.
  Australian National University, October 2010
• Revenue mobilization in sub-Saharan Africa 
  
  Papers from a conference which aimed to identify lessons on what has and has not worked, and to consider how best to deal with emerging challenges, with the emphasis discussing experiences of African countries that have successfully reformed their tax policy and revenue administration systems.
  International Monetary Fund (IMF), March 2011
• Second APRN regional conference: Parliaments, poverty reduction and the budget process 
  
  Aimed at promoting greater cross-Africa dialogue among parliamentarians from different countries to improve the ­implementation of poverty reduction programmes.
  Parliamentary Centre, October 2009
• Strategies for eradicating poverty in LDCs: Findings from research  
  
  Event where research findings on poverty eradication in least developed countries were presented by CPRC partners in Bangladesh, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal, with key messages for policy makers. ­
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, May 2011

Reading lists

• Annotated bibliography on social exclusion, adverse incorporation and chronic poverty 
  
  Explores the latest thinking on social exclusion within development studies and the more historical debates  concerning the ways in which processes of 'adverse ­incorporation', closure' and 'marginalisation' work to impoverish regions, sectors and people.­
  Smith, B., December 2007
• Cash transfers reading list 
  
  This World Bank cash transfers reading list includes URLs for selected websites. 
  World Bank, 2009
• Inheritance practices and intergenerational transmission of poverty in Africa 
  
  A paper with a literature review of the key questions, methods and findings of investigations and an annotated bibliography which lists and summarises relevant works.
  Chronic Poverty Research Centre, December 2008
• The impact of employment guarantee schemes and cash transfers on the poor 
  
  This review applied a systematic protocol to the identification and retrieval of published and unpublished documents relating to the impacts of employment guarantee schemes and cash transfers on the poor. ­
  Overseas Development Institute (ODI), June 2011

Advocacy initiatives

• African Community of Practice on Managing for Development Results 
  
  A community of over 1,000 practitioners managing for development results (MfDR) from 37 different African countries and regions across the world.
  March 2011
• Civil Society for Poverty Reduction Zambia 
  
  The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) is a civil society anti-poverty advocacy network of over 140 organisation working for pro-poor development in different parts of Zambia. ­
  May 2011
• From evidence to action: Issue 5: Education 
  
  Issue five of the newsletter ­From Evidence to Action looks at the education system in South Africa, ­in particular how­ evidence informed policies can be implemented to address many of the problems it faces.­
  Research Use and Impact Assessment, Human Sciences Research Council, November 2011
• From Evidence to Action: the Policy > Action Network newsletter 
  
  Download the second issue of the Policy > Action Network newsletter and email pan@hsrc.ac.za if you would like to make comments or submissions for the next issue.
  Human Sciences Research Council, February 2011
• Global call to action against poverty 
  
  A global civil society response to poverty, aiming t­o mobilise 2m people in South Africa.
  October 2009
• Handbook on progressive realisation 
  
  Aims to strengthen civil society advocacy initiatives to advance access to socioeconomic rights guaranteed in the Constitution.
  Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII), February 2011
• IPC-IG Internship Programme  
  
  This internship offers outstanding graduate-level students the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to IPC-IG’s work as a global forum for policy dialogue and South-South learning on development innovations.
  International Poverty Centre, January 2011
• LACEA/IDB/WB/UNDP Network on Inequality and Poverty 
  
  A South American network that aims to advance the state of knowledge and expertise about poverty, inequality and social exclusion.
  June 2010
• Mobilising social justice in South Africa: Perspectives from researchers and practitioners  
  
  Presents findings of five research projects around civil society and strategies for achieving social justice in South Africa.­
  Jeff Handmaker& Remko Bekhout, November 2010
• National Planning Commission (NPC) Jam 
  
  If you have some ideas on building a better South Africa, please register for and participate in the National Planning Commission (NPC)­ Jam (an online brainstorming event from noon on 28 September until noon on 1 October). Additional information can also be found here. ­
  National Planning Commission (NPC) , September 2011
• Online training: How to build a policy influence plan 
  
  CIPPEC, a leading think tank in Argentina will award 12 scholarships to participate in the third edition of this online training programme developed jointly with Global Development Network (GDN)­ which will start by the end of August 2011.­
  
  CIPPEC, August 2011
• Pensions Watch: Social protection in older age 
  
  A new online resource for policy makers and development practitioners on non-contributory (social) pensions. The site aims to bring together learning from existing social pension schemes around the world in order to inform policy makers, academics and activists.
  HelpAge International, January 2011
• September National Imbizo 
  
  A new Facebook forum for a national citizens' dialogue, currently working against xenophobia and planning for ­a National Indaba in September 2010.
  July 2010
• The global financial crisis: Identifying the chronically poor in low income countries 
  
  A new blog from the Overseas Development Institute.
  Overseas Development Institute, October 2009