UNRISD Podcasts: Recent Episodes
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With a new office in Bonn, launched on 6 February, UNRISD aims to create new interagency collaborations and strengthen research uptake linkages to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. We sat down after the launch event for a short interview with Isabell Kempf, the newly appointed Head of UNRISD’s Bonn Office, who told us about her vast experience with knowledge challenges at the United Nations, the role of research in the face of the current climate crisis, how science and action can work together, and much more.
Based on analysis from his recent book "Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth", Guy Standing introduces a new appraisal of the commons and how much of it has been privatized, from land and state housing, health and benefit systems, to justice systems, schools, newspapers and even the air we breathe. He proposes a charter for a new form of commoning, of remembering, guarding and sharing that which belongs to us all, to slash inequality and soothe our current political instability.
The remarkable economic growth of sub-Saharan Africa in the first 15 years of the 21st century did not always go hand in hand with greater equality. While income inequality during the 2000s decreased in 17 countries, it went up in 12 countries. What were the determinants and consequences of these divergent trends?
In this seminar, Lucas Chancel presents new empirical research findings on global economic and environmental inequalities. He highlights the close link between social and environmental (in)justice, and discusses policy options that can address the unsustainability of economic inequality.
Reducing inequality (SDG10) requires progressive and substantial shifts in fiscal policy and an essential equality-enhancing instrument with the potential to do three things: (1) raise necessary revenues for public spending which tackles vertical and horizontal inequalities; (2) stem market incentives for accumulation of income and wealth at the top; and (3) forge a credible fiscal compact between citizens and the state. But how can such progressive policies be implemented while those in power benefit from the status quo? Experts from the United Nations, the IMF, Oxfam and the research community discuss these and many more questions on fiscal policy and socioeconomic disparities, in the context of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the United Nations main platform to review progress and provide guidance and recommendations on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. → Welcome remarks 00:00:14 Luise Rürup, Director, FES New York → Opening remarks Ambassador Luis Bermúdez, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Uruguay Mr. Inge Herman Rydland, Special Envoy for the 2030 Agenda, Norway Ministry of Foreign Affairs → Panel Discussion Paul Ladd, Director, UNRISD Katja Hujo, Senior Research Coordinator, UNRISD 💬 Overcoming Inequalities in a Fractured World—the Politics of Transformative Change and Fiscal Policy Ricardo Fuentes-Nieva, Executive Director, Oxfam Mexico 💬 Grabbing the Spoils: Economic Inequality, Political Capture and the Decay of the Social Contract Shahra Razavi, Chief of Research and Data, UN Women 💬 Turning the Tide of Intersecting Inequalities: the Role of Family-Friendly Policies Dora Benedek, Deputy Division Chief, Fiscal Policy Department, IMF 💬 Fiscal Policy for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development Fernando Filgueira, Senior Researcher, CIPPEC (Argentina) and CIESU (Uruguay) 💬 Achievements and Challenges of an Egalitarian Growth Strategy: Tax, Social Policy and Wage Coordination Reforms During Uruguay’s Frente Grande Administrations This event was organized jointly with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) New York Office. Read the summary of the event http://www.unrisd.org/eb8 Visit the project page http://www.unrisd.org/overcominginequalities Get in touch with UNRISD and be part of our community https://twitter.com/unrisd
Based on examples from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Jakarta, Indonesia, the speakers at this seminar discussed how issues of land rights and informality shape uneven vulnerability to climate change in coastal zones, and highlighted the need for more integrated and transformative approaches to adaptation.
In the framework of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the United Nations main platform to review progress and provide guidance and recommendations on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNRISD organized a side event on 17 July 2018 to present and discuss new research evidence and local government experience of Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE). For more information and resources on localizing SDGs, social economy and sustainable development, please visit: http://www.unrisd.org/sse-sdgs-seoul
What is needed to safeguard trans* people's rights? At this Side Event of the 38th Session of the Human Rights Council, policy makers, influencers and practitioners discussed good practices and lessons from policy formulation and implementation at the national level, the role of civil society, the impact of social research and the effects of the 2030 Agenda on human rights discourse, the rights of LGBTQI+ populations and policy change.
Since 2008, many countries in Europe have been hit by a series of crises—economic, political, migratory. According to Maria Maxi (Institute of Citizenship Studies, University of Geneva) even more intractable than these, and exacerbating them, is one caused by a profound lack of solidarity. In this podcast, she introduces a new research project and outlines its potential insights for fostering solidarity in and outside the European context.
Many would be sceptical at the idea of fashion brands as a strategy for helping mitigate the migratory crisis in Mediterranean Europe. Heidi Christ, Artisan Value Chain Expert at UNHCR, walks us through experiences that show that employment opportunities can be created by combining artisanal work, creative humanitarian programmes and the cultural richness that refugees bring with them.
Most international migrants are migrant workers, many of whom find themselves in vulnerable situations, up against the risks and insecurity of the informal economy. Simel Esim (ILO) has investigated how cooperatives can help enable a decent work environment for migrant workers, hence opening pathways toward improved livelihoods.
A robust body of evidence shows that Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) can foster the economic, social and cultural rights of individuals and communities. Ibrahim Said, UNRISD Research Analyst, argues that the emancipatory and developmental potential of SSE could make responses to humanitarian emergencies, such as Europe’s refugee crisis, empowering and transformative.
Three things could better equip us to overcome refugee precarity, according to UNRISD Senior Research Coordinator Katja Hujo: (i) a clearer understanding of what we mean by "precarity" and “vulnerability” in the context of involuntary (forced) migration, (ii) moving from migration management to a rights-based approach to migration governance and (iii) unlocking the potential of the 2030 Agenda to help realize and harness the development potential of those who migrate.
Refugees and migrants face enormous threats and impediments to the enjoyment of their human rights. Ambassador Anna Korka from the Permanent Mission of Greece in Geneva tells us how recent legislative endeavours in Greece aim to create an environment that enables new types of economic activity, combat long-lasting socioeconomic problems—such as unemployment—and protect the fundamental human rights of vulnerable populations arriving in the country.
Links between gender-based violence and the world of work, and how policies are changing to address them, are the subject of this interview with Jane Aeberhard-Hodges, former Director of the ILO's Bureau for Gender Equality and currently an UNRISD Senior Research Associate. Jane discusses recent policy innovations in Australia in which employers are recognising the impact of domestic violence on the workplace. She looks at how these changes have come about and how they might inform a new international standard on violence in the world of work, as well as discussing the potential impact of global policy making.
Matthias Rüetschi presents the work he and his team lead at Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) in engaging with the current Swiss energy transition strategy. Matthias offers an overview of local programmes that aim to optimize energy efficiency while reducing CO2 emissions in Geneva, a city that as of 2017 runs entirely on renewable energy. Nora Kronig Romero, Counsellor, and Head of the Office of Specialized Institutions, at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in Geneva, closes the seminar reflecting on the Swiss popular vote that will allow citizens to choose the source of the country’s energy.
