Of: Kawinzi Muiu
Gender equality and the elimination of hunger are closely linked. Women and girls play a crucial role in rural development, but are hindered by structural barriers. Working with a gender perspective in conflict situations increases the effectiveness of development assistance efforts. That is why it is important to put women and gender equality at the center of humanitarian aid and development cooperation, writes Kawinzi Muiu, director of the gender department at the UN's World Food Program (WFP).
April 16, 2018, Debate
Of: Karin Ericsson, Torgny Östling and Zarah Östman Pitulaga
Take almost any country in the world and it is the people in the countryside who are exposed to the most human rights violations. Since 2012, the UN has wanted to produce a declaration that would enable the drafting of specific and necessary laws to protect this group. This week, the UN gathers again, but Sweden is still passive, several debaters write.
May 16, 2017, Debate
Of: Anna Karin Johansson
Despite good intentions, the Western world has not achieved security and development in Afghanistan. One reason for this is that most of the financial support has gone to military operations. In addition, cooperation with the military has damaged the credibility of civilian aid actors, writes Anna-Karin Johansson, Secretary General of the Swedish Afghanistan Committee, in connection with the ongoing Afghanistan investigation.
June 2, 2016, Debate
Of: Erin Sills, Eskil Mattsson, Gunnar Köhlin, Madeleine Ostwald and Subhrendu K. Pattanayak
Climate assistance has the opportunity to simultaneously reduce climate effects and fight poverty. However, securing the dual effects requires more and better evaluations of development assistance. It is written by five researchers who publish today a report on the effects of climate aid for the Expert Group for Aid Analysis.
March 21, 2016, Debate
Of: Agnar Kjeller and Juan Felix Martinez Garcia
Next year, almost a third of the development assistance budget may be used to finance the reception of refugees. In the long run, maybe even more. We want to share the great concern this decision creates for people in Paraguay - one of many countries where Swedish development aid makes crucial differences, write agronomists Juan Felix Martinez Garcia and Agnar Kjeller.
December 10, 2015, Debate
Of: Rebecca Jalvemyr
Fewer and fewer own more and more of the world's arable land. Pension funds, governments and multinational companies are some of those who invest in land - at the expense of smallholders and indigenous peoples. Now Sweden must act to defend people's right to food, land and power, writes Rebecka Jalvemyr at the organization FIAN.
November 13, 2015, Debate
Of: Annie Sturinge (f. Sturesson)
Build roads and hydropower plants or raise teachers' salaries and invest more money in healthcare? In Uganda, the government and donors have different views on what to prioritize. But the debate about priorities and budget shares risks missing the real core question - how the state should implement its budget, writes Annie Sturesson who works at the Ministry of Finance in Uganda.
June 1, 2015, Debate
Of: Anders Östman
ReCom's latest report is one in a series of desperate attempts to show a link between aid and growth. Economic growth in African countries can both benefit and be harmed by aid, but is largely due to factors other than aid. Anders Östman writes in a reply.
August 22, 2014, Debate
With the report "Who is Responsible", we want to focus on donors' excessive control and scrutiny systems in civil society support, which risk counteracting the ambitions to strengthen civil society, promote the development of democracy and fight poverty. Arne Zetterström's reply seems to be about support for governments, which our report is not about. It writes Maj Lis Follér, associate professor at the University of Gothenburg
December 10, 2013, Debate
Of: Olof Hesselmark
With its investment in subsidies, fertilizers and seeds for poor farmers, Malawi has shown that hunger and poverty can be combated effectively if only the will exists. The Western world's view that subsidies disrupt the market and that fertilizers lead to eutrophication is not true in Africa because the increased production goes to self-sufficiency and that the fertilizers do not have to be concentrated as much as in Europe. That is the opinion of Olof Hesselmark, a retired economist and computer scientist.
December 6, 2011, Debate