Amanda Lenhardt - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Amanda Lenhardt

Urban poverty has become a defining feature of our time. The global population has shifted from b... more Urban poverty has become a defining feature of our time. The global population has shifted from being predominantly rural to majority urban and future population growth is expected to be concentrated in cities and towns (UNDESA, 2018a). 1 Urbanisation is one of the demographic megatrends shaping global population patterns alongside population growth, ageing and international migration (UNDESA, 2018a, p.1). Urbanisation is a complex process, it transforms how people and communities interact with the built environment and potentially transforms "dominant occupations, lifestyle, culture and behaviour, and thus alters the demographic and social structure of both urban and rural areas" (UN Habitat, 2020, p.3). According to UNDESA (2020a): When properly planned and managed, urbanisation can reduce poverty and inequality by improving employment opportunities and quality of life… But when poorly planned, urbanisation can lead to congestion, higher crime rates, pollution, increased levels of inequality and social exclusion. (UNDESA, 2020a). This paper explores the relationship between urbanisation and extreme poverty. Its primary objectives are to provide a high-level summary of the latest well-evidenced research on measures to address extreme poverty in urban areas and to identify areas where further research could contribute value. It is a non-systematic reviewof the leading relationships between poverty and urbanisation, the current body of evidence on measures to address these relationships, and well documented evidence gaps. 2 The report draws on peerreviewed academic research, grey literature, and blogs from leading institutions and thinkers. This paper aims to identify evidence and literature gaps that might be filled by the Data and Evidence to End Extreme Poverty (DEEP) project, with a focus on DEEP priority countries, while also introducing principles for the prioritisation of research on policies and programmes with potential to promote extreme poverty reduction more generally. 1 There is no universally accepted distinction between rural and urban. UN estimates are typically sourced from national statistics offices where this distinction is made (UNDESA, 2018a). This paper uses the term urban to mean those locations deemed urban by local definitions. 2 The search strategy for this paper involved a snowball sampling approach. The search began with the identification of the latest widely cited academic papers, reports and blogs on the relationship between urbanisation and poverty. In the next phase, the research cited by these sources was reviewed. Selected works exhibited methodological rigor and substantive contributions to the overarching theme of our investigation. This encompassed a thorough evaluation of the research design, data collection methods, and analytical frameworks employed in each paper. Specifically, we prioritized studies with robust methodologies, transparent reporting, and a clear articulation of research objectives. The inclusion criteria for papers were limited to the English language and papers, report or blogs published between 2005 and 2023.

The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons lear... more The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Helpdesk reports are commissioned by the UK Department for International Development and other Government departments, but the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of DFID, the UK Government, K4D or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

Because E(α) is the same for each new trader it follows that the E(W etc. 2 Consequently, the sec... more Because E(α) is the same for each new trader it follows that the E(W etc. 2 Consequently, the second expression in equation 7 can be solved for this common value of expected price, E(W 2 * ) = E(W 3

The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and... more The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Southern based research partner organisations and offers a rapid social science research response to inform decision-making on some of the most pressing Covid-19 related development challenges. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, the UK Government, or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

This paper provides a high-level summary of the latest, well-evidenced research on measures to ad... more This paper provides a high-level summary of the latest, well-evidenced research on measures to address extreme poverty amidst high rates of migration, and to identify priority areas where further research would contribute value.

This paper explores the role social norms may play in efforts to reduce extreme poverty by 2030. ... more This paper explores the role social norms may play in efforts to reduce extreme poverty by 2030. It has two primary objectives. First, to summarise the latest well-evidenced research on efforts to tackle extreme poverty through policies and programmes that address social norms. Second, to identify priority areas where further research would be most valuable.

This report was prepared for the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FC... more This report was prepared for the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and its partners in support of pro-poor programmes. Except where otherwise stated, it is licensed for non-commercial purposes under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0. K4D cannot be held responsible for errors, omissions or any consequences arising from the use of information contained in this report. Any views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, K4D or any other contributing organisation.

