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Feed Informer R4D Afghanistan R4D Afghanistan Respective post owners and feed distributors 2011-02-16T15:41:39Z Feed Informer http://feed.informer.com/ http://app.feed.informer.com/widgets/M89I4RK23S Reducing Anemia Prevalence in Afghanistan: Socioeconomic Correlates and the Particular Role of Agricultural Assets R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-07-27T11:56:00Z urn:uuid:db383804-2b18-4e6b-99d4-d012e152bbcc

Production Year: 2016

Citation: Flores-Martinez, A.; Zanello, G.; Shankar, B.; Poole, N. Reducing Anemia Prevalence in Afghanistan: Socioeconomic Correlates and the Particular Role of Agricultural Assets. PLoS ONE (2016) 11 (6) e0156878. [DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156878]

Summary: This research aims to examine the socio-economic correlates of anemia in women, and potential sources of iron in household diets in Afghanistan. It also examines whether ownership of agricultural (particularly livestock) assets and their use in food production has a role in alleviating anaemia, especially where local markets may be inadequate.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/213337/Default.aspx National Disaster Management Authorities (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1359) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-05-16T08:26:00Z urn:uuid:003277f2-352e-2c57-240a-485384efc3d6

Production Year: 2016

Citation: Carter, B.; Pozarny, P. National Disaster Management Authorities (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1359). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2016) 14 pp.

Summary: Query: What are the models of National Disaster Management Authorities (NDMAs) in the South Asia region? How are they institutionally configured and what are their roles and responsibilities? What are the learnings on the institutional establishment of a NDMA?

Overview: Some countries in South Asia have invested in disaster management and disaster risk reduction, including through establishing a dedicated entity – often known as a national disaster management authority (NDMA) – to manage and respond to disasters. Worldwide, an increasing number of environmentally vulnerable countries have established NDMAs according to the Index for Risk Management.

 Commonly, a NDMA is a central government body with overall responsibility for coordinating disaster management preparedness, relief and recovery. Functions vary but tend to include administrative and procedural management, development of policy and legislation, and institutional support and resourcing.

 This review has found, as did a Brookings literature review by, that there are few published comparative analyses of NDMAs, either on South Asia or worldwide. This review focuses on three cases from South Asia: Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, while it also includes brief information on Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/213105/Default.aspx Effectiveness of a pay-for-performance intervention to improve maternal and child health services in Afghanistan: a cluster-randomized trial R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-05-10T12:05:00Z urn:uuid:941ae135-d80b-9d08-bb67-3b7f291435e6

Production Year: 2016

Citation: Engineer, C.Y.; Dale, E.; Anubhav Agarwal; Arunika Agarwal; Alonge, O.; Edward, A.; Gupta, S.; Schuh, H.B.; Burnham, G.; Peters, D.H. Effectiveness of a pay-for-performance intervention to improve maternal and child health services in Afghanistan: a cluster-randomized trial. International Journal of Epidemiology (2016) : [DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyv362]

Summary: Background: A cluster randomized trial of a pay-for-performance (P4P) scheme was implemented in Afghanistan to test whether P4P could improve maternal and child (MCH) services.

 Methods: All 442 primary care facilities in 11 provinces were matched by type of facility and outpatient volume, and randomly assigned to the P4P or comparison arm. P4P facilities were given bonus payments based on the MCH services provided. An endline household sample survey was conducted in 72 randomly selected matched pair catchment areas (3421 P4P households; 3427 comparison).The quality of services was assessed in 81 randomly sampled matched pairs of facilities. Data collectors and households were blinded to the intervention assignment. MCH outcomes were assessed at the cluster level.

 Results: There were no substantial differences in any of the five MCH coverage indicators (P4P vs comparison): modern contraception(10.7% vs 11.2% (P = 0.90)); antenatal care: 56.2% vs 55.6% (P = 0.94); skilled birth attendance (33.9% vs 28.5%, P = 0.17); postnatal care (31.2% vs 30.3%, P = 0.98); and childhood pentavalent3 vaccination (49.6 vs 52.3%, P = 0.41), or in the equity measures. There were substantial increases in the quality of history and physical examinations index (P = 0.01); client counselling index (P = 0.01); and time spent with patients (P = 0.05). Health workers reported limited understanding about the bonuses.

 Conclusions: The intervention had minimal effect, possibly due to difficulties communicating with health workers and inattention to demand-side factors. P4P interventions need to consider management and community demand issues.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/213064/Default.aspx Bypassing Primary Care Facilities for Childbirth: Findings from a Multilevel Analysis of Skilled Birth Attendance Determinants in Afghanistan R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-05-10T11:57:00Z urn:uuid:38388baa-3388-ee64-6e24-89ea195605c1

Production Year: 2016

Citation: Tappis, H.; Koblinsky, M.; Doocy, S.; Warren, N.; Peters, D.H. Bypassing Primary Care Facilities for Childbirth: Findings from a Multilevel Analysis of Skilled Birth Attendance Determinants in Afghanistan. Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health (2016) 61 (2) 185-195. [DOI: 10.1111/jmwh.12359]

Summary: Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the association between health facility characteristics and other individual/household factors with a woman's likelihood of skilled birth attendance in north-central Afghanistan.

 Methods: Data from a 2010 household survey of 6879 households in 9 provinces of Afghanistan were linked to routine facility data. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to assess determinants of skilled birth attendance.

 Results: Women who reported having at least one antenatal visit with a skilled provider were 5.6 times more likely to give birth with a skilled attendant than those who did not. The odds of skilled birth attendance were 84% higher for literate women than those without literacy skills and 79% higher among women in the upper 2 wealth quintiles than women in the poorest quintile. This study did not show any direct linkages between facility characteristics and skilled birth attendance but provided insights into why studies assuming that women seek care at the nearest primary care facility may lead to misinterpretation of care-seeking patterns. Findings reveal a 36 percentage point gap between women who receive skilled antenatal care and those who received skilled birth care. Nearly 60% of women with a skilled attendant at their most recent birth bypassed the nearest primary care facility to give birth at a more distant primary care facility, hospital, or private clinic. Distance and transport barriers were reported as the most common reasons for home birth.

 Discussion: Assumptions that women who give birth with a skilled attendant do so at the closest health facility may mask the importance of supply-side determinants of skilled birth attendance. More research based on actual utilization patterns, not assumed catchment areas, is needed to truly understand the factors influencing care-seeking decisions in both emergency and nonemergency situations and to adapt strategies to reduce preventable mortality and morbidity in Afghanistan.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/213061/Default.aspx Levelised Cost of Electricity: DFID 28 priority countries R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-03-29T17:50:00Z urn:uuid:d3ad26a0-c0a9-30f3-a42b-ac880b19dfd2

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Henbest, S.; Mills, L.; Orlandi, I.; Serhal, A.; Pathania, R. Levelised Cost of Electricity: DFID 28 priority countries. (2015) 21 pp.

Summary: The levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) is a common metric for comparing power generating technologies. We assess the LCOE for the UK Department of International Development's (DFID) 28 priority countries using a life-cycle project finance model, building country- and technology-specific input data for capital, operational and finance costs, according to data availability. This analysis suggests that new utility-scale wind and solar photovoltaic are, in most cases, more expensive than coal and gas-fired power in DFID's 28 priority countries. This is mainly due to a lack of experience in developing, building and financing renewable projects. While wind and solar technology will continue to get cheaper with technology innovation in manufacturing, further deployment is critical to build supply chains, reduce balance of plant and operating costs, and put downward pressure on technology and counterparty risk that currently results in high costs for commercial finance.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/212674/Default.aspx Levelised Cost of Electricity R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-03-29T16:08:00Z urn:uuid:99e94e49-541e-7b91-5991-7cd1575dd38d

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Henbest, S.; Mills, L.; Orlandi, I.; Serhal, A.; Pathania, R. Levelised Cost of Electricity. BNEF, London, UK (2015) 83 pp.

Summary:
This project is intended to provide information on the full lifecycle cost of a range of utility-scale electricity generation technologies to help DFID support developing countries in determining the most sustainable and affordable energy pathways for growth, improve energy access, highlight where and how government/donor support may be appropriately deployed to support more diverse generation, and to give private sector investors visibility of potential future opportunities. Bloomberg New Energy Finance has therefore examined levelised costs of electricity (LCOE) for major generation technologies across DFID's 28 priority countries.

