Irene van Staveren and Ellen Webbink publish report on development aid, civil society, and development outcomes

The report is on the request of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Entitled 'Civil Society, aid, and development', the report uses indices of the ISS online database Indices of Social Development .

The study finds that development aid can support civil society, and that both aid and civil society can help reduce poverty and support democracy and human rights.

The civil society relationships with development outcomes need further research, but what becomes
clear from this study is that civic activism is a key civil society variable that helps poverty reduction, both on its own and through the support of development aid.

About the authors

Irene van Staveren is Professor of Development Economics at ISS and leader of the Indices of Social Development database.

 Ellen Webbink is manager of the Indices of Social Development database