EndocrinologyFighting The Challenges Of Poverty
It is estimated that 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty, on less than $2 a day. In 2000, 189 nations declared that they would "free all men, women, and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty". These nations signed up to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to combat poverty by 2015. To help meet these complex challenges and "make poverty history" more knowledge and evidence is needed. A launch event Wednesday 22nd July 2009 at the Department for International Development (DFID) marks a new phase of research collaboration between the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and DFID which will provide more robust social science research to address poverty alleviation amongst the poorest countries and peoples of the world.
Focusing on the key theme of "Social Science Research for Development: Why it Matters", the launch event will provide an opportunity to hear the role of social science research in development from key speakers followed by an opportunity for questions and open discussion. The debate will then be followed by a networking drinks reception providing an opportunity to meet representatives from DFID and the ESRC, scheme award holders and commissioning panel members, members of learned societies and NGOs from the international development community.
The scheme, initially launched in 2005, has already funded ÷£13.5million of world-class research on economic development and quality of life in less developed countries which is being used to inform policy and practice for poverty reduction. This phase of funding has a total budget of ÷£23 million for research on international development. Under an overall theme of "poverty alleviation" three thematic areas have been highlighted which are of particular interest.
These highlight areas cover:
* Security, Conflict and Development; research and analysis to better understand how violent conflict and insecurity constitute a fundamental challenge to development.
* Economic Crisis, Poverty and Growth: the Implications for Development Theory and Practice; the current economic crisis is predicted to force a further 90 million people into poverty. Research is needed to revisit existing economic theory to identity interventions and policy options which will help to ensure progress towards the MDGs.
* Cities and Development Half of the world"s population already lives in cities, a third of these live in slum conditions.
The UN estimates that by 2030 the number of city inhabitants will be over five billion. New thinking and innovative research is urgently required to respond to the challenges and opportunities of these social changes.
The scheme as it is open to applications from researchers based anywhere in the world. ESRC welcomes applications from developing countries as both lead and partners in bids for research funding. As well as research excellence, all applicants will have to demonstrate that their research outputs have the potential to inform strategies to reduce poverty.
For further information on the joint ESRC/ DFID scheme please visit: http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/opportunities
Event: ESRC/DFID Joint Scheme for Research on International Development (Poverty Alleviation)
Date: Tuesday 22nd July 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: DFID, 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE
Key speakers include:
Professor Chris Whitty, Head of Research, DFID
Chris qualified in medicine from Oxford and subsequently trained in economics, law and epidemiology. He has worked as a doctor in Africa and Asia. He is consultant physician at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, chair of the Department of Health national expert panel on new and emerging infections, Director of the Malaria Centre and of the ACT consortium.
Dr Alison Evans, Director, Overseas Development Institute
Alison became ODI Director in May 2009. She is an economist working on poverty, public policy, institutional change and the role of international development assistance. She has extensive policy experience, including six years at the World Bank.
Danielle Moore
Economic & Social Research Council