Dunja Krause (UNRISD) explains why energy transition is a social issue as much as a political, environmental and a technological one. Drawing from UNRISD’s most recent research, Dunja considers the energy transition through an eco-social lens, and sees social barriers and challenges as well as policy responses and exemplary innovations from Africa and Europe.
Marek Harsdorff walks us through the implications and opportunities of the energy transition in the field of work. Marek, an economist in the Green Jobs Programme at the International Labour Organization (ILO), shares some guiding principles for a just transition to sustainable economies.
SDG 7 holds the promise of access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, as well as a substantial increase in the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. But what are these commitments likely to translate to, in practice? In this UNRISD seminar, we teamed up with local and global thinkers and actors to discuss the types of transformations required to produce energy sustainably, and what that means for the economies, societies and environments in which global energy systems function.
Urbanization, migration and displacement, climate change and development are all inextricably linked. In this podcast, Elizabeth Maclean analyses how sexual and reproductive health and rights can be integrated with environmental justice as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Elizabeth is Research Coordinator at the International Center for Migration, Health and Development.
In this podcast, David Chipanta discusses social protection in the context of sexual and reproductive health and rights. His presentation touches on the rights of key groups such as trans men and women, prisoners, sex workers and people who use intravenous drugs. David is Senior Social Protection Advisor at UNAIDS.
In this podcast, Agnes Odhiambo presents the policy and practices related to adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in Kenya. Agnes is Senior Women’s Rights Researcher at Human Rights Watch in Nairobi.
In this podcast, Paola Daher explains how sexual and reproductive health and rights can be protected in conflict situations. She also analyses the effects of international policy changes curtailing funding for abortion. Paola is Global Advocacy Advisor at the Center for Reproductive Rights.
In this podcast, Meghan Doherty discusses current global trends in safeguarding and advancing sexual and reproductive health rights. Megan is Global Policy and Advocacy Officer at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.
How can people’s sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHRs) around the world be better protected and promoted? A human rights-based approach to development means that national policies must be designed in a way that protects individuals' dignity, autonomy and the right to choose which family planning methods are best for them. Listen to the introduction of an official side event of the 34th Session of the Human Rights Council, where representatives from governments, civil society and international organizations discussed challenges and good practices in ensuring full access to SRHRs, as well as what current global trends mean for implementation of the SDGs (and their achievement by 2030).
Closing remarks of "Innovation and Sustainable Development", an UNRISD Seminar in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
In this podcast, Yanghua Huang, walks us through China’s industrialization pattern, the country’s main achievements in poverty reduction and employment, the effects and challenges of an industrialization-driven model, and possible solutions towards sustainable production. Yanghua Huang is Research Fellow at the Institute of Industrial Development at CASS and is presentation was part of "Innovation and Sustainable Development", an UNRISD Seminar in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
In this podcast, Dian Yang gives us a historical outlook on China’s social policy scheme as well as a presentation of policy innovations designed to alleviate poverty in China. Dian Yang is Research Fellow at the Institute of Sociology at CASS and his presentation was held at "Innovation and Sustainable Development", an UNRISD Seminar in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
In this podcast, hear the three key messages of the UNRISD 2016 Flagship Report, "Policy Innovation for Transformative Change" presented by UNRISD Research Coordinator, Katja Hujo, complemented by examples of what eco-social policies are and what they should be, as well as what is needed to maximize their potential and thus enable sustainability presented by UNRISD Associate Expert, Dunja Krause. Their presentations were given at "Innovation and Sustainable Development", an UNRISD Seminar in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
What are the key policy, institutional and technological innovations that can be harnessed to realize the 2030 Agenda, especially in the context of developing economies such as China? In this podcast, hear Paul Ladd (UNRISD Director) and Zhang Yuyan (Director-General, Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS) open the UNRISD Seminar "Innovation and Sustainable Development", organized in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
In this podcast, recorded at the Geneva launch of the UNRISD 2016 Flagship Report (http://www.unrisd.org/flagship2016) “Policy Innovations for Transformative Change”, panellists discuss how to put the vision of the 2030 Agenda into action, exploring how innovative policies that integrate and balance the social, environmental and economic dimensions can lead to inclusive societies that leave no one behind. Drawing on numerous policy innovations from the Glabal South, the UNRISD Flagship Report goes beyond buzzwords and brings to the development community a definition of transformation which can be used as a benchmark for policy making towards the 2030 Agenda, and explores what transformative change really means for societies and individuals.
How can we understand the events, individuals and institutions that change the world? Can we use this to change things for the better? During this Geneva stop on his global book tour, Duncan Green introduced the arguments of his new book, "How Change Happens", which combines research with practical experience to explore the topic of social and political change. Drawing on many first-hand examples and insights from studying and working on international development, the book offers the latest thinking on what works to achieve progressive change.
In this podcast, Lauren Whitehead explains how the graduation programmes led by BRAC increase productivity and household income while aiming to strengthen livelihoods of those who are often left behind by development policies and do not benefit from non-inclusive economic growth.
In this podcast, Stephen Kidd (Development Pathways), presents a critical view of the graduation approach in the context of social protection schemes. In his view, research evidence mines both the effectiveness and the sustainability of the approach in being instrumental to help people escape poverty.
Is a universal (or unconditional) basic income (UBI) an effective way for states to meet their social protection commitments in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development? Is it a utopian vision within reach of only the richest countries, or as several pilot schemes have shown, a realistic option for developed and developing countries alike to reduce poverty and increase social justice? The Swiss popular vote on 5 June 2016 on the introduction of a UBI give UNRISD the opportunity to explore these issues with a panel of experts familiar with key experiences from countries in the Global North and the Global South.
Agenda 2030 is ambitious in its vision, "transforming our world", broad in its 17 goals and 169 targets, and universal in its application to all countries. Women's rights are explicit in the preamble, and in Goal 5 "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls", and are mainstreamed in several other goals. In this event, part of the UNRISD Seminar Series, experts from the UN and academia reflect on the SDGs’ potential, strengths and weaknesses from a gender perspective, and the challenges of their implementation. This was the Geneva launch of the open access Oxfam journal Gender & Development devoted to the Sustainable Development Goals, co-edited by Valeria Esquivel and Caroline Sweetman.
In addition to SDG2, which aims to end hunger, food security and food trade have implications for other goals related to energy, equity and global partnerships. But there would seem to be some disconnect between the vision of the SDGs and the current global food trade architecture. In this podcast, Sophia Murphy, UNRISD Visiting Fellow, discusses: (1) whether countries can create and enforce trade rules that respect other global commitments to sustainable and inclusive human well-being, (2) how the international community can rebuild confidence in international food markets and the rules that govern them, and (3) how governments should reform multilateral trade rules to limit future risks to food security while ensuring everybody’s food needs are met in a sustainable way. After her presentation, Susan Mathews, Human Rights Officer working at the Thematic Engagement, Special Procedures and Right to Development Division at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, brings another perspective to the discussion of trade from a social development and human rights angle. She explains why and how OHCHR is engaging on trade as a human rights issue, highlight some lessons learned from past experiences with human rights impact assessments of trade agreements, and describes current efforts to initiate a human rights impact assessment of the Continental Free Trade area agreement in Africa, focusing on agriculture, including food security and livelihoods, as well as employment.
