Poverty blogs
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Definitions matter – part two
8 December 2021How is it possible to monitor progress, or otherwise, towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for water and sanitation without clear definitions?
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The case for sewers
19 November 2021On World Toilet Day 2021 we take a look at the surprisingly controversial role of sewers in countering poor-quality sanitation in cities in the global South
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Digital tools amplify the voice of women in Peruvian communities
11 November 2021Perú’s ollas comunes or community-led soup kitchens – a community response to COVID-19 based on solidarity, tradition and resilience that is breaking gender norms – have embraced a hybrid way of working to ensure women’s voices are heard
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Definitions matter – part one
10 November 2021Why is it that many of the key statistics used to measure progress in development have no agreed definition – ‘city population’, ‘water availability’, ‘slum’ and ‘poverty line’ to name but a few
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Can we reduce urban poverty and inequality and achieve net zero cities?
4 October 2021This year, World Habitat Day focuses on how cities can develop practical, workable plans for a carbon-free world. Over half the world’s population live in urban areas, so it’s unsurprising that cities are responsible for 75% of carbon emissions. Anna Walnycki and Tucker Landesman explain why efforts to achieve zero carbon cities will only be successful if they simultaneously address pervasive urban poverty and inequalities
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Five pathways to deliver rapid support for a green and resilient COVID-19 recovery in the LDCs
1 October 2021Drawing on a recent situational analysis report, Ritu Bharadwaj describes transformative pathways for setting the Least Developed Countries on a path towards a just, equitable and green recovery
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Policymakers take note: climate displacement is driving millions into slavery
6 July 2021Many factors force people into slavery; but climate change as a driver is largely ignored in policy and planning
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COVID-19 in cities: pathways towards a transformative urban recovery
16 June 2021COVID19-is asymmetrical and will impact differently as poorer countries battle to gain access to vaccines. At a time of diminished budgets and resources, their needs are the highest. We can only respond if we do our work more inclusively and strategically
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Broadening the understanding and measurement of urban poverty
6 May 2021With the pandemic shining a spotlight on inequality and deprivation in cities across the global North and South, now is the time to try and understand what actually constitutes urban poverty so that funding and public services can reach those who need it most
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How small changes can make a big impact in achieving sustainable sanitation
9 December 2020Facebook guest blogger Laia Gemma García describes how the traditional pit latrine got an upgrade as part of a project in rural Tanzania
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Are India’s social protection schemes ‘future fit’?
9 October 2020COVID-19 has highlighted the value of India’s social protection schemes for the extreme poor. With some tweaking, these schemes can be true game changers
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Lima's community-organised soup kitchens are a lifeline during COVID-19
7 August 2020In Lima’s informal settlements, ollas comunes – community-led soup kitchens – are reviving strong traditions of self-organised crisis response and resilience among the urban poor.
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‘Building back better’ means ‘building back fairer’ after COVID-19
31 July 2020Karen Wong and Shahrin Mannan draw together insights from grassroots networks on moving towards a fairer world post-COVID-19
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How Dhaka's urban poor are dealing with COVID-19
1 July 2020COVID-19 presents not only a health crisis, but a food crisis for Dhaka’s poorest. Guest blogger John Taylor describes how urban poor communities have risen to the challenge
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Community-led COVID-19 response: the work of the Philippines Homeless People’s Federation
9 June 2020Based on member interviews and accounts, the Philippines Homeless People’s Federation describes how community organisations have rallied to support vulnerable groups, hit hardest by the pandemic
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COVID-19 and the sites of rights resilience
26 May 2020As we reflect on the place of human rights in the COVID-19 crisis, we should shine a light not only on ‘the state’ but on the local actors and processes that have contributed to the resilience of human rights constructs in the face of obstruction and repression
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The impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the diets of Hanoi’s urban poor
8 April 2020The urban poor in Vietnam depend heavily on informal food systems. How will COVID-19 lockdown measures impact their food security and what will be the knock-on effects for daily life?
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Making the market work for nature while helping to tackle poverty
3 March 2020Marking World Wildlife Day today (3 March), IIED is proposing a new system that would help protect biodiversity and also reduce poverty, bringing conservation and development together
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Urban poor community voices take to the stage at the World Urban Forum
19 February 2020Stories from urban poor communities inspired international audiences at the 10th World Urban Forum
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Bearing the climate burden – Bangladesh families are paying too much
20 September 2019A new report by IIED reveals how much rural households in Bangladesh are spending on repairing the damage caused by climate change. Governments and international funders need to do more to support local priorities
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Mozambique case study shows that poverty is about much more than income
29 August 2019Poverty is often defined by assessing income. But guest bloggers Sam Jones and Inge Tvedten say that using a wider lens can help to understand the social and political mechanisms that help to create and reproduce poverty
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For street vendors, finding water and toilets isn’t just a nuisance, it’s cutting into earnings
12 August 2019Guest blogger Carlin Carr argues that providing street vendors access to safe, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene resources benefits not just sellers but the wider community
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Tackling widespread hunger in cities means listening to the urban poor
5 August 2019As urban food insecurity attracts growing interest in policy debates, Cecilia Tacoli makes the case for ensuring that the views of poor urban residents both inform and shape solutions.
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The rise of Nairobi’s concrete tenement jungle
31 July 2019Guest blogger Baraka Mwau describes how the transition to ‘low-cost’ rental housing in Nairobi is unfolding
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How Bus Rapid Transit can make housing affordable to low-income households
6 June 2018A paper in the latest issue of the journal Environment and Urbanization explores how affordable public transport – via a Bus Rapid Transit system – can make housing affordable for low-income groups. David Satterthwaite describes how a roll-out of this public transit could work in Mumbai