This report summarises the detailed country level LCOE estimates derived by BNEF; they have been created based on a set of real-world data and assumptions that reflect project costs by technology at a single point in time. The analysis should help identify areas where country governments and donors may (or may not) need to focus interventions designed to foster greater private investment in electricity generation and ongoing economic growth.

Recognising the limitations of data availability for many of the countries considered, the report infers a number of possible high-level policy conclusions for donor organisations, national governments and the private sector:

Countries should seek a mix of generation to increase electricity independence and security of supply.

Despite dramatic reductions in the costs of wind and solar technology, support is still needed to improve renewables competitiveness in many markets. Financing, operation and capital costs can be reduced through ongoing deployment and building local experience. In particular:
 –Finance costs can be reduced by educating local banks and investors to overcome perceived technology risk and build confidence. Partnerships may be effective.
 –Capital costs can be reduced by supporting continued development of supply chains for new technologies.
 –Make use of reverse auctions or other competitive tendering to ensure efficient price discovery and market development.

Government and the private sector should be helped to realise the potential of small hydro, where resources are available.

Government or donor finance should not be necessary for gas-fired power generation in most countries, but there may be scope for donor finance where electricity supply is significantly constrained (although the fundamental barriers to investment should be considered).

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/212669/Default.aspx Briefing Note: Urbanisation-Construction-Migration Nexus in Five Cities in South Asia R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-03-11T10:43:00Z urn:uuid:2a76790d-05ac-24cd-31f9-1fa63eedc8eb

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Kumar, S.; Fernandez, M. Briefing Note: Urbanisation-Construction-Migration Nexus in Five Cities in South Asia. LSE Enterprise, London, UK (2015) 7 pp.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202504/Default.aspx The Urbanisation-Construction-Migration Nexus in 5 Cities in South Asia R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-03-10T16:13:00Z urn:uuid:39ec0a88-f980-0b6d-67d6-e65a58d750bf

Production Year: 2016

Citation: Kumar, S.; Fernandez, M. The Urbanisation-Construction-Migration Nexus in 5 Cities in South Asia. LSE, London, UK (2016) 269 pp. [Final Report PO 6425]

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202503/Default.aspx Assessing the pro-poor effect of different contracting schemes for health services on health facilities in rural Afghanistan R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-03-08T11:10:00Z urn:uuid:2e543f74-f735-188d-a433-6667d5121738

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Alonge, O.; Gupta, S.; Engineer, C.; Salehi, A.S.; Peters, D.H. Assessing the pro-poor effect of different contracting schemes for health services on health facilities in rural Afghanistan. Health Policy and Planning (2015) 30 (10) 1229-1242. [DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czu127]

Summary: Background Despite progress in improving health outcomes in Afghanistan by contracting public health services through non-governmental organizations (NGOs), inequity in access persists between the poor and non-poor. This study examined the distributive effect of different contracting types on primary health services provision between the poor and non-poor in rural Afghanistan.

 Method Contracts to NGOs were made to deliver a common set of primary care services in each province, with the funding agencies determining contract terms. The contracting approaches could be classified into three contracting out types (CO-1, CO-2 and CO-3) and a contracting-in (CI) approach based on the contract terms, design and implementation. Exit interviews of patients attending randomly sampled primary health facilities were collected through systematic sampling across 28 provinces at two time points. The outcome, the odds that a client attending a health facility is poor, was modelled using logistic regression with a robust variance estimator, and the effect of contracting was estimated using the difference-in-difference approach combined with stratified analyses.

 Results The sample covered 5960 interviews from 306 health facilities in 2005 and 2008. The adjusted odds of a poor client attending a health facility over time increased significantly for facilities under CO-1 and CO-2, with odds ratio of 2.82 (1.49, 5.36) P-value 0.001 and 2.00 (1.33, 3.02) P-value 0.001, respectively. The odds ratios for those under CO-3 and CI were not statistically significantly different over time. When compared with the non-contracting facilities, the adjusted ratio of odds ratios of poor status among clients was significantly higher for only those under CO-1, ratio of 2.50 (1.32, 4.74) P-value 0.005.

 Conclusions CO-1 arrangement which allows contractors to decide on how funds are allocated within a fixed lump sum with non-negotiable deliverables, and actively managed through an independent government agency, is effective in improving equity of health services provision.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202443/Default.aspx Toward universal coverage in Afghanistan: A multi-stakeholder assessment of capacity investments in the community health worker system R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-03-08T10:22:00Z urn:uuid:5f0bc5bd-ad9b-a901-2b7c-015eb3ecf212

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Edward, A.; Branchini, C.; Aitken, I.; Roach, M.; Osei-Bonsu, K.; Arwal, S.H. Toward universal coverage in Afghanistan: A multi-stakeholder assessment of capacity investments in the community health worker system. Social Science and Medicine (2015) 145: 173-183. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.06.011]

Summary: Global efforts to scale-up the community health workforce have accelerated as a result of the growing evidence of their effectiveness to enhance coverage and health outcomes. Reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan integrated capacity investments for community based service delivery, including the deployment of over 28,000 community health workers (CHWs) to ensure access to basic preventive and curative services.

 The study aimed to conduct capacity assessments of the CHW system and determine stakeholder perspectives of CHW performance. Structured interviews were conducted on a national sample from 33 provinces and included supervisors, facility providers, patients, and CHWs. Formative assessments were also conducted with national policymakers, community members and health councils in two provinces. Results indicate that more than 70% of the NGO's provide comprehensive training for CHWs, 95% CHWs reported regular supervision, and more than 60% of the health posts had adequate infrastructure and essential commodities. Innovative strategies of paired male and female CHWs, institution of a special cadre of community health supervisors, and community health councils were introduced as systems strengthening mechanisms. Reported barriers included unrealistic and expanding task expectations (14%), unsatisfactory compensation mechanisms (75%), inadequate transport (69%), and lack of commodities (40%).

 Formative assessments evidenced that CHWs were highly valued as they provided equitable, accessible and affordable 24-h care. Their loyalty, dedication and the ability for women to access care without male family escorts was appreciated by communities. With rising concerns of workforce deficits, insecurity and budget constraints, the health system must enhance the capacity of these frontline workers to improve the continuum of care. The study provides critical insight into the strengths and constraints of Afghanistan's CHW system, warranting further efforts to contextualize service delivery and mechanisms for their support and motivation.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202439/Default.aspx State legitimacy in Afghanistan and the role of the international community (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1068) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-02-22T16:06:00Z urn:uuid:3466b9ab-d9bb-928d-0027-706f4f009c23

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Herbert, S. State legitimacy in Afghanistan and the role of the international community (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1068). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2014) 13 pp.

Summary: Query: What does the literature identify as the main factors that support or undermine the legitimacy of the Afghan state? What evidence is there that the international community has influenced state legitimacy in Afghanistan over the past 12 years? What opportunities (and risks) are there for the international community to support state legitimacy in Afghanistan?

Summary: The literature identified through this rapid literature review highlighted a number of factors that support or undermine the legitimacy of the Afghan state, including: local governance structures; corruption; service delivery; legitimising ideologies of the Afghan state; accountability deficits; and the 2001 Bonn Agreement.

 In terms of evidence of international community influence on state legitimacy, three areas of focus are explored: international community delivering on state-building and peace-building promises; balancing output- and input-based sources of legitimacy; and examples from donor funded development projects in Afghanistan.

 In terms of opportunities and risks of supporting state legitimacy in Afghanistan, three issues are identified: transition to Afghan ownership in 2014; supporting governance related projects; and risks of externally driven state-building.

 The rapid literature review conducted for this query revealed a large literature base exploring the factors that have influenced the legitimacy of the Afghan state since 2001. Much of this is found in journals (both in policy- and practitioner-oriented journals, and academic journals) and think-tank publications (largely on conflict or Western policy). The literature tends to focus more on military issues and international dimensions, with a smaller focus on state-building, development and humanitarian aspects. The state-building literature offers fewer references possibly as there has been limited work on legitimacy as an object of study (Mcloughlin, 2013).

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202383/Default.aspx Cost of elections in fragile states (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1070) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-02-22T15:52:00Z urn:uuid:6e650b91-58ee-fa8c-d58c-e1361b2ff168

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Rohwerder, B. Cost of elections in fragile states (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1070). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2014) 8 pp.

Summary: Query: Please provide a comparison of how much national elections (Presidential and Parliamentary) have cost per capita in fragile states since 2000.