In this podcast, members of national governments, international agencies and non-governmental organizations discuss challenges and best practices of implementing rights-bases access to WASH in a social protection framework.
In this podcast, members of national governments, international agencies and non-governmental organizations discuss existing frameworks in implementing the right to water and sanitation.
Partnerships, and their accompanying networks, are now presented as an essential ingredient for fair SDG implementation, to mirror the participatory spirit in which the Goals were created. But what happens in practice? Network analysis reveals how development ‘partners’ may in fact informally depart from established rules and relationships, with the end result that networks may amplify the very disparities of power they were intended to reduce. In this podcast, Moira Faul argues that with a better understanding of how partnership works, network members could rewire relationships for more inclusion, and ultimately better policy and practice solutions.
In September 2015, heads of state adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an ambitious set of goals that will change the global approach to development. If all our planet's inhabitants are to be able to enjoy the dividends of the Sustainable Development Goals, everyone will have to contribute, participate and adapt their behaviour. But many countries and stakeholders will need to increase their capacity before they can engage effectively. At this event, organized by the UNOG Library, UNRISD Director Paul Ladd speaks on a panel of UN experts in training and research, and member state representatives, discussing what capacity is needed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and what the UN is planning to do to research and design tools to help countries generate this capacity.
In this podcast, discover more about how women’s movements mobilize for policy change on the key areas of violence against women, land rights, domestic workers’ labour rights and unpaid care work. What are the effective strategies women advocates use to influence policy change? How do different women’s groups reach a consensus and build alliances? Why do certain claims remain on the margins? When do states respond to women’s claims? Based on finding from the UNRISD research project When and Why Do States Respond to Women’s Claims? Understanding Gender-Egalitarian Policy Change in Asia, Nitya Rao, external project coordinator, will discuss the conditions and factors that allow women’s movements to successfully trigger policy change and participate in negotiation processes behind such change.
This podcast features an interactive panel discussion with international policy makers and practitioners from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations. Panelists analyze migrant precarity, looking in particular at the linkages between migration and social protection from a rights perspective.
In this podcast human rights and policy specialists quit their silos and dialogue productively across disciplines in the fourth panel, entitled Towards an enabling macroeconomic environment, of the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. The speakers in this panel argue that: - human rights obligations should be applied to macroeconomic policies and guide policy formulation; however there is resistance to applying human rights to macroeconomic policies. - states have human rights obligations that are extraterritorial; policy coherence is also essential. - macroeconomic policies create an enabling environment for other policies, including social policies. Social policies have implications for macroeconomic policies. - it is possible to create fiscal space for the implementation of human rights because countries can choose where to make their expenditures; there are eight avenues that countries can pursue in order to collect revenues for human rights. - economic policy decisions should not be taken behind closed doors, but civil society should be able to participate and be informed. - tax policies are crucial for getting revenues to support policies and measures which promote gender equality. - we need to support women activists to enable them to mobilize around macroeconomic themes. This panel took place during the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. Inspired by the UN Women Report on the Progress of the World’s Women Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights, the workshop connected the normative content of human rights to policy design and implementation, integrating gender equality considerations more strongly into the work on economic and social rights, and ensuring that issues like employment, macroeconomic policy and social protection are given greater prominence in work on women’s rights. The workshop was an opportunity for a dialogue between members of human rights bodies, OHCHR staff and policy analysts to creatively explore how collaboration between specialists and across silos can be enhanced to advance women’s economic and social rights within the UN system and beyond. For more information on the workshop go to: http://goo.gl/5gytjY
In this podcast human rights and policy specialists quit their silos and dialogue productively across disciplines in the second panel, entitled Transforming work for women’s rights, of the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. The speakers in this panel argue that: - austerity has worsened women’s living conditions, both social and economic. - gender parity should be promoted and implemented in economic and business areas in the same way as it has been promoted in politics. - unpaid care work is a barrier which prevents women from choosing how to spend their lives, however there is resistance from many states to take action to remove this barrier. - social policies often still discriminate against women and lack gender awareness; gender stereotypes frequently still inform social policy. - women have to be key stakeholders in the social policy-making process - four key variables that make social policy work for women are: i) putting women’s individual rights (and not as dependants) at the centre of social policy; ii) making care work a crucial component of social policy; iii) providing universal access to social services; iv) enabling voice and participation of (especially poor) women in social policy making. - there is a tendency to underinvest in social policy, hence fewer and poor quality social services. - we need to invest in infrastructure for people’s well-being and livelihoods. - social policy is a major site of conflict between states that are reducing social policy expenditure and civil society which is mobilizing more and more demand for social welfare and public services. This panel took place during the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. Inspired by the UN Women Report on the Progress of the World’s Women Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights, the workshop connected the normative content of human rights to policy design and implementation, integrating gender equality considerations more strongly into the work on economic and social rights, and ensuring that issues like employment, macroeconomic policy and social protection are given greater prominence in work on women’s rights. The workshop was an opportunity for a dialogue between members of human rights bodies, OHCHR staff and policy analysts to creatively explore how collaboration between specialists and across silos can be enhanced to advance women’s economic and social rights within the UN system and beyond. For more information on the workshop go to: http://goo.gl/5gytjY
In this podcast human rights and policy specialists quit their silos and dialogue productively across disciplines in the second panel, entitled Transforming work for women’s rights, of the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. The speakers in this panel argue that: - the world of work can be used as a good entry point for realizing women’s human rights, because labour rights are human rights. - women work all their lives, but their work is not valued. - women make up the majority of informal workers who are not covered by labour rights (minimum wages, collective bargaining, social protection); resistance from states to including them is often very high; decent work, the central demand for all workers, also demands that women’s work be adequately valued; many women instead give up and withdraw from the labour market; this trend is however invisible as it is not counted in statistics. - globalization is changing the world, but it is not delivering better conditions of work. - transforming work for the full realization of women's labour rights means we have to focus on introducing a minimum wage, effective collective bargaining and social protection instead of new programmes of corporate social responsibility. - unpaid care work is one of many major constraints preventing women from participating in the labour market, and it is a crucial