The MA in Development Studies at the International Institute of Social Studies equips students with up-to-date conceptual lenses to better understand practices and dynamics in international development, enabling them to identify strategic solutions and formulate interventions in this field.
The policy briefs that participants in the 2022/23 ISS course on ‘Gender at work in development’ prepared are fine examples of such tooling . Their policy briefs provide nuanced, yet compelling arguments in favour of a specific intervention for gender justice in the world of work. Some of the best examples are introduced and made accessible below.
By Maya Krishnan, Social Policy for Development Major
This policy brief examines the successes of a guaranteed income pilot in Mississippi, in the Southern United States, that specifically supports Black mothers. Now in its third cohort, the programme has evolved in its design in ways that best support the mothers participating in it. Structural decisions including a lack of conditionalities, measuring mothers’ happiness and agency as key success metrics, and the intentionally participatory design are all factors contributing to the strength of the programme.
Maya Krishnan recommends that the lessons learned from the Magnolia Mother’s Trust pilot be used more broadly by the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income collective, understanding that a greater alignment between stakeholders advocating for guaranteed income programmes and an accompanying enabling environment of social policies is an important step for transitioning pilot programmes into institutionalized policies.
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by Dedy Susanto, Social Policy for Development Major
Pension funds in Indonesia cover formal workers but are likely to neglect the informal sector. According to Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, the participation of informal workers in pension funds is close to zero percent. Women workers are most affected by the lack of a pension system for the informal sector, exposing them to a high chance of falling into extreme poverty in old age.
In his policy brief, Dedy Susanto discusses diverse policy options for informal workers’ old age security, ranging from the upscaling of indigenous pension models, improved access to loans and extra business training for self-employed informal workers as well as a non-contributory scheme.
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by Conor Farrell, Economics of Development Major
Estimates from the World Health Organization find the economic impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States costs up to $12.6 billion while violence experienced in the workplace could account for up to $43.4 billion from individuals missing work, lower productivity, costs to employers and medical care costs.
This brief proposes a policy based on the results of a similar policy initiative in Australia through which individuals can access up to ten paid days of domestic violence leave to provide survivors with flexibility, ensuring continued access to income, and improved job security during their recovery process. The policy proposed promotes a cost-efficient approach with mechanisms to address cost prohibitive factors for small and medium-sized businesses as well as ways to address stigma within and outside the workplace.
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by Ismi Nabila, Governance and Development Policy Major
In the context of the low representation of women with disabilities working in Indonesia, this policy brief suggests ways to make the Indonesian Prakerja Card programme, a training programme for the unemployed workforce more inclusive.
By ensuring accessibility, providing specialized training, and selecting appropriate programme partners, the Prakerja Card programme can effectively promote the inclusion and empowerment of women with disabilities in Indonesia's labour market.
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by Liona Li, Social Policy for Development Major
This policy brief calls upon different parties such the government, the Equal Opportunities Commission, NGOs and other organizations or even individuals who work for or are allies of intersex, transgender and gender non-binary persons in Hong Kong to grasp the opportunity of the Gay Games 2023 taking place in Hong Kong in November 2023 to push forward amendments to the current Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO).
The aim is to achieve gender justice in various areas, including employment, education and the provision of services by incorporating all genders including intersex, transgender and gender non-binary persons under the protection of this law. These amendments can ensure the protection against discrimination based on gender ‘games for all’ - in the spirit of the Gay Games 2023.
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