Overview: There is limited literature available on this topic. A lot of the information that is available only provides the cost of certain elements of the election, mainly in relation to voter registration. In addition, there appear to be inconsistencies in the costings provided by the available sources.

 The most comprehensive source currently available is "CORE: A Global Survey on the Cost of Registration and Elections", produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). It is a guide to election processes relating to registration and cost of elections around the world, including examples from conflict-affected and fragile states.

 The report includes case studies of Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Iraq, Libya and Sierra Leone.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202381/Default.aspx Supporting local governance in protracted conflicts (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1119) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-01-19T15:42:00Z urn:uuid:f84f3c02-75a6-fb5e-baeb-de3701aab151

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Strachan, A. Supporting local governance in protracted conflicts (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1119). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2014) 9 pp.

Summary: Query: Please provide examples of successful interventions to support the delivery of services by local governments and administrations in areas where there is a protracted conflict?

Overview: Successful interventions to support the delivery of services by local governments and administrations have been undertaken in a number of countries, including Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia and Sudan. The majority of these interventions fall into the community-based approaches category. These are often used in areas where there is no effective local government or where supporting local government is considered undesirable. Where direct support is provided to local governments to enable or improve service delivery in areas of protracted conflict, it is often used as a way to enhance state legitimacy.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202264/Default.aspx Capacity development at the national level in fragile and conflict-affected states (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1127) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2016-01-19T14:52:00Z urn:uuid:287e2516-7261-478b-51cf-c914547b9d8b

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Lucas, B. Capacity development at the national level in fragile and conflict-affected states (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1127). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2014) 15 pp.

Summary: Query: What is the current thinking on best practice in capacity development for national-level government institutions in fragile and conflict-affected states? Identify common forms of support for capacity development provided by donors as well as innovative approaches being trialled, and evaluations of programmes where available. What are the key lessons learned? Afghanistan is of particular interest.

Overview: There is a clear international consensus on desirable principles for capacity development in fragile states, which include country ownership, use of country systems, improvements to technical assistance and training, adapting initiatives to local contexts, a focus on adaptive and flexible approaches, a focus on results, improved coordination, and a focus on a clear set of priority sectors. Capacity development has been recognised as central to peace-building and state-building in important international policy statements including the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States.

 In practice, capacity development is a difficult problem even in stable situations, and is even more difficult in fragile situations. Power and politics in fragile states are less orderly, the shadow or informal state can take on a more pervasive and powerful role, capacity deficits can be large due to damage to physical infrastructure and the social fabric, and chronic instability and crises can distract from the long-term perspective of capacity development.

 Technical assistance and training remain very common approaches to capacity development in fragile states, despite significant doubts that have been raised in recent years about their effectiveness. Notable innovative approaches that have been successfully deployed in Afghanistan and other fragile contexts include an increased emphasis on adaptive, flexible, and incremental approaches, and on South-South and triangular cooperation.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202261/Default.aspx Women and Extremism: the Association of Women and Girls with Jihadi Groups and Implications for Programming R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-12-21T14:20:00Z urn:uuid:cd8a4dff-1fae-6b8e-5449-caa831f20d22

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Ladbury, S. Women and Extremism: the Association of Women and Girls with Jihadi Groups and Implications for Programming. (2015) 69 pp.

Summary:
Women are typically portrayed as either the victims of ideologically based violence or as positive agents of moderation. The purpose of this study is to review the evidence on the role of women in violence and particularly in acts of terrorism. The report reviews evidence from selected jihadi groups that use violence in Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq.

Understanding women's and girls' perspectives and motivations is critical in order to explain why some women support organisations that use extreme violence and which do not treat women as equals. More pragmatically we need to increase our understanding of the different types of relationships that women and girls have with jihadi groups in order to inform policy and make effective interventions. To date interventions aimed at preventing radicalisation have been targeted almost exclusively at men and boys; however, the growing significance of women and girls' involvement means they can no longer be ignored.

In this study we seek to acknowledge the agency of women and adopt a perspective that encompasses the range of social, political, economic, ideological and religious dimensions that, outside the feminist literature, have previously been applied only to their male counterparts.

The report draws on four main sources of data: published and UK Government literature, interviews with researchers on radicalisation, interviews with women activists and organisations, and the author's own interviews with male jihadi group members and female supporters in previous UK Government work. The report is structured around nine hypotheses under three headings: Drivers and Entry Points; Women's Role and Impact; and Lessons about What Works. It sets out its main findings in each case as well as making recommendations for the Government to follow.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202193/Default.aspx Delivering education during conflict (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1209) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-12-15T14:59:00Z urn:uuid:db727960-13b6-d439-9c2a-777f4dc5cc59

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Rohwerder, B. Delivering education during conflict (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1209). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2015) 11 pp.

Summary: Query: Summarise the available evidence on effective support to education system resilience and education service delivery during an active conflict.

Summary: Education is important for children's wellbeing, development and future prospects, as well as for a country's peace, stability and economic development; and is often a priority for those directly affected. Despite the challenges of delivering education during active conflict it is possible; and UN agencies, NGOs, and donors have supported governments, communities, and local authorities in both government and opposition/rebel controlled areas to do so.

 This rapid review summarises available evidence of support to education system resilience and education service delivery during active conflicts, including support provided by parents and communities. Information is provided from case studies of support to education in the West Bank and Gaza, Côte d'Ivoire, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Syria, including in rebel/opposition held areas.

 Save the Children's experience delivering education in conflict resulted in six principles to underpin education interventions in conflict-affected contexts: (i) community buy-in; (ii) participation; (iii) resources (physical and informational); (iv) motivation; (v) understanding; and (vi) legal accountability.

 An evaluation of community engagement in education in conflict-affected contexts found that effective support involves 12 steps, which include: (i) coordinating and collaborating; (ii) mapping and power analysis; (iii) creating social cohesion; (iv) identifying issues of concern to community-level stakeholders; (v) creating wider ownership; (vi) developing a plan; (vii) monitoring, evaluating, and ensuring accountability; (viii) carrying out a risk analysis; (ix) allowing groups to organise themselves; (x) capacity strengthening, awareness raising, and/or social behavioural change; (xi) resourcing and implementing the plan; and (xii) feeding back lessons learned to community groups.

 Challenges to supporting education in conflict, including support for community engagement, include: (i) lack of access and funding; (ii) the need for long-term commitments of time and funding; (iii) the need for a strong relationship of trust and a good understanding of context; (iv) making sure that activities do not exacerbate discrimination or prejudices or endanger community members; (v) high turnover in community education as a result of its voluntary nature; (vi) teacher motivation and recruitment; (vii) the politicisation of education; (viii) sustainability; and (ix) demonstration of impact.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202164/Default.aspx Reconciling high-altitude precipitation in the upper Indus basin with glacier mass balances and runoff R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-12-03T11:02:00Z urn:uuid:3f8f0454-dce9-1cee-be07-4202cf5a0716

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Immerzeel, W.W.; Wanders, N.; Lutz, A.F.; Shea, J.M.; Bierkens, M.F.P. Reconciling high-altitude precipitation in the upper Indus basin with glacier mass balances and runoff. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (2015) 19 (11) 4673-4687. [DOI: 10.5194/hess-19-4673-2015]

Summary: Mountain ranges in Asia are important water suppliers, especially if downstream climates are arid, water demands are high and glaciers are abundant. In such basins, the hydrological cycle depends heavily on high-altitude precipitation. Yet direct observations of high-altitude precipitation are lacking and satellite derived products are of insufficient resolution and quality to capture spatial variation and magnitude of mountain precipitation. Here we use glacier mass balances to inversely infer the high-altitude precipitation in the upper Indus basin and show that the amount of precipitation required to sustain the observed mass balances of large glacier systems is far beyond what is observed at valley stations or estimated by gridded precipitation products. An independent validation with observed river flow confirms that the water balance can indeed only be closed when the high-altitude precipitation on average is more than twice as high and in extreme cases up to a factor of 10 higher than previously thought. We conclude that these findings alter the present understanding of high-altitude hydrology and will have an important bearing on climate change impact studies, planning and design of hydropower plants and irrigation reservoirs as well as the regional geopolitical situation in general.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202091/Default.aspx Economic development in fragile and conflict-affected states: Topic guide. R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-12-01T14:17:00Z urn:uuid:b2d0f008-1a86-d562-b48d-5870c492fc8b

Production Year: 2015

Citation: McIntosh, K.; Buckley, J. Economic development in fragile and conflict-affected states: Topic guide. Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2015) 49 pp.