constraint on their well-being, an impediment to the full enjoyment of their human rights and to women’s political participation. - a transformative approach to care that remedies the inequalities associated with care provision is needed; this means radically changing care provision (and possibly, care benefits’ accrual) by going beyond recognizing unpaid care work to reducing care (for example, making it less onerous by providing infrastructure like running water) and redistributing care work as a matter of economic justice. - while there are still some gaps in the existing international normative framework which is meant to protect and guarantee labour rights, the key gap is in implementation, not at the normative level. States urgently need to effectively implement the obligations they already have. - economic activities take place within states, which are the main duty bearers who have the obligation to implement human rights. This panel took place during the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. Inspired by the UN Women Report on the Progress of the World’s Women Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights, the workshop connected the normative content of human rights to policy design and implementation, integrating gender equality considerations more strongly into the work on economic and social rights, and ensuring that issues like employment, macroeconomic policy and social protection are given greater prominence in work on women’s rights. The workshop was an opportunity for a dialogue between members of human rights bodies, OHCHR staff and policy analysts to creatively explore how collaboration between specialists and across silos can be enhanced to advance women’s economic and social rights within the UN system and beyond. For more information on the workshop go to: http://goo.gl/5gytjY
In this podcast human rights and policy specialists quit their silos and dialogue productively across disciplines in the first panel of the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. In order to achieve substantive gender equality, human rights have to inform public policy. The speakers in the panel argue in favour of overcoming gender stereotypes in laws, policies and institutions and identifying the obligations the duty bearers of human rights have to dismantle them. The speakers argue that culture, which is often accused of being the key obstacle preventing women’s human rights from being included in public policy, should in fact be recognized as a set of rules and norms in continuous evolution and change, and not as a something given and natural. Gender norms and roles are the core of culture everywhere, but focusing exclusively on culture detracts attention from the root causes of gender inequality. Gender neutrality in public policy has to be challenged in order to recognize the specific needs of policy beneficiaries. Women’s political participation goes behind formal representation and passes also through political mobilization. Hence, women’s human rights defenders must be supported as a way to achieve substantive equality. Finally, public policy should not reproduce the unequal division of labour within the household. One way to achieve this is to include human rights into public policy. This panel took place during the research-advocacy-policy workshop Substantive Equality for Women: Connecting Human Rights and Public Policy organized by UNRISD, UNWomen and OHCHR on 15 June 2015. Inspired by the UN Women Report on the Progress of the World’s Women Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights, the workshop connected the normative content of human rights to policy design and implementation, integrating gender equality considerations more strongly into the work on economic and social rights, and ensuring that issues like employment, macroeconomic policy and social protection are given greater prominence in work on women’s rights. The workshop was an opportunity for a dialogue between members of human rights bodies, OHCHR staff and policy analysts to creatively explore how collaboration between specialists and across silos can be enhanced to advance women’s economic and social rights within the UN system and beyond. For more information on the workshop go to http://goo.gl/5gytjY
Pension systems are one of the most dynamic areas of social policy reform. But what is their developmental role? How does pension reform contribute to poverty reduction and social development? What are the reform trends, toward which models of pension policy, and what drives them?
UNRISD Classics is a set of three volumes—Social Policy and Inclusive Development, Gendered Dimensions of Development and Revisiting Sustainable Development—that bring together 50 selected essays from 50 years of UNRISD research. The contributions both highlight some of the Institute’s most influential and ground-breaking research and, through new introductions, demonstrate its relevance to today’s development debates. For the launch event, UNRISD invited a panel of dynamic speakers who engaged with the role of research in development policy and practice, and, more broadly, how ideas have influence.
The MDGs were important as shared global goals. However, Charles Gore argues that the misunderstood translation of those global goals into national goals shifted responsibilities and national priorities. As a result, the poorest and least powerful countries in the world made the most national effort to achieve the goals. This outcome has been damaging for them. Is there a danger that the SDGs will be misunderstood in the same way?
UNRISD organized a Side Event at the 59th Commission on the Status of Women in collaboration with the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung (New York Office) as part of its activities in engaging with Beijing+20. The event was a huge success with over 90 participants, and more who had to be turned away for lack of space.
"Reinventing Social Contracts: Feminists, Rights and Power", an UNRISD Seminar with Gita Sen, Patricia Schulz and Roberto Bissio. In this UNRISD Seminar, Gita Sen and her co-panelists speak about the role of feminist movements in the remaking of social contracts. They help untangle some of the complex power relationships that need to be addressed if new social contracts are to fulfil the promise of human rights and gender justice.
UNRISD Research Coordinator speaks about social and solidarity economy to the Inside Out programme on tbs eFM radio in Seoul, November 2014.
Podcast of the UNRISD Seminar "A Precariat Charter: From Denizens to Citizens", in which Guy Standing, Professor of Development at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, talks about the precariat: an emerging mass class characterized by inequality and insecurity, and about how their rights—political, civil, social, cultural and economic—have been denied. The event took place in Geneva in November 2014.
Podcast of the UNRISD Seminar "Where Do Great Ideas Come From? A Discussion with The Rockefeller Foundation", in which Claudia Juech, Managing Director, and Rachel Bergenfield, Associate, shared the organization’s current approach to sourcing and assessing new opportunities to address global development challenges, using the specific examples of urban food insecurity, waste and spoilage in agriculture, and competition for fresh water. The event took place in Geneva in July 2014.
Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) was introduced in 2005 to provide support to approximately eight million chronically food insecure people. Ever since, the programme has been promoted as a model of social protection and has already been influential in the design of schemes in other African countries. This event took place in Geneva, Switzerland, in June 2014.
Podcast of the UNRISD Seminar "New Directions in Social Policy: Towards a Post-2015 Agenda", which took place in Geneva on April 2014 with Per Ronnås, Senior Specialist, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); Jimi Adesina, Professor and DST/NRF SARChl Chair in Social Policy at the University of South Africa ; Michael Cichon, President of the International Council on Social Welfare, Professor of Social Protection at UNU Maastricht, and former Director of the ILO’s Social Security Department; Rana Jawad, Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Bath, and founder of the MENA social policy network; Andras Uthoff, Professor in the Faculty of Economy and Business at the Universidad de Chile, and former Director of ECLAC’s Division of Social development; and Sarah Cook, Director of UNRISD.
Podcast of the UNRISD/IOM Seminar "Migration and Health in China", which took place in Geneva on the 6 May 2014 with Shufang Zhang, Specialist, The Global Fund; Joseph D. Tucker, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina School of Medicine and Director of UNC Project-China; Xiaoming Li, Professor, Wayne State University School of Medicine; Barbara Rijks, Migration Health Programme Coordinator, International Organization for Migration; and UNRISD Director Sarah Cook.
