Now in its fifth year, the Blog provides a stimulating yet supportive online space in which to discuss current events and trends in International Development. Through it, we hope to engage young people in global issues and promote global citizenship. See below for our latest posts. We hope you enjoy exploring The DiA Blog.
Communication: why two-way dialogues in development practice are necessary for sustainability
By Lucy Porter Recently, national and international development agencies, governments and consultancies have placed considerable focus on drafting projects to improve environmental sustainability in...
The race to unhealthy economic development? Perspectives on India
By Andrew Williamson With India tipped to be the world’s third largest economy by 2026 and possibly overtake the United States by 2030, its...
Decolonisation of witchcraft in Africa and its effects on women’s equality
By Alex Costagliola Today, witchcraft and occult practices in Africa are largely understood within the context of pre-colonial and colonial views that conflated local,...
Ensuring girls’ access to education during Covid-19
By Natasha Tariq According to UNESCO, of the 743 million girls around the world out of school and universities due to the Covid-19 pandemic,...
Fashion in crisis: why brands should take responsibility for cancelled orders during Covid-19
By Shefali Shah In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, fashion brands quickly cancelled orders in the factories responsible for producing their clothes. Orders...
The future of development aid after COVID-19: four necessary shifts
By Grace Avila Casanova For decades, Official Development Assistance (ODA) agencies have been operating under a post-World War II “aid” narrative, an often patronising...
The threat of COVID-19 to developing countries
By Andrew Fryer On the 11th March 2020, coronavirus or COVID-19 was officially characterised as a pandemic by the Director-General of the World Health...
Reintegrating Yazidi women and girls back into the community
By Asha Kaushal In the centre of Lalish, Iraq, home to the holiest temple in the Yazidi faith, is a small pool of water...
The true cost of fresh cut flowers, and what we can do to shop more sustainably
By Shefali Shah In the lead up to Mother’s Day, UK consumers spent more than £1billion on fresh cut flowers in 2019. The scale...
Rainwater harvesting in southeast Madagascar
Nestled beneath lush, coastal mountains in the commune of Mahatalaky, southeast Madagascar, lies Belavonky; a cluster of wooden houses lying in the dappled shade...
Democratic progress during a global decline
By Hannah Hills According to Freedom House’s Freedom in the World Report, 2018 was the 13th year in a row showing an overall decline...
Can blockchain transform foreign aid?
By Jesse Hope The UK’s foreign aid budget continues to improve millions of people’s lives around the world. Over the past year funding has...
Fidel Castro: Then, Now, and Forever?
By Brittany Regner Most of the baby boomer generation In the United States has a soured view of Cuba. They recall moments like the...
The Development Agenda and Indigenous People
By Richa Kapoor In 2016, UN updated their Millennium Development Goals into Sustainable Development Goals, in an attempt to create a more holistic picture...
The secret garden: greening refugee camps
By Myriam Fayad Food and nutrition security are about the right for everybody to access nutritious, affordable and sufficient food. Even though undernutrition globally...
Tax for Good: The impact of non-transparent outflows on Africa’s Economic Development
By Dr Sarah Tzinieris Last month, major changes to Nigeria’s taxation system came into force. Dating back to 2012, the Income Tax (Transfer Pricing)...
Women in the time of a Refugee Crisis
By Myriam Fayad When I enter her tent, Najwa is bent over her old sewing machine, her feet dangle on the pedal, giving rhythm...
The Role of NGOs and their Effectiveness
By Sabina Gordon With 65.8 million of the world’s population now being classed as refugees, it is evident that we are living in an...
Back to school: new year, same problems – Challenges for Syrian refugee students in Lebanon
By Myriam Fayad As the situation in Syria has deteriorated, the number of Syrians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, such as Jordan, Turkey and...
Why I Am Glad I Did Not Give Up on International Volunteering
I have spent over half my life involved with international volunteering in some way. During that time I have experienced just about all the...