Summary: The complex and reinforcing relationship between fragility/conflict and economic development is widely recognised, though not entirely understood. While trend observations suggest that low economic growth increases the risk of conflict and conflict reduces economic growth, this is not the case everywhere. Even where it does hold, the characteristics of economic growth and conflict differ widely across contexts. This Topic Guide draws on lessons from programmes and case studies to explore which types of economic development interventions can be effective in FCAS and which factors have contributed to successes and failures.

 Key lessons identified by this review include the need for economic programming to: be conflict sensitive; acknowledge trade-offs between economic and peacebuilding/statebuilding objectives; focus on gender and horizontal group impacts; generate stronger evidence; and incorporate statebuilding and peacebuilding objectives into programme design and M&E frameworks. Tools for addressing these challenges are identified, as are key evidence gaps to inform further research.

 This Topic Guide focuses on the most fragile countries and countries where there are pockets of fragility. It focuses in particular on Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202074/Default.aspx Public overseas investments: ensuring respect for and protecting legitimate land tenure rights. Rapid evidence assessment R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-12-01T11:42:00Z urn:uuid:56348cf5-8eef-760e-175d-582cc62eb9e6

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Tanner, C.; Scalise, E.; Mutema, M. Public overseas investments: ensuring respect for and protecting legitimate land tenure rights. Rapid evidence assessment. Evidence on Demand, UK (2015) vii + 57 pp. [DOI: 10.12774/eod_cr.august2015.tannercetal]

Summary:
This rapid evidence assessment (REA) investigates how public overseas investments supported by developed country governments respect legitimate land tenure rights, especially in countries without a strong system for protecting existing tenure rights. The REA assesses material from the limited number of studies (20) available about donor-supported investment projects involving land. Most are from African countries, but the evidence also includes cases from Afghanistan, Guatemala and Cambodia. Agricultural projects predominate, while two cases look at the impact of road projects on local land rights. The studies suggest that:

Most foreign direct investment (FDI) actors are aware of the need to accommodate local land rights. Nevertheless, evidence from a wider body of material relating to FDI-based and private sector projects shows that most large land-based investments are failing to take into account either legitimate local rights and/or local livelihoods impacts

Where a public donor is present – either directly funding or promoting a project – and is advocating the use of instruments, like the FAO Voluntary guidelines on the good governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests (VGGT) and the Principles for responsible investments in agriculture and food systems (RAI), investment projects can include effective mitigation measures and/or be designed to produce real benefits for those holding legitimate rights over the land used

Inclusive business and investment models (i.e. models which engage communities fully and allow sharing of the investment benefits while respecting community land needs) are available which bring local people fully into the project process and turn it into an opportunity for social development and life-enhancing changes

Donors must be fully informed about legitimate local rights at the design and appraisal stages of new projects, and cannot assume that government or private sector partners will rigorously adhere to agreed approaches

There is a need for more research into how projects, funded or supported by donors, can be designed and implemented to ensure respect for and protect legitimate local tenure rights. In this context there are some 'sub-issues' which come to the fore:
 - Some of the less robust evidence used in the REA merits more rigorous research to either confirm the points made and/or provide policy makers with greater understanding of how to address them (e.g. does titling facilitate easier private sector access, and are 'responsible' investors really not respecting guidelines?)
 - Research on the broader issue of publicly funded projects should also pay more attention to the gender and women's rights dimension of such investments, and the intergenerational dynamics of land deals.

This report has been produced for Evidence on Demand with the assistance of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) contracted through the Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Livelihoods Professional Evidence and Applied Knowledge Services (CEIL PEAKS) programme, jointly managed by DAI (which incorporates HTSPE Limited) and IMC Worldwide Limited.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/202070/Default.aspx "90% real" - The rise and fall of a rentier economy: Stories from Kandahar, Afghanistan. SLRC Working Paper 38 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-11-23T16:08:00Z urn:uuid:50b7898f-453f-f75c-a497-ab2fffd705f0

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Minoia, G.; Pain, A. "90% real" - The rise and fall of a rentier economy: Stories from Kandahar, Afghanistan. SLRC Working Paper 38. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 32 pp.

Summary: This study started as an enquiry into the employment opportunities rural migrants have found on the informal margins of Kandahar's urban economy. It broadened into a more general investigation into the rise and fall of the city's economy since 2001, including interviews with businessmen and others familiar with the reconstruction boom the city experienced. The study focuses on three sub-sectors of the street vendor economy: the selling of tarpaulins, clothes and mobile phones. Many of the vendors are migrants from Kandahar's rural districts, often landless, driven out by insecurity and a lack of employment owing to drought. In the boom years, being a street vendor provided a significantly better living than people had had before. But now times are harder, insecurity is greater and there has been a general economic downturn. In addition, people face major risks as the police see vendors as a potential security threat and the municipality treats them as illegal. This paper examines the drivers behind the vendors' move into the urban economy, the barriers to being able to prosper, and the troubled relationship with the city authorities.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201994/Default.aspx Taking village context into account in Afghanistan. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 17 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-11-23T15:43:00Z urn:uuid:41167f8a-14c8-cbf7-23af-64caffdcc3bf

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Pain, A.; Sturge, G. Taking village context into account in Afghanistan. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 17. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 4 pp.

Summary: Afghan villages must not be treated all the same when designing, implementing and evaluating interventions, argue the authors of this report. This briefing paper summarises the findings of a study on variations in performance of customary village government in Afghanistan. It suggests five key factors that could play a vital part in grouping villages that are similar so as to tailor more effective interventions; highlights the importance of paying more attention to the ways in which new structures are incorporated into older customary arrangements; and explores how village elites need to be worked with in different ways according to whether they work towards the common good or not.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201991/Default.aspx Conflict and Private Enterprise Activity in Low-Income Countries R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-10-09T18:13:00Z urn:uuid:1096ce21-b5d3-8f8f-807c-c36fb40b4eb8

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Ciarli, T.; Kofol, C.; Menon, C.; Di Maio, M.; Langlotz, S.; Salgado, E. Conflict and Private Enterprise Activity in Low-Income Countries. CEPR, London, UK (2015) 3 pp.

Summary: Violent conflict has numerous negative effects on private entrepreneurial activity and, as a consequence, on economic development. We show that even when we observe resilience of entrepreneurial activities in countries experiencing conflict (entrepreneurship increases with conflict), this is a sign of regressive structural change: a country moves towards low capital intensive and subsistence activities. However, entrepreneurial resilience may work as a foundation for post conflict reconstruction and economic development.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201777/Default.aspx Business as unusual. An explanation of the increase of private economic activity in high-conflict areas in Afghanistan R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-10-09T16:54:00Z urn:uuid:e1febc31-3171-6011-745d-fb34e0d42231

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Ciarli, T.; Kofol, C.; Menon, C. Business as unusual. An explanation of the increase of private economic activity in high-conflict areas in Afghanistan. (2015) 55 pp.

Summary: In this paper we use a unique dataset that combines spatial detailed information on conflict events and on households' activity, to show a positive and significant correlation between violent conflict and entrepreneurship in Afghanistan. We build spatial and IV identifications to estimate the effect of different measures of conflict on the investment in a range of private economic activities of nearby households. The results consistently show that the level of conflict, its impact, and to a lesser extent its frequency, increase the probability that a household engages in self-employment activities with lower capital intensity and in activities related to subsistence agriculture, and reduce the probability of investing in higher capital self-employment. Overall, by increasing entrepreneurship, conflict pushes the country towards a regressive structural change. However, the magnitude of most of the effects is quite small. The paper contributes to a literature that, due to data constraints and identification issues, has not yet delivered conclusive evidence.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201772/Default.aspx Financial intermediaries – Anti-money laundering allies in cash-based societies? R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-09-03T11:51:00Z urn:uuid:21b38de0-aaef-189c-5a81-45269bd096fa

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Passas, N. Financial intermediaries – Anti-money laundering allies in cash-based societies? U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, CMI, Bergen, Norway (2015) 30 pp. [U4 Issue, April 2015: No. 9]