This is the presentation given by Diego Sánchez-Ancochea at the UNRISD Seminar "Good Jobs and Social Services: How Costa Rica Achieved the Elusive Double Incorporation" [49 minutes]
This is the presentation given by Professor Xuejin Zuo at the UNRISD Seminar "Pension Reform in China: Five Pillars of Transformation? [49 minutes]
This is the presentation given by Professor Guy Standing at the UNRISD Seminar "Piloting Basic Income in India: A Transformative Policy?", with UNRISD Director Sarah Cook as a discussant. [1 hour 06 minutes]
This is the presentation given by Manuel Montes at the UNRISD Seminar "Institutions, Governance and Policy Space: Redesigning the International Economic Architecture for Development" [36 minutes]
This is the presentation given by Professor Li Yang at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "The Legend of China's Growth" [1 hour 23 minutes]
This is the recording of Eleni Thanou's presentation and discussion on Technological Institute of Athens—Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) as a Response to Economic Crisis: The case of Greece, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [29 minutes]
This is the recording of María José Orraca's presentation and discussion on Tumin, Pesos or Wealth? Limits and Possibilities of a Local Alternative to Scarcity of Money and Abundance of Richness (A Case study in Mexico), at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [19 minutes]
This is the recording of Marco Sachy's presentation and discussion on The Potential, the Limits and the Difficulties about Implementing the "Commerical Credit Circuit" (C3) as an Institutional and Countercyclical Policy Instrument for the Uruguayan Government to Structurally Address Unemployment, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [19 minutes]
This is the recording of Leander Bindewald and Christophe Place's presentation and discussion on Validating Complemetary and Community Currencies as an Efficient Tool for Social and Solidarity Economy Networking and Development: The Deployment of Theory of Change and Evaluation standards for their Impact Assessment, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "SSE, Time and Mutual Credit Currencies—Changing Values, Changing Impacts?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [17 minutes]
This is the recording on Jean-Luc Roux's paper, New Approach for a Social and Solidarity Currency: Towards a Solution for Humanitarian, Economic and Ecological Crisis. The Case of Androy in Southern Madagascar, which was presented by Bernard Lietaer in his absence at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "Currencies and Communities—Dynamics for a Solidarity and Popular Economy?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [17 minutes]
This is the recording of Lucero Mariani's presentation and discussion on Complementary Currencies strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy: Case Studies from Kenya, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "Currencies and Communities—Dynamics for a Solidarity and Popular Economy?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [21 minutes]
This is the recording of Juliana Braz's presentation and discussion on Solidarity Finance and Public Policies: The Brazilian Experience on Community Development Banks, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "Currencies and Communities—Dynamics for a Solidarity and Popular Economy?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [21 minutes]
This is the recording of Camille Meyer's presentation and discussion on Social Currency for Common Goods: The Case of the Palmas Currency, at the UN-NGLS breakout session on "Currencies and Communities—Dynamics for a Solidarity and Popular Economy?" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the recording of Jem Bendell's presentation on "Unlocking Local Wealth" at the UN-NGLS special session on Alternative Finance and Complementary Currencies during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [6 minutes
This is the recording of Carlos de Freitas' presentation onSolidarity, Inclusive Endogenous Development and Popular Economy: The Brazilian Experience of Community Development Banks and Complemetary Currencies, at the UN-NGLS special session on "Alternative Finance and Complementary Currencies" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [20 minutes]
This is the recording of Bernard Lietaer's presentation on Scaling Up Complementary Currencies: What Role for Governments? at the UN-NGLS special session on "Alternative Finance and Complementary Currencies" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [26 minutes]
This is the recording of Marie Fare's presentation on Territorial Development Dynamics and Complementary Currencies Development, at the UN-NGLS special session on "Alternative Finance and Complementary Currencies" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [19 minutes]
This is the recording ofJérôme Blanc's presentation on Community and Complementary Currencies, Practices and Research: State of the Art, at the UN-NGLS special session on "Alternative Finance and Complementary Currencies" during UNRISD's "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy" conference, which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [25 minutes]
Voici le podcast sur Les monnaies sociales et complémentaires dans les dynamiques territoriales: potentialités, impacts, limites et perspectives presenté par Marie Fare à la conférence "Potentiel et limites de l'économie sociale et solidaire" qui a eu lieu 6-8 mai 2013 à Genève, Suisse. [16 minutes]
Voici le podcast sur Monnaie complémentaire versus microcrédit solidaire et tontines: contribution comparée à un développement solidaire local presenté par Jean-Michel Servet à la conférence "Potentiel et limites de l'économie sociale et solidaire" qui a eu lieu 6-8 mai 2013 à Genève, Suisse. [13 minutes]
Voici le podcast sur L’économie sociale et solidaire en tant qu’acteur principal du développement de la protection sociale en matière de santé en Afrique? presenté par Bénédicte Fonteneau à la conférence "Potentiel et limites de l'économie sociale et solidaire" qui a eu lieu 6-8 mai 2013 à Genève, Suisse. [17 minutes]
This is an interview with Godfrey Kanyenze at UNRISD´s "Politics of Domestic Resource Mobilization - Project Methodology Workshop" on May 2-3, 2013 in Geneva. In this video Kanyenze speaks about the new constitution and the future of democracy in Zimbabwe. [15.1MB]
Interview with Professor Jin Baoping, Prof. Jin Baoping, Deputy General Secretary of CASS and Director General for Bureau of Scientific Research Management.
This is the English version of an interview with Maria Verónica Paz Arauco, a researcher from the Bolivia team, as part of the UNRISD project "Politics of Domestic Resource Mobilization". [6 minutes]
This is a recording of the "Green Urbanization in Asia: Paradox or Win-Win Scenario?" event, co-organized by UNRISD, UNOG Library and UNCTAD, with Guanghua Wan (Asian Development Bank) and Claudia Assman (UNEP). [55 minutes]
This is a recording of an interview with José Ricardo Barrientos Quezada, a researcher from the Guatemala team, as part of the UNRISD project "Politics of Domestic Resource Mobilization". In this interview Barrientos summarizes domestic resource mobilization and explains its relevance to Guatemala. [10 minutes]
Esta es la grabación original en español de la entrevista con María Verónica Paz Arauco, investigadora del proyecto de UNRISD "Políticas de Movilización de Recursos Domésticos" en el equipo de Bolivia. [6 minutos]
This is a recording of an interview with Richard Saunders, a researcher from the Zimbabwe team, as part of the UNRISD project "Politics of Domestic Resource Mobilization". In this interview Saunders summarizes domestic resource mobilization and explains its relevance to Zimbabwe. [5 minutes]
This is a recording of an interview with Anne Mette Kjaer, a researcher from the Uganda team, as part of the UNRISD project "Politics of Domestic Resource Mobilization". In this interview Kjaer summarizes domestic resource mobilization and explains its relevance to Uganda. [10 minutes]
This is the closing session of the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. The speakers are: Benjamin Quiñones, Darryl Reed, Emily Kawano, Jem Bendell, José Luis Coraggio, Paul Singer, and Peter Utting. [1 hour and 32 minutes].
