Research

Copper for Development Report

The mining sector remains the bedrock of Zambia’s economy. It contributes significantly to GDP and has been the fastest growing sector in the economy. Nevertheless, Zambia’s reliance on copper mining has often been cited as a contributing factor to its fragile economy owing to shocks in global copper prices that often have resultant effects on economic variables such as the exchange rate, inflation, and interest rates, among others. This is evidenced by economic shocks that the country has experienced in the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic prior to which the economy faced turbulent times due to its debt servicing obligations and other considerations.

This report provides analysis of mining revenue management in Zambia and recommends several measures that might allow the country to benefit from its mineral resources.

Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD): Game changer or mirage?

Total Official Support for Sustainable Development, or TOSSD is a new statistical metric that has been in the making for almost 10 years. It is meant to capture a broad range of global flows of public money in support of sustainable development. These include aid, loans on non-concessional terms, and public funds aimed at mobilising private finance for development.

Metrics matter. It is essential to track the resources that the international community is allocating to turn the ambitions of Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into reality. Without such data, it is impossible to determine whether there is progress.

ActionAid, AidWatch Canada and Oxfam International are publishing this discussion paper to shed light on how TOSSD works in practice as well as on its ambitions, shortcomings and the contending political perspectives on this new metric. The paper emphasizes that TOSSD could significantly shape the future of development finance.

Poll of voters on COVID-19 relief package, February 2021

Poll finds substantial majority of voters in four states want the federal government to do more to help people struggling to cope with impact of COVID-19

Voters Overwhelmingly Support a People’s Vaccine and Bold Coronavirus Relief for Working Families

As part of a January 2021 survey, Data for Progress and Oxfam America asked 1,140 likely voters nationally about their attitudes towards coronavirus relief broadly and, more specifically, how vaccines should be distributed and what should or should not be included in any additional coronavirus relief legislation.

Our results make clear that voters strongly support actions by President Biden and Congress to help people deal with and recover from the coronavirus pandemic, regardless of nationality or wealth. This would be accomplished by, in part, ensuring the coronavirus vaccine is distributed fairly and made available free of charge, requiring pharmaceutical companies giving up their monopoly control over vaccines, and enacting a transformational coronavirus recovery plan that focuses on helping working families rather than protecting profitable corporations.

Best and Worst States to Work in America - 2020

Each year, the Best States to Work Index ranks the US states on compensation and conditions for workers.

Gender-Responsive Budgeting in Ghana: An analysis of GRB implementation and its existing and potential impacts on women small-scale farmers

Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB), also known as gender budgeting, is an approach to budgeting that takes into account the various needs of a diverse population by using an intersectional gender lens to respond to the different experiences of women, men, and gender-diverse groups. In addition to promoting more equitable budgeting outcomes, GRB requires that the budgeting process itself be inclusive and accessible to all. This study focuses on GRB in Ghana and how it does and could impact women small-scale farmers. The research was conducted by Oxfam, Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC) and SEND Ghana, and included a literature review, interviews, and focus group discussions. The five areas addressed in this paper are: (1) the gender responsiveness of the budget process in Ghana; (2) systems and structures for GRB implementation; (3) best practices in GRB advocacy, particularly regarding agriculture budgets; (4) women’s engagement in the budget process; and (5) the budget’s responsiveness to the needs of women smallholder farmers. The aim is for these findings to contribute directly to GRB advocacy by NGOs in Ghana, as well as to provide useful insights for relevant government officials in Ghana and other GRB practitioners and advocates in other countries. Thus, this paper concludes with recommendations for the Government of Ghana as well as NGOs and civil society members in Ghana.