Summary: Many informal cash-based economies run parallel financial systems that are very different to the Western banking concept. Such countries are perceived to have a high risk of money laundering. Looking at Afghanistan, Somalia, and India – where anti-money laundering efforts have yielded mixed results – this paper draws lessons from the operations of financial intermediaries. These countries are considered high risk not only for money laundering and terrorism financing, but also for corruption and political and legal concerns. The issues at hand – risk assessments for remittances, strategies of engaging on the ground, resource management, and alternatives to the existing financial networks – are also valid for other cash-based, low-income societies. In fact, informal remittance channels may provide opportunities to strengthen regulatory and governance capacities.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201542/Default.aspx State-building and human resources for health in fragile and conflict-affected states: exploring the linkages R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-09-01T16:16:00Z urn:uuid:918ac72d-287c-6a87-18f8-dafcf75462c1

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Witter, S.; Falisse, J.B.; Bertone, M.P.; Alonso-Garbayo, A.; Martins, J.S.; Salehi, A.S.; Pavignani, E.; Martineau, T. State-building and human resources for health in fragile and conflict-affected states: exploring the linkages. Human Resources for Health (2015) 13 (1) 33. [DOI: 10.1186/s12960-015-0023-5]

Summary: Human resources for health are self-evidently critical to running a health service and system. In this paper, ReBUILD researchers Sophie Witter, Alvaro Alonso-Garbayo and Tim Martineau together with their co-authors, have explored a broader issue of the contribution which health staff might play in relation to the wider state-building processes.

 Through a literature review covering many key disciplines and three case studies from Afghanistan, Burundi and Timor-Leste, they look for evidence to support, refute or adapt some possible linkages. Whilst they find that empirical evidence for most of the linkages is not strong (not surprising, given the complexity of the relationships), they argue that some of the posited relationships are plausible, including between development of health cadres and a strengthened public administration. They also find very different discourses in donor-generated literature compared to external academic studies, which tend to be more sceptical.

 They conclude that whilst the concept of state-building itself is highly contested, it remains the case that state-building does occur over time, driven by a combination of internal and external forces and that understanding the role played in it by the health system and health staff, particularly after conflicts and in fragile settings, is an area worth further investigation.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201520/Default.aspx Capacity building in the Ministry of Interior in fragile and post-conflict countries (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1219) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-09-01T12:19:00Z urn:uuid:1422ab94-e8b2-0f40-dfc6-8dd2791be674

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Lucia, E.L. Capacity building in the Ministry of Interior in fragile and post-conflict countries (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1219). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2015) 10 pp.

Summary: Query: Research and evidence on institutional capacity building in the Ministry of Interior in fragile and post-conflict countries.

Key findings: While MoI reform is crucial to the success of Security Sector Reform (SSR), as it enables management and oversight of the internal security forces, it has often been neglected by international actors and by the SSR literature. The literature reviewed here mostly analyses case studies that include Afghanistan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs).

 The case studies highlight a range of challenges and problems in the international actors' action such as organisational and political resistance, a lack of adaptation to local circumstances and a lack of coordination. The literature consistently recommends that international donors and agency should work more politically and comprehensively to deal with the social and political embeddedness of the MoI.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201506/Default.aspx Evidence review: options analysis for a regional climate change programme to deliver more effective climate services, early warning and disaster risk reduction R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-08-27T14:43:00Z urn:uuid:9832e01f-a33a-8d55-8eef-7f7c1c02a617

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Vellingiri, G.; Prasad, K.; Wade, S.; Lumbroso, D.; Oakley, T.; Viswanathan, K.R.; Dugar, S.; Dashora, L.; Sogani, R.; Joshi, M.; Fakhruddin, S.H.M.; Hanif, M.; Clements, R. Evidence review: options analysis for a regional climate change programme to deliver more effective climate services, early warning and disaster risk reduction. Evidence on Demand, UK (2015) vi + 159 pp. [DOI: 10.12774/eod_cr.june2015.vellingirigetal]

Summary:
DFID is seeking to understand the state of climate information and services in South Asia, and considering possible intervention options aimed at strengthening the gathering, use and application of weather and climate information across the region for better decision making and responses around weather and climate risks. This scoping work aims to identify where DFID could build on other relevant initiatives globally and regionally, providing a step change in the use of climate information to support poverty reduction and promote socio-economic development, with a particular focus on protecting poor and vulnerable communities, especially women and girls. Proposed options will be orientated by the range of interests, needs and demands from across the DFID Asia Regional Team's core countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh), Burma and South East Asia (where there is a strong case for doing so). Likewise, the options will focus on where the opportunities (i.e. best returns) are greatest for DFID to engage on: (i) information delivery (ii) communications (iii) regional coordination/cooperation (iv) decision making/responses.

This report provides a literature review of the current state of climate services in South Asia, user needs, and current and future capacity to produce and deliver timely, accurate and relevant climate information and services. The evidence review focuses on climate services in the five sectors that align with the priority areas identified under the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS 2015). Primarily, food security and agriculture, water and disaster risk reduction, followed to a lesser extent by energy and health. Supplementary evidence was gathered during telephone and email consultations with DFID regional and country teams, users of climate information, climate service providers, academic institutions, government departments and ministries, private sector entities, NGOs, UN agencies, development banks, bilateral and multilateral organisations, regional and inter-governmental agencies and others.

Based on an assessment of major gaps and opportunities, the report sets out a preliminary prioritisation of intervention options for the proposed regional programme. This prioritisation was carried out at the request of DFID and will be further tested and explored with stakeholders during the workshops and consultations to take place during the subsequent phase of this scoping study. [See the Stakeholder analysis]

This report has been produced by Practical Action and the UK Met Office for Evidence on Demand with the assistance of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) contracted through the Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Livelihoods Professional Evidence and Applied Knowledge Services (CEIL PEAKS) programme, jointly managed by DAI (which incorporates HTSPE Limited) and IMC Worldwide Limited.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201495/Default.aspx Stakeholder analysis: options analysis for a regional climate change programme to deliver more effective climate services, early warning and disaster risk reduction R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-08-27T14:33:00Z urn:uuid:65aa0e4d-f2a8-5030-abfd-1c13362cc947

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Clements, R.; Lumbroso, D.; Prasad, K.; Vellingiri, G.; Viswanathan, K.R.; Wade, S.; Joshi, M.; Hanif, M.; Dugar, S.; Dashora, L. Stakeholder analysis: options analysis for a regional climate change programme to deliver more effective climate services, early warning and disaster risk reduction. Evidence on Demand, UK (2015) x + 145 pp. [DOI: 10.12774/eod_cr.august2015.clementsretal]

Summary:
DFID is seeking to understand the state of climate information and services in South Asia and has commissioned a scoping study to identify possible intervention options aimed at strengthening the gathering, use and application of climate information across the region for better decision making and responses.

The first phase of the scoping study entailed an Evidence Review of current literature on the state of climate services in South Asia in order to identify demand-side needs, as well as current and future capacity to produce and deliver timely, accurate and relevant climate services. Supplementary evidence was gathered through telephone and email consultations with DFID regional and country teams and a diverse range of users, providers and intermediaries of climate information.

Based on an assessment of major gaps and opportunities on the supply and demand sides, broad intervention options for the regional programme were prioritised by identifying the most significant and on-going obstacles to strengthening climate services in South Asia based on the views and evidence sourced through the literature review and initial stakeholder interviews. These intervention options were tested and explored with over 165 stakeholders through four in-country workshops in Bangladesh, Burma, India and Pakistan, as well as face-to-face discussions and telephone interviews. Workshops planned in Afghanistan and Nepal were replaced with telephone interviews due to the recent earthquake event in Nepal and security issues in Kabul.

Building on the findings of the Evidence Review, this report begins by providing a detailed mapping of users and their requirements for climate information and services across priority sectors (section 2.1), a description of priorities cited by stakeholders and potential intervention options to meet these (section 2.2), as well as a country gap analysis (section 2.3) and an assessment of those regional actors DFID would be well-placed to partner with (section 3). This information has been used to refine the intervention options and to work up the overall outline and details of a regional climate services programme in South Asia; consisting of key objectives, outputs, outcomes, indicators and how these could link up to other initiatives in the region (section 4).