This is the discussion for session eight chaired by Antonella Noya at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Maria Victoria Deux Marzi, Christophe Dunand, and Cristina Grasseni. [37 minutes]
This is the podcast on Beyond Alternative Food Networks: An Agenda for Comparative Analysis of Italy’s Solidarity Purchase Groups (SPG) and Districts of Solidarity Economy vis-à-vis US Community Economies presented by Cristina Grasseni at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [25 minutes]
This is the podcast on Conceptualizing SSE towards Sustainable Consumption Transitions: Learning across Contexts and Cultures, from Geneva to Manila presented by Christophe Dunand at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [18 minutes]
This is the podcast on La Consolidación de las Iniciativas de Economía Social y Solidaria: Alcances y Desafíos de Procesos de Recuperación de Empresas de Argentina presented by María Victoria Deux Marzi at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [21 minutes]
This is the discussion for session seven chaired by Nicole Alix at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Abhijit Ghosh, Darryl Reed, Carina Millstone, and Georgina Gómez. [37 minutes]
This is the podcast on The Rise of Fair Trade: Opportunities, Tensions and Uncertainties presented by Darryl Reed at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [17 minutes]
This is the podcast on Embeddedness and the Dynamics of Growth: The Case of Amul Cooperative, India presented by Abhijit Ghosh at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [18 minutes]
This is the podcast on Balancing Growth and Solidarity in the Argentine Community Currency Systems (Trueque) presented by Georgina Gómez at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [17 minutes]
This is the podcast on The Potential of Social and Solidarity Economy Organizations to Complement or Replace Publicly Traded Companies in the Provision of Goods and Services presented by Carina Millstone at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [20 minutes]
This is the discussion for session six chaired by Richard Kozul-Wright at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Neetu Choudhary, Ana Cecilia Dinerstein, Angelique van Zeeland, and Roldan Muradian. [33 minutes]
This is the podcast on The Potential and Limits of Farmers’ Groups as Catalysts of Rural Development presented by Roldan Muradian at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [21 minutes]
This is the podcast on Challenges for the Sustainability of SSE: The Interaction Between Popular Economy, Social Movements and Public Policies—A Case Study of the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers presented by Angelique van Zeeland at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [24 minutes]
This is the podcast on The Hidden Side of SSE: Social Movements and the "Translation" of SSE into Policy (Latin America) presented by Ana Cecilia Dinerstein at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [20 minutes]
This is the podcast on Potential and Challenges of SSE Initiatives for Informal Street Trade: A Case Study of Two Indian Cities presented by Neetu Choudhary at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [22 minutes]
This is the discussion for session five chaired by Shahra Razavi at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Suzanne Bergeron, Bina Agarwal, Lyn Ossome, and Carolina Contreras Arias. [30 minutes
This is the podcast on Collective Action, Gender Dynamics and the Constraints for Scaling Up Women Initiatives in Rural Mexico: The Case of "El Color de la Tierra", An Indigenous Collective Initiative in Western Mexico presented by Carolina Contreras Arias at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the podcast on State, Civil Society and Expanding Social and Solidarity Economy among Informal Sector Women in Ethiopia presented by Lyn Ossome at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [22 minutes]
This is the podcast on The Power of Numbers: Shared Interests, Critical Mass and the Effectiveness of Women’s Participation in South Asia presented by Bina Agarwal at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [20 minutes]
This is the podcast on Beyond the Business Case: A Community Economies Approach to Gender, Development and Social Economy presented by Suzanne Bergeron at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the discussion for session four chaired by Jürgen Schwettmann at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Béatrice Alain, Leandro Morais, Zoe Brent, Justine Nannyonjo, and Hagen Henrÿ. [30 minutes]
This is the podcast on Cooperative Law and Sustainable Development: Match or Mismatch? presented by Hagen Henrÿ at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the podcast on Enabling Agricultural Cooperatives through Public Policy and the State: The Case of Uganda presented by Justine Nannyonjo at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [22 minutes]
This is the podcast on Regional Policy Frameworks of Social Solidarity Economy in South America presented by Zoe Brent at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [11 minutes]
This is the podcast on Estrategias de Supervivencia y Elaboración de Políticas Públicas: El Papel de la Economía Social y Solidaria en Latinoamérica y la Contribución De Brasil hacia la Construcción de Políticas Emancipadoras presented by Leandro Morais at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [17 minutes]
This is the podcast on Evaluating the Formation of Enabling Public Policy for the Social and Solidarity Economy from a Comparative Perspective: The Effectiveness of Collaborative Processes or the Co-Construction of Public Policy presented by Béatrice Alain at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [18 minutes]
This is the discussion for session three chaired by Petra Lantz at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Milford Bateman, Jean-Michel Servet, Manase Kudzai Chiweshe, Marie Fare, and Michael Cañares [53 minutes]
This is the podcast on Scaling Up: Interactions, Challenges, and Opportunities for SSE in the Philippines presented by Michael Cañares at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the podcast on Les Monnaies Sociales et Complémentaires dans les Dynamiques Territoriales: Potentialités, Impacts, Limites et Perspectives presented by Marie Fare at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the podcast on Understanding Social and Solidarity Economy in Emergent Communities: Lessons from Post–Fast Track Land Reform Farms in Mazowe, Zimbabwe presented by Manase Kudzai Chiweshe at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [11 minutes]
This is the podcast on Monnaie Complémentaire versus Microcrédit Solidaire et Tontines: Contribution Comparée à un Développement Solidaire Local presented by Jean-Michel Servet at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [13 minutes]
This is the podcast on Cooperative Enterprise Development as a Key Aspect in Rebuilding Solidarity-Driven Local Economies in the Aftermath of Thirty Years of Destructive Local Neoliberalism presented by Milford Bateman at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [11 minutes]
This is the discussion for session two chaired by Luca Jahier at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Ananya Mukherjee-Reed, Golam Sarwar, Cecilia Rossel, and Bénédicte Fonteneau, [19 minutes]
This is the podcast on Social and Solidarity Economy as Main Actor of the Extension of Social Protection in Health in Africa? presented by Bénédicte Fonteneau at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [17 minutes]
This is the podcast on State and SSE Partnerships in Social Policy: Recent Trends and Implications for a New ‘Welfare Mix’ in Uruguay presented by Cecilia Rossel at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the podcast on Paradoxes of Social Entrepreneurship presented by Golam Sarwar at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [18 minutes]
This is the podcast on Taking Solidarity Seriously: Analyzing Kudumbashree as a Women’s Social and Solidarity Economy Experiment presented by Ananya Mukherjee-Reed at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [20 minutes]
This is the discussion for session one chaired by Jomo K.S. at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. Panelists are: Anup Dash, David Barkin, John-Justin McMurtry, Isabelle Hillenkamp, and Joana S. Marques [19 minutes]
This is the podcast on Social and Solidarity Economy: Between Emancipation and Reproduction presented by Joana S. Marques at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [18 minutes]
This is the podcast on Solidarity Economy as Part of Popular Security Enhancing Practices: A Neo-Polanyian Conceptual Framework presented by Isabelle Hillenkamp at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [15 minutes]
This is the podcast on Prometheus, Trojan Horse or Frankenstein? The Social and Solidarity Economy as Community Creation, Market Wedge, or State Monster presented by John-Justin McMurtry at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the podcast on Rethinking the Social and Solidarity Economy in Light of Community Practice presented by David Barkin at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [15 minutes]
This is the podcast on Towards an Epistemological Foundation for Social and Solidarity Economy presented by Anup Dash at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [16 minutes]
This is the presentation given by the keynote speaker, José Luis Coraggio at the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. [49 minutes]
This is the opening session of the UNRISD conference "Potential and Limits of Social and Solidarity Economy", which was held May 6-8, 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland. The speakers are: Sarah Cook, Paul Singer and Guy Ryder. [43 minutes].
