Between the Lines

The human cost of USAID cuts in Uganda

The sudden collapse of USAID in 2025 sent shockwaves through Uganda’s HIV response and the people hardest hit are those the system was already failing. When Elon Musk br

Climate resilience and poverty reduction in Africa

As climate shocks become more frequent across East and Southern Africa, building resilience is critical to reducing poverty and improving wellbeing. In this episode of t

Who powers innovation systems in Africa?

African countries must work more closely together at regional and continental levels if they are to overcome barriers to innovation and drive sustainable development, exp

Social protection for food security and nutrition: A business case

Social protection is seen as a solution to many problems of development, including poverty, food insecurity and access to services. But we also know that social protectio

In conversation with the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

IDS was recently honoured to welcome the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr Harini Amarasuriya to mark the 60th anniversary of IDS. She shared her journey from her care

Building disability inclusive futures

Disability is very much part of the human experience, with an estimated 16% of the world’s population experiencing significant disability. Despite this, people with disab

Power and Just Transitions: Struggles for a Post Coal Future in an Appalachian Valley

A just transition is the fair and inclusive process of moving to a low-carbon, sustainable economy while ensuring workers, communities, and industries in carbon-intensive

What is Development?

The term ‘development’ has been central to global conversations for decades, but the way it is understood, practised, and questioned has shifted dramatically. We’re launc

Equity in research for development

Creating equity in research collaboration sounds straightforward - but it often isn't. Whilst everyone can agree that splitting the power, resources and benefits between

An interview with Haneen Sayed, Lebanon's Minister of Social Affairs

For the past five years Lebanon has faced crisis upon crisis including; economic collapse, the Beirut Port blast, and Israel’s war. But now the country is entering a new

Debating policy recommendations about inclusive social protection in protracted crises

Governments need to focus on local practical delivery, and people focused mechanisms, including dignity to deliver more effective social assistance in crisis contexts, ex

Breaking the silence on caste in academia

Caste isn’t just a South Asian issue — it shapes who speaks, who listens, and who is heard in academic and development spaces worldwide. In this episode of Between the Li

Between roles: Mother, student, or self?

What does it mean to navigate motherhood while pursuing a postgraduate degree? How do students balance identity, care, and academia in a world not built with them in mind

Dignity in development

The development sector proclaims that it values dignity. Yet it often breaks this promise, with people leaving encounters with charities feeling bruised and unseen. In

The empathy fix: Why poverty persists and how to change it

A poverty line of $6.85 a day, as used by the World Bank, indicates a substantial level of deprivation, impacting the lives of billions globally. Indeed, nearly half of t

Humanitarian diplomacy in a world gone mad

Humanitarian diplomacy is a broad landscape and possibly one with internal contradictions. For example, traditionally humanitarian agencies have sought to distance themse

Strategies for building solidarities for gender justice

Significant progress on gender equality has been made in past decades, but in recent years gender and sexual rights have become increasingly under threat from a global wa

Evidence for hope: The emerging sustainability revolution

Understanding and advancing how evidence can be used to inform decisions to improve people’s lives is a crucial priority for IDS. This is especially important for evidenc

Navigating uncertainty: Radical rethinking for a turbulent World

In this podcast IDS Research Fellow Shilpi Srivastava is in conversation with Professor Ian Scoones who talks about the issues in his new book Navigating uncertainty: Rad

Reimagining Social Protection

Social protection features in numerous country policies and development agency strategies, as well as in several Sustainable Development Goals. However, following more th