This report has been produced by Practical Action Consulting and the UK Met Office for Evidence on Demand with the assistance of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) contracted through the Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Livelihoods Professional Evidence and Applied Knowledge Services (CEIL PEAKS) programme, jointly managed by DAI (which incorporates HTSPE Limited) and IMC Worldwide Limited.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201494/Default.aspx Politics and governance in Afghanistan: The case of Kandahar. SLRC Working Paper 34 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-07-21T13:56:00Z urn:uuid:29dcb0ed-45ff-f772-991b-264018467e2e

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Jackson, A. Politics and governance in Afghanistan: The case of Kandahar. SLRC Working Paper 34. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 35 pp.

Summary: This paper examines subnational governance and access to public goods in Kandahar, Afghanistan. In Kandahar, relationship-based networks regulate nearly every aspect of political and social order, including access to justice, employment and participation in the economy. The paper seeks to understand the power relations at play, attempting to separate how government functions in reality from narratives created by the international community about how government should function. This paper is the second in a series of case studies undertaken by the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI).

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201347/Default.aspx Mapping village variability in Afghanistan: the use of cluster analysis to construct village typologies. SLRC Working Paper 32 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-05-19T15:27:00Z urn:uuid:510f8137-042c-4745-0d7e-5d6a90b29a24

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Pain, A.; Sturge, G. Mapping village variability in Afghanistan: the use of cluster analysis to construct village typologies. SLRC Working Paper 32. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, London, UK (2015) v + 53 pp.

Summary:
This study examines the variability of village 'behaviour' in Afghanistan and whether or not this can be characterised more systematically in order to guide programming according to context and to account for villages' development experience. The rationale for the research draws from a wide body of empirical evidence, which has found significant differences between villages with respect to their capacity to generate public goods. Key public goods that villages can generate are seen to be a capacity to support dispute resolution, ensure security and provide basic welfare for inhabitants.

This paper seeks to makes the case that it is possible to construct village typologies, identify the basic features that might underlie different village types, and show that village preconditions do vary and that there are patterns to this variation that can be characterised.

The findings from this paper also indicate that key factors to take account of in grouping villages that are similar or dissimilar would include:

altitude, grouping villages into higher and lower altitude according to location;

land ownership distribution patterns and the degree of concentration of irrigated land ownership;

the identity of customary authority in the village and how this is linked to land ownership;

village ethnic identities in relation to surrounding villages;

the history of public goods provision in the village and its effects.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/201034/Default.aspx A rapid desk study: Afghanistan – current status and future prospects for the construction sector R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-04-24T12:22:00Z urn:uuid:e29402a3-c8d5-ec5a-d144-bed8363c7dfb

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Ghiorghis, T.G. A rapid desk study: Afghanistan – current status and future prospects for the construction sector. Evidence on Demand, UK (2014) iii + 21 pp. [DOI: 10.12774/eod_hd.december2014.ghiorghistg]

Summary:
The construction sector in Afghanistan has been one of the main beneficiaries of the huge investment made on civilian and military projects in the last decade by the international community. During this period, many military bases were constructed, thousands of kilometres of roads have been constructed and rehabilitated, numbers of schools and health facilities have increased significantly and improvements have been made to all other infrastructures such water, power, irrigation schemes etc. The GDP of the country has quadrupled since 2002.

Currently, Afghanistan is in transition. Presence of foreign troops and international NGOs is decreasing. The decrease in foreign military presence and the transfer of responsibility for the security of the country to the Government is creating significant uncertainties in all sectors of the Afghan economy. This is true in the construction sector which is facing serious problems as demand decreases resulting in significant layoffs and a downward decline of unit rates.

To mitigate the situation, the construction sector has to shift from donor financed projects to more sustainable market based initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to identify and propose market based sustainable schemes to lessen the impact of reduced demand for the sector. The proposed actions should also enable broad based and inclusive participation of the different parts of the society and creation of significant job opportunities.

This report has been produced for Evidence on Demand with the assistance of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) contracted through the Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Livelihoods Professional Evidence and Applied Knowledge Services (CEIL PEAKS) programme, jointly managed by DAI (which incorporates HTSPE Limited) and IMC Worldwide Limited.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200920/Default.aspx Conflict, Transition And Development: Peeling the Onion. Social Regulation of the Onion Market, Nangarhar, Afghanistan R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-03-04T16:09:00Z urn:uuid:b0cfa6d9-7fa0-fa2b-1f91-516242f34498

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Minoia, G.; Wamiqullah Mumatz; Pain, A. Conflict, Transition And Development: Peeling the Onion. Social Regulation of the Onion Market, Nangarhar, Afghanistan. Economic and Political Weekly (2015) 50 (9)

Summary: Afghanistan's hope that market-driven agriculture will ensure its economic transformation demonstrates a wilful disregard of the links between the economic and political marketplaces in the country, and the pervasive rent-seeking practices of informal and formal power holders. This paper, based on a study of the onion markets in Nangarhar, a south-eastern province, reports on how an agricultural commodity market works in practice, and the ways in which social relationships regulate access to it. It is not access to credit and market information that constrains growth, as aid agencies seem to believe, but the practices of a trade elite that largely operates on informal credit and relationships of trust based on close personal networks.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200516/Default.aspx Dataset for the Helmand Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (HMEP) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-02-24T15:27:00Z urn:uuid:63fb8677-a176-5281-897b-2ebb796b5503

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Coffey International Development. Dataset for Helmand Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (HMEP). Coffey International Development, London, UK (2015)

Summary:
The Helmand Monitoring and Evaluation Programme generated quarterly data from a sample of Helmandis over a four year period from October 2010 to September 2014. The survey asked questions about respondents' demographics as well as their attitudes towards public service delivery and perceptions of government legitimacy. Although the survey was designed to be as representative as possible, it has greater value as a comparison of attitudes from a cross-section of the Helmandi population over time.

The data released to the public has been modified to ensure respondent confidentiality. This is particularly important as certain questions ask sensitive information such as participation in illegal activities or support for the Taliban. As such, some demographic variables have been put into bands, other variables have been top-coded, and still others have been removed from the dataset entirely. A small number of cases representing a minority group of language speakers have been removed as well.

The HMEP survey and datasets were developed by Coffey International Ltd, a professional services firm with expertise in international development. They were prepared for the Department for International Development and the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Helmand. Enquiries about the dataset can be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com.

The dataset is appended to this record as zipped files in csv format together with codebooks for the variables and the values used and also an xml document containing the metadata on variable and value labels.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200480/Default.aspx Lessons from Female Engagement Teams (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1186) R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-02-05T10:56:00Z urn:uuid:a6ba6cae-a085-fa16-e508-619efbce9a60

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Rohwerder, B. Lessons from Female Engagement Teams (GSDRC Helpdesk Research Report 1186). Governance and Social Development Resource Centre, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK (2015) 13 pp.

Summary: Query: What are the lessons on what worked well with the use of military Female Engagement Teams (both U.K. and U.S.) and what were the main challenges?

Overview: Female Engagement Teams (FETs), made up of female soldiers, have been used by International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) to engage with women in Afghanistan. This rapid review looks at the open source evidence on the lessons for what worked well with the use of FETs and what were the main challenges. This includes: lessons on impact and effectiveness; selection and assessment; training; and integration and employment.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200301/Default.aspx The informal regulation of the onion market in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 10 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-02-05T10:29:00Z urn:uuid:ea0b930b-ddde-33b7-3fff-52a8ad69730d

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Minoia, G.; Wamiqullah Mumatz; Pain, A. The informal regulation of the onion market in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 10. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 3 pp.

Summary: This briefing paper is based on a study on the onion market which investigates how one agricultural commodity market works and the ways in which social relationships govern access to the market in terms of information, credit, trading costs, returns and risks.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200299/Default.aspx Politics and Governance in Afghanistan: Nangarhar Province. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 9 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-02-05T10:00:00Z urn:uuid:f40e962e-6d58-6a5e-9cce-c309d4e94e5a

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Jackson, A. Politics and Governance in Afghanistan: Nangarhar Province. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 9. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 4 pp.

Summary: This briefing paper seeks to comprehend the local context and highlight the shortcomings of development and governance interventions in Afghanistan, Nangarhar. In an effort to understand the power relations at play, it explores subnational governance and access to public goods.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200298/Default.aspx Labour markets, social inequality and the tailors of Kabul. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 8 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2015-02-05T09:50:00Z urn:uuid:a756301a-9ce1-f59c-9bd6-1a076f6c6a69

Production Year: 2015

Citation: Mallett, R.; Pain, A. Labour markets, social inequality and the tailors of Kabul. SLRC Briefing Paper No. 8. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK (2015) 4 pp.