This is the presentation given by Magdalena Sepúlveda at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "The Human Rights Approach to Social Protection" [1 hour 20minutes].
This is the presentation given by Jose Luis Vivero at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "Food as a Commodity, Human Right or Common Good? Implications for Hunger Eradication" [1 hour 23minutes].
This is the presentation given by Stephen Devereux from the University of Sussex, at the UNRISD Seminar Series eventFood security and social protection: Two sides of the same coin?" [1 hour 27minutes].
This is the presentation given by Rosalynd Eyben from the University of Sussex, at the UNRISD Seminar Series event Uncovering the Politics of “Evidence" [1 hour 24minutes].
This is the presentation given by Dr. Sangheon Lee from the International Labour Organization, at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "Wages, Inequality and Development: Time to Turn the Wheel? " [1 hour 28minutes].
Full audio recording of the event "New Directions in Social Policy - A Side Event at the Commission for Social Development", which took place on February 2013 in New York.
Solutions to the challenges of international labour migration are typically sought at the global level. But in practice, most developments related to migration governance have taken place at the national, bilateral and regional levels. The past few decades have seen many initiatives to remove barriers to intra-regional labour movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These have often had more ambitious, rights-based goals—at least on paper—than similar projects in developed regions. Yet implementation of these initiatives has been slow or non-existent, and often triggered other difficulties for migrants. This policy forum brings together a panel of experts from diverse fields and professional experience to discuss the status quo and future potential of the regional governance of migration.
This is the recording of an interview with Takyiwaa Manuh, Associate Professor and former Director of the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, held during the joint UNRISD and UN Women workshop on Gender-Related Research within the UN system in November 2012. In this recording, Manuh talks about the changing role and position of the UN. She also discusses some of the challenges and potential opportunities related to conducting research within the UN system.
This is the recording of an interview with Hania Sholkamy, Assosicate Professor at the Social Research Center, American University, Cairo, held during the joint UNRISD and UN Women workshop on Gender-Related Research within the UN system in November 2012. In this recording, Sholkamy talks about the use of research and knowledge within the UN system.
This is the recording of an interview with Marie-Claude Martin, Associate Director in the Office of Research at the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, Florence, which was held during the joint UNRISD and UN Women workshop on Gender-Related Research within the UN system in November 2012. In this recording, Marie-Claude Martin talks about the importance of research within the UN system and the unique role that UNRISD plays in generating ideas to move the development community forward.
This is the full recording of the seminar “The Resource Curse? Mineral Rents and the Financing of Social Policy”. Katja Hujo, Samuel Asfaha and Alfredo Calcagno discuss selected UNRISD research findings from recent work on Mineral Rents and Social Policy and explore how development performance is not simply linked to resource endowment but is the outcome of more complex processes of “employing” resources. What constrains development, UNRISD research finds, lies not in what countries have, but rather in what they lack: institutions, financial leverage, human capital, appropriate policies and a favourable global context. Chaired by Peter Utting, UNRISD Deputy Director. [1:22:34]
Towards a Gender-Just Transformatory Policy: Assets, Agency and the Structures of Governance
This is the full recording of the seminar ‘Catching Up with the “Quiet Revolution”? Work-Family Policies in Latin America’ [1:07:17], presented by Juliana Martinez Franzoni (University of Costa Rica) and Merike Blofield (University of Miami). This talk examines policies that help reconcile work and families in Latin America. The speakers chart changes in policies adopted between 2000 and 2011 across several dimensions, including transfers, services and regulations for care occupations, specifically domestic workers.
This is a recording of Peter Utting's talk extracted from the full recording of the panel discussion “Solidarity Economy and Alternative Finance: A Different Development Model?” [15:21]. The full recording of the Seminar Series event is also available for download. The event was organized jointly by UNRISD and the Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) at the UN Human Rights Council's 2012 Social Forum.
This is the full recording of the Special Panel Discussion, “The Role of Social Security in Realizing Human Rights” [1:41:45] organized jointly by UNRISD and FORUM-ASIA in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2012. The panel and audience explore the relationship between social security and human rights and discuss which political, social and economic conditions are necessary for the realization of human rights. (Unfortunately there were technical difficulties with the recording of the audio at this event. This has affected the quality of the sound. However, as interesting ideas and lessons were shared during this panel discussion, we decided to make the recording available). Audio editing by Sherelle Wilson.
This is the full recording of the event “Solidarity Economy and Alternative Finance: A Different Development Model?” [1:39:32] organized jointly by UNRISD and NGLS as a side event at the UN Human Rights Council's 2012 Social Forum. Speakers include: Peter Utting (UNRISD), Frederic Lapeyre (International Labour Organization), Thomas Greco (Community Information Resource Center) and moderator Hamish Jenkins (Non-Governmental Liaison Service).
This is the presentation given by Mariama Williams from the South Center, at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "Multiple Global Crises and Gender: Rethinking Alternative Paths for Development" [19 minutes].
This is the presentation given by Naoko Otobe, from the International Labour Organisation, at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "Multiple Global Crises and Gender: Rethinking Alternative Paths for Development" [17 minutes].
This is the presentation given by Devaki Jain, co-editor of “Harvesting Feminist Knowledge for Public Policy: Rebuilding Progress”, and founder and former director of the Institute of Social Studies in Delhi, India, at the UNRISD Seminar Series event "Multiple Global Crises and Gender: Rethinking Alternative Paths for Development" [15 minutes].
Interview with Devaki Jain, co-editor of “Harvesting Feminist Knowledge for Public Policy: Rebuilding Progress”, and founder and former director of the Institute of Social Studies in Delhi, India, discusses Feminist Economics.
A recording of the seminar "Multiple Global Crises and Gender: Rethinking Alternative Paths for Development", with Devaki Jain, Naoko Otobe (ILO) and Mariama Williams (South Center), with introductory remarks from UNRISD Director Sarah Cook at the UN offices in Geneva, June 25, 2012.
Las relaciones de poder están en el corazón del desarrollo. Las estrategias que buscan reducir la pobreza y la desigualdad también deben perseguir unas relaciones de poder adecuadas a su objetivo. La democracia ofrece el espacio para participar e impugnar las decisiones de los gobernantes, pero no todos los actores tienen la misma capacidad. La ciudadanía activa o el activismo de grupo es importante para generar cambios que facilitan la reducción de la pobreza y una mayor participación de los grupos de menos ingresos en la vida económica, social y política de su país.