Summary: The creation of good jobs in fragile and conflict-affected situations is widely seen to generate not just wealthier economies, but also safer societies and more legitimate states. However, much of the thinking in this area is dominated by technical approaches more concerned with balancing out supply and demand than with serious analysis of the role of institutions, identity and power in mediating access to opportunities.

 This study is about understanding how labour markets actually work in insecure and dynamic contexts. It does so through an analysis of the experiences of young women and men working in the tailoring sector of Kabul, Afghanistan. Tailoring employs more women than any other sector in urban Afghanistan, and it is also the fourth largest employer of men living in urban areas. It therefore offers an ideal opportunity for gendered labour market analysis.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/200297/Default.aspx Postgraduate Education in Nutrition in South Asia: A Huge Mismatch Between Investments and Needs R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2014-12-02T15:07:00Z urn:uuid:08e560e1-9aad-55a8-4c58-b0b0ff1e3b12

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Khandelwal, S.; Paul, T.; Haddad, L.; Bhalla, S.; Gillespie, S.; Laxminarayan, R. Postgraduate education in nutrition in south Asia: a huge mismatch between investments and needs. BMC Medical Education (2014) 14 (1) 3. [DOI: 10.1186/1472-6920-14-3]

Summary: Background Despite decades of nutrition advocacy and programming, the nutrition situation in South Asian countries is alarming. We assume that modern training in nutrition at the post graduate level is an important contributor to building the capacity of individuals to think and act effectively when combating undernutrition. In this context, this paper presents a regional situation analysis of master's level academic initiatives in nutrition with a special focus on the type of programme we think is most likely to be helpful in addressing undernutrition at the population level: Public Health Nutrition (PHN). Methods This situational analysis of Masters in nutrition across South Asian countries viz. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan was conducted using an intensive and systematic Internet search. Further, detailed information was extracted from the individual institute websites and library visits. Results Of the131 master's degree programmes we identified one that was in PHN while another 15 had modules in PHN. Most of these universities and institutions were found in India with a few in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. In the rest of the countries, neither nutrition nor PHN emerged as an academic discipline at the master's level. In terms of eligibility Indian and Sri Lankan programmes were most inclusive, with the remaining countries restricting eligibility to those with health qualifications. On modules, no country had any on nutrition policy or on nutrition's interactions with agriculture, social protection, water and sanitation or women's empowerment. Conclusion If a strong focus on public health nutrition is key to reducing undernutrition, then the poor availability of such courses in the region is cause for concern. Nutrition master's courses in general focus too little on the kinds of strategies highlighted in the recent Lancet series on nutrition. Governments seeking to accelerate declines in undernutrition should incentivize the delivery of postgraduate programmes in nutrition and Public Health Nutrition (PHN) that reflect the modern consensus on priority actions. In the absence of PHN type programmes, the competence to scale up nutrition capacity is likely to be impaired and the human potential of millions of infants will continue to be squandered.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/199876/Default.aspx The social life of the onion: the informal regulation of the onion market in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. SLRC Working Paper 26 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2014-12-01T08:36:00Z urn:uuid:0c0db4f1-e9d2-74c7-18a4-e49b8904a10c

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Minoia, G.; Wamiqullah Mumatz; Pain, A. The social life of the onion: the informal regulation of the onion market in Nangarhar, Afghanistan. SLRC Working Paper 26. Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, ODI, London, UK (2014) 34 pp.

Summary: Onion production in Afghanistan has been expanding rapidly and is seen as a potential alternative crop to opium poppy, offering comparable financial returns. It is precisely this type of high-value vegetable crop which could drive agricultural growth in Afghanistan. Though there are many obstacles that keep rural livelihoods constrained, this paper finds that poor access to credit is not one of them - informal credit schemes based on social and political networks are readily available, in contradiction to the Comprehensive Agriculture and Rural Development Facility's assumption. So what is holding back the Afghan onion? This paper finds out.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/199846/Default.aspx Final Report. Scoping the Need for Improved Access to Funding, Advisory Support and Business Skills Development for SMEs in Afghanistan R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2014-10-14T09:13:00Z urn:uuid:67e9b57c-2bc1-dc66-17f8-7a8d1fbc0969

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Coffey International Development. Final Report. Scoping the Need for Improved Access to Funding, Advisory Support and Business Skills Development for SMEs in Afghanistan. Coffey International Development, London, UK (2014) 131 pp.

Summary:
This scoping study was undertaken to examine the key challenges, opportunities and effectiveness in funding small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and providing advisory support and business skills development in Afghanistan. This included an assessment of peer-reviewed and grey literature, including the official documents prepared by the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) and the donors, conducting in-country research, and organising stakeholder meetings and interviews to identify gaps and potential opportunities in key agriculture and non-agriculture sectors.

Following the introduction, section 2 details the methodology for undertaking desk-based and in-country research, as well as the risk management approach. Section 3 reviews the findings from the literature review and desk research; and then in-country field research involving stakeholder engagements and informant interviews. Section 4 focuses on opportunities for donor-sponsored interventions. It discusses the criteria used when selecting options, provides a menu of options, and describes these options. The final section provides an overall conclusion to the study, based on the core findings and makes recommendations to DFID regarding the options it should consider for the future.

The five options recommended for further consideration are:

Capacity building to existing or new Afghan institutions providing private sector development (PSD), financial sector development and business enabling environment support.

Capacity support to Da Afghanistan Bank, with a focus on supervision and regulation of financial sector

Support donor-managed and/or mutual guarantee schemes.

Afghanistan Business Innovation Fund (ABIF) 2.

Stocktaking exercise to understand needs of microenterprises and women.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/197543/Default.aspx Secure Access in Volatile Environments. Improving the evidence base on delivering aid in highly insecure environments: Summary Inception Report. R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2014-08-07T14:15:00Z urn:uuid:6916f4f5-48f1-2989-b635-883fa3426c65

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Humanitarian Outcomes; GPPi. Secure Access in Volatile Environments. Improving the evidence base on delivering aid in highly insecure environments: Summary Inception Report. (2014) 31 pp.

Summary:
Secure Access in Volatile Environments (SAVE) is a three-year programme of applied research on maintaining humanitarian access in the world's most challenging operational contexts. The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to solutions for providing effective and accountable humanitarian action amid high levels of insecurity. This will be achieved through improving the evidence base with primary research and producing new practical guidance.

The research programme will be implemented through three linked components:

(1) access: quantifying and mapping humanitarian coverage in relation to security conditions;

(2) effectiveness: identifying the key determinants for enabling quality aid interventions amid insecurity; and

(3) monitoring and evaluation: providing practical lessons and guidance for improved learning and accountability in the most challenging environments.

The research programme will be sequenced with the research on access and security (Component 1) initiated first. The goal of Component 1 is to derive quantitative measures of humanitarian presence and coverage and to model how these change in relation to changing levels of insecurity, as defined by the incidence of targeted attacks on civilian aid operations. The evidence base constructed in Component 1 will help inform Components 2 and 3. The latter two components will be initiated in parallel within six months of the start of implementation.

The goal of Component 2 is to comparatively assess the practical modalities by which different types of humanitarian actors seek to most effectively and responsibly deliver aid to needy populations in highly insecure settings. It will examine the range of aid agency types, approaches and delivery models. The component will explore two over-arching research questions: what works best in obtaining access in the most insecure environments, and what works best in delivering quality aid in situations of reduced oversight and control.

The third area of research, monitoring and evaluation, acknowledges that insecure environments pose a number of interrelated challenges to the goals of assessing performance and increasing accountability to beneficiaries and donors. Component 3 will work with a small number of aid organisations and/or joint monitoring initiatives ('learning partners') as well as conducting wider global analysis, to identify priority monitoring and evaluation challenges. It aims to contribute to donors' and aid organisations' decision-making regarding the principles and good practices for monitoring and evaluation in highly insecure environments, including strategies to increase the sharing of findings and lessons learned.

Humanitarian Outcomes, in partnership with the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi), will work with technical experts, research partners and aid agencies to conduct operationally driven and field-based research. Field research will be carried out in four case study countries: Afghanistan, Somalia (focusing on South Central Somalia and northeast Kenya), South Sudan and Syria. These represent the four most violent contexts for aid workers in 2012, where humanitarian actors have faced major access challenges in attempting to respond to severe humanitarian needs (AWSD, 2013). The field research will be complemented by a global-level contextual analysis, covering a large number of humanitarian settings with varying degrees of insecurity.