Los últimos 30 años han supuesto una rápida expansión de las corporaciones transnacionales a los países en desarrollo. En respuesta a los costes sociales de la globalización surgió un movimiento mundial que convocaba a las empresas a ser consecuentes con los perjuicios que su actividad provocase en las personas o el medio ambiente: La Responsabilidad Social Corporativa; una tercera vía entre la regulación gubernamental y el mercado puro basada en estándares y códigos de conducta establecidos por las propias firmas.
Disponer de recursos para financiar la política social depende de la capacidad que tenga un país para producir ingresos y de como decida distribuirlos. La política social es asequible para todos los países, pero la forma de financiarla no es neutral. Parece fundamental establecer una cultura de la tributación a largo plazo basada en la confianza mutua donde cumplan tanto el contribuyente como el Estado y adaptar los sistemas a las circunstancias locales. A su vez, se requiere de acciones a nivel internacional para reducir la evasión fiscal.
Los servicios sociales como la salud, la educación o el agua potable mejoran la calidad de vida al crear, proteger y mantener las capacidades humanas. Los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio han movilizado recursos en torno ciertas metas educativas, sanitarias y medioambientales. Pero a pesar de las tendencias positivas continúan existiendo grandes desafíos que se han exacerbado con la crisis económica mundial. Un financiamiento escaso y una elevada comercialización conducen a menudo a servicios de alta calidad para quien puede pagarlos y de baja calidad para los más desfavorecidos.
En los últimos 30 años se ha avanzado en el acceso de la mujer a la educación, la política y el mercado de trabajo pero las condiciones laborales que les afectan son, en general, más precarias que las de los hombres mientras siguen asumiendo el rol de principales cuidadoras del hogar. Los datos suelen silenciar la desigualdad de género al medir la pobreza en términos de ingreso de los hogares y NO de cada uno de sus integrantes. Aun cuando el ingreso combinado les permita compensar sus mínimas ganancias, esto no significa que no dependan financieramente de aquellos que decidirán cómo asignar los recursos.
En la primera década del siglo XXI el 60 por ciento de los conflictos tenía un componente étnico, cincuenta años atrás sólo el 15 por ciento. La violencia es la manifestación más extrema del fracaso en la reducción de diferencias entre grupos. La discriminación entre grupos suele reflejarse en múltiples ámbitos: el político, el económico, el cultural y también el regional. En los últimos cincuenta años, grupos étnicos inicialmente marginados han visto mejorar sus condiciones de vida gracias a las políticas redistributivas.
Katja Hujo, coordinadora de investigación del Programa de Desarrollo Social de UNRISD, explica las conclusiones del Segundo Simposio Internacional “Pensar el Mundo desde las Ciencias Sociales” que organizó el Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales de la Universidad Autónoma de México. El Simposio invitaba a los participantes a re-pensar sobre las teorías en torno a la política social... parece claro que siguen siendo vigentes dos modelos, uno universalista que sitúa al Estado en el centro del aprovisionamiento social y otro que da una mayor voz al mercado. ¿Desde el punto de vista teórico, dónde estamos exactamente y cómo hemos llegado hasta aquí?
Guy Standing introduces what he calls the precariat – a growing number of people across the world living and working precariously, usually in a series of short-term jobs, without recourse to stable occupational identities or careers, stable social protection or protective regulations relevant to them.
UNRISD E-Bulletin Issue 6, "Meet a Researcher" interview with Laura Rival, lecturer in Anthropology and Development at the University of Oxford.
Laura Rival, who is a lecturer in Anthropology and Development at the University of Oxford, argues that green economy must re-embed economics within the bounds of nature. A new type of economics is needed for this, one that is based on a combination of indigenous and scientific knowledge.
La sociedad civil organizada es un factor importante para el cambio social. Agosto 2011 (Entrevista con Rosalba Casas. Directora IIS de la UNAM)
Utilizando la legislación contra la discriminación racial. Agosto 2011 (Entrevista con Manuel Góngora. Investigador Invitado en UNRISD)
La sociedad civil organizada es un factor importante para cambiar la sociedad (una entrevista con Rosalba Casas) Agosto 2011 ES
Amalia Palma y Claudia Robles trabajan como asistentes de investigación en la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe. Ellas participan en la conferencia “Economía Verde y Desarrollo Sostenible: Recuperando la Dimensión Social”, organizada por UNRISD en Octubre de 2011, con la ponencia “Lo verde y lo social: cuan lejos, cuan cerca en América Latina?” Ellas hablan sobre los retos que la economía verde debe afrontar en América Latina.
Amalia Palma and Claudia Robles are research assistants for the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. They are presenting their paper on The Green and the Social: how far, how close in Latin America? at the UNRISD conference Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Bringing Back the Social Dimension in October 2011. They talk to UNRISD about the challenges facing the green economy in Latin America.
Armando De Negri Filho is an epidemiologist and coordinator of the executive committee of the World Social Forum on Health and Social Security. We talked to him about for the need for a comprehensive approach integrating healthcare to other aspects of social protection when he was in Geneva for the World Health Organization’s annual World Health Assembly.
Researcher, author and activist Francine Mestrum has been working with UNRISD on developing ideas about Universal Social Protection. In this interview, she talks about development and solidarity in view of the recent financial crisis.
Global care chains have resulted in women migrating to more developed countries, where their status is not regularized, leaving them open to abuse. This makes it absolutely crucial to establish international conventions to ensure the rights of these transnational workers. .
UNRISD talks to Katri Pohjolainen Yap, a Senior Research Advisor from Sida about the work of UNRISD and issues facing development work
This is a round-up of the launch of UNRISD's Flagship Report on Combating Poverty and Inequality. The launch consisted of panel discussions, the morning one on the report and the afternoon one on Combating Poverty: Addressing Employment and Inequality.
Can developing countries afford social policies and can the policies be sustainable? Interview with Katja Hujo, UNRISD Research Coordinator and co-editor of the book Financing Social Policy Mobilizing Resources for Social Development, copulished with Palgrave, June 2009.
Véronique Martinez interviews Katja Hujo, UNRISD Research Coordinator and co-editor of the book Financing Social Policy about the ideas behind the book.
Nora McKeon talks about her book, The UN and Civil Society: Legitimating Global Governance-Whose Voice?, copublished by UNRISD and Zed Books in 2009. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of UN engagement with civil society, with particular attention to food and agriculture, which now lie at the heart of global governance issues.
Teresa Encanacion Tadem talks about the new UNRISD book, Global Civil Society Movements in the Philippines, which she co-authored. The book, copublished with Anvil in September 2009, focus on five global civil society movements in the Philippines and their responses to the inequities of neoliberal globalization.
This podcast discusses the results of a conference on Social Policy in the Pacific held in August 2009. UNRISD reseach project Social Policies and Development in Small States fed into this.
This is an interview with UNRISD Research Coordinator Shahra Razavi and Heinrich Böll Foundation Co-President Barbara Unmüssig in the run-up to a conference on Religion Revisited: Women's Rights and the Political Instrumentalism of Religion.