The research will address a significant deficit in quantitative data and methodological rigor in the debates around humanitarian access in highly insecure environments. The methods to address the research questions build on the study team's long experience in conducting mixed methodology research on aid and security dynamics, as well as in establishing and maintaining functional datasets. Innovative methods, including new technologies, will also be used to quantify humanitarian coverage and develop models to show relationships between insecurity and humanitarian reach. To address a significant gap in knowledge on how crisis-affected populations' access to aid may be changed or compromised by insecurity, the team will conduct in-person consultations as well as remote surveying with telecommunications networks and interactive voice recording.

The SAVE research programme is complemented by an engagement, dissemination and uptake strategy. The strategy recognises operational aid organisations and humanitarian donors as key stakeholders and seeks to engage them throughout the research process. These stakeholders will inform and enhance the research as participant observers, and their input will be sought through a series of in-country workshops and global briefings. Component 1 will develop collaborative approaches to data collection, Component 2 will develop guidance by working with operational partners and Component 3 will engage in lesson learning with aid agencies and joint monitoring initiatives. Building from this engagement, the research team will produce rigorous evidence, to be released in 2015 and 2016. This evidence and related guidance will deepen the aid community's understanding of how to practically address the challenges of access, aid effectiveness and accountability in the most insecure environments.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/196870/Default.aspx Politics and Governance in Afghanistan: the Case of Nangarhar Province. SLRC Working Paper 16 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2014-07-08T15:13:00Z urn:uuid:c5ab76a4-229e-01f5-4822-f201e3131c3b

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Jackson, A. Politics and Governance in Afghanistan: the Case of Nangarhar Province. SLRC Working Paper 16. Overseas Development Institute, London, UK (2014) 46 pp.

Summary: The first of three case studies, this paper seeks to explore regional political dynamics and governance in Afghanistan. This research aims to look at subnational governance and access to public goods. It seeks to understand the power relations at play, attempting to separate how government functions in reality from narratives created by the international community about how governance systems should function.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/196642/Default.aspx Gender, youth and urban labour market participation: evidence from the tailoring sector in Kabul, Afghanistan. SLRC Working Paper 18 R4D Afghanistan Documents http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:39Z 2014-07-08T14:46:00Z urn:uuid:a77ff91c-e16f-7801-37dc-e176fe49ae8c

Production Year: 2014

Citation: Pain, A.; Mallett, R. Gender, youth and urban labour market participation: evidence from the tailoring sector in Kabul, Afghanistan. SLRC Working Paper 18. Overseas Development Institute, London, UK (2014) 38 pp.

Summary: This study looks at young women's and men's experiences in Kabul's tailoring labour market, with a particular focus on: (1) how young women and men acquire skills and enter the urban labour market in the first place, particularly in light of the highly gendered nature of boundaries between public and private space; (2) what the nature, terms and limits of their labour market participation look like; and (3) whether participation in that urban labour market is working for or against them (in terms of its effects on various dimensions of their wellbeing).

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Output/196640/Default.aspx Governance, Security and Justice in Fragile Conflict Affected Situations (JSRP) R4D Afghanistan Projects http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:38Z 2012-01-31T15:26:00Z urn:uuid:8b343964-db02-d2a5-8135-161477d7198a Project Status: Current

Project Objectives:
During its inception year, the consortium will produce a number of evidence papers to provide a basis for a defined programme of future research. A series of stakeholder consultations will also take place during 2011 with the objective of establishing a baseline of data that identifies critical gaps in the literature and assesses how stakeholders prioritise research needs. The JSRP aims to think creatively about the interface of research, policy and stakeholders and will approach its research from the perspective of those who live in conflict-affected situations and who are the supposed end-users of good governance policies. The way in which these end-users seek to provide justice and security is often achieved by methods that are outside - but not disconnected from - state level government and these have been termed hybrid governance structures.

The JSRP seeks to provide a better understanding of the relationship between 'official' and 'hybrid' structures and to address such questions as:

How do hybrid governance structures manifest themselves, change and develop in what are generally considered to be 'fragile' states?

What policy responses will support hybrid governance structures that are developmental and oriented towards poverty reduction?

What policies have been shown to have an adverse impact on the end-user?

Research during the operational phase of the programme aims to use a wide range of methodology including:

local-level ethnographic research of 'vernacular' poltiics

quantitative analysis of conflict and hybrid politics and the creation of new datasets

the use of new approaches such as crowd-sourcing and web-crawling

video documentation, cartoon commentaries and artistic storytelling

The consortium will undertake research in several regions, including in the following countries : Sudan, DRCongo, Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, CAR, former Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan and its neighbours.

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Project/60873/Default.aspx Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC) R4D Afghanistan Projects http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:38Z 2012-01-25T11:47:00Z urn:uuid:02410e0d-e98a-d308-be3c-92fe3aadf4b6 Project Status: Current
Project Background:
The evidence base on livelihoods, services and social protection in conflict-affected situations is patchy and extremely weak in certain places. In particular, there is:

little understanding of the relationships between service provision, legitimacy and state-building;

little evidence on the service delivery and human wellbeing outcomes of external actors' state-building and capacity development efforts in conflict-affected situations;

a lack of comparable and longitudinal research into how people are able to maintain or create secure livelihoods during and after violent conflict.

As a result, many arguments found in the academic and policy literatures are thinly evidenced, driven less by high quality research and more by received wisdoms. At the centre of SLRC's research are three core themes, developed over the course of an intensive one-year inception phase.
 1. State legitimacy: experiences, perceptions and expectations of the state and local governance in conflict-affected situations
 2. State capacity: building effective states that deliver services and social protection in conflict-affected situations
 3. Livelihood trajectories and economic activity under conflict.

Project Objectives: The Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC) aims to provide a stronger evidence base about how people make a living, educate their children, deal with illness and access other basic services in conflict affected situations (CAS). Providing better access to basic services, social protection and support to livelihoods matters for the human welfare of people affected by conflict, the achievement of development targets, such as the MDGs, and international efforts at peace and state building.

Intended Outputs:
At the heart of SLRC's research will be a survey on livelihoods and access to services, which will also explore experiences, perceptions and expectations of the state and local governance. This will be carried out on two separate occasions, once at the start of the programme, and once again at the end, thus providing a valuable longitudinal, panel-based perspective. The surveys will be complemented by in-depth qualitative research.

Developing capacity is at the core of SLRC's approach to conducting high quality research. This will be achieved through a combination of activities, including funding PhDs for students from the global south, holding training sessions and workshops, and facilitating collaboration between our partners (for the development of both northern and southern researchers).

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Project/60870/Default.aspx Delivering Effective Health Services. Health Services for the Future: A Future Health Systems Consortium Programme R4D Afghanistan Projects http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d 2016-08-26T21:04:38Z 2011-04-07T16:05:00Z urn:uuid:e21a925e-9b23-596f-a55a-8d0a1e6af833 Project Status: Current

Project Objectives:
The main purpose of the Future Health Systems (FHS) Research Programme Consortium is to generate knowledge about how health systems can improve quality of and access to basic health services to the world's poor and support effective health promotion.

This RPC will conduct scientifically rigorous research with an emphasis on learning about the prevention and treatment of communicable diseases and other critical health services such as those for maternal and child health. It will focus on understanding how new institutional arrangements and technologies, for example in diagnostics or communications, can be introduced, tested and expanded to meet the needs of the poor. Researchers will work with a range of local stakeholders who are introducing innovative interventions with a view to supporting communities to access quality and affordable health services in settings where there are disorganised systems.

The consortium's research will benefit the poor and socially marginalised groups by supporting approaches that improve the provision of information on health which will help them to make choices about the healthcare they receive and enhance the accountability of service providers to the people that they serve.

Research Questions include:
 1. Unlocking Community Capabilities: How can the wide range of resources available at the community be systematically identified and used to improve the quality and impact of health services, particularly for disadvantaged groups, in all their diversity?

 2. Stimulating Innovations: How can new technologies and organizational innovations, such as information communication technologies (m-health), and innovations in regulation, be introduced and sustained to improve the quality, coverage and affordability of health care in resource poor settings?

 3. Learning by Doing: How can models for systematic learning by doing be best used by providers, beneficiaries, officials and key local actors to improve the delivery of health services, particularly for poor and marginalized populations?

http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/Project/60804/Default.aspx


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