Definitions of democracies and non-democracies are abundant in the literature, with recommendatio... more Definitions of democracies and non-democracies are abundant in the literature, with recommendations to support democratisation being highly dependent on the base definition being applied. The binary concepts of democracy and non-democracy, while useful for categorisation for some purposes, are now understood to be overly generalised and nonrepresentative of the many 'shades' of regime classification . Terms such as 'hybrid regimes', 'sub-types' and 'democratic quality' are used to differentiate and analyse the full range of political systems and socio-political relations that have emerged around the world Gaventa, 2006;. consider this plurality to be more productive than the search for a "definitive interpretation" of democracy and suggest a pragmatic approach to conceptualising and defining democracy that depends on how the term is to be used. Others caution that public understandings of the intended characteristics of democracy have led to a decline in public support for democracy, where quasi-authoritarian regimes or limited electoral functions that lack substantive political agency have been perceived as democracy . This report offers a brief overview of the literature on the defining characteristics of democracy in the 21 st century. By no means a comprehensive review of this vast literature, this report seeks to map out a range of conceptual approaches to understanding democracy, evidence on emerging trends in democratisation, and challenges to realising democracy in its varied forms. The report begins with a discussion on definitions of democracy that have emerged in recent decades (Section 2), highlighting a range of qualifiers that are widely used to differentiate and analyse different democratic regime types. Section 3 summarises trends in key indicators of democracy from widely cited observers -The Economist Intelligence Unit and the V-Dem Institute -and recent trends in public opinion towards democracy, according to World Values and Pew Centre surveys. Section 4 gives a very brief overview of three leading challenges to democracy discussed widely in the literaturegender inequality; the role of media and social media; and declining quality of elections, freedom of expression and civic space.

What do we know about the role of local actors, including governments and NGOs, in delivery of se... more What do we know about the role of local actors, including governments and NGOs, in delivery of services to vulnerable groups in protracted crises? Contents 1. Summary 2. Background 3. Improved targeting of local needs 4. Coordination 5. Transparency and accountability 6. Promoting local ownership to prevent conflict 7. References The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Helpdesk reports are commissioned by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and other Government departments, but the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, the UK Government, K4D or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and... more The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. of the most pressing Covid-19 related development challenges. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, the UK Government, or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by IDS OpenDocs any consequence... more View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by IDS OpenDocs any consequences arising from the use of information contained in this report. Any views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, K4D or any other contributing organisation.

The post-2015 development goals must include targets on disasters and climate change, recognising... more The post-2015 development goals must include targets on disasters and climate change, recognising the threat they pose to the headline goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. Climate change and exposure to ‘natural’ disasters threaten to derail international efforts to eradicate poverty by 2030. As temperatures warm, many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens will face the growing risks linked to more intense or lengthy droughts, extreme rainfall and !ooding and severe heat waves – risks that threaten lives and livelihoods, as well as the hard-won gains made on poverty in recent decades. The impoverishing impact of both climate change and natural disasters is so grave that the UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel (HLP) on Post-2015 Development Goals1 has suggested a target to be added to the "rst proposed post-2015 development goal on ending poverty: ‘to build resilience and reduce the number of deaths caused by disasters’.

RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 2013

The evidence we have on chronic poverty and the fortunes of the poorest people suggests that a si... more The evidence we have on chronic poverty and the fortunes of the poorest people suggests that a significant proportion of the poor, between one-quarter and one-half, are chronically poor in low-and lower-middle-income countries. Using the limited available data covering the last 20 years, this paper examines whether those who were poor in the 1990s could plausibly still be poor today, despite international and national efforts to eradicate poverty. The data on poverty dynamics are restricted to only a few countries, so this paper also explores the changing fortunes of the poorest quintile of the population between the 1990s and the 2000s from 33 Demographic and Health Surveys, concluding that significantly greater benefits (and fewer losses) from development across a range of indicators have gone to the second and third quintiles. This evidence shows that the poorest quintile have indeed lost out: they have not seen the same total amount of benefits as accrued by other wealth groups. The poorest have also lost more land and marry earlier in relative terms. Policies to equalize the benefits of development are wide ranging and often context specific. Many of them are not amenable to international goals and targets and they require positive political change and supportive change in social values. The main action to achieve greater equality is at the national level, and national policy makers need better and especially longitudinal data and analysis, particularly on wages and urban populations, if policies for the poorest are to improve significantly. The post-2015 framework needs to emphasise support for positive actions at national level and be sparing about imposing international goals and targets. While the MDGs focus on critical areas of policy, which should not be lost sight of, the one new goal which could draw attention to the plight of the poorest would be about equality/inequality in its various forms. While the political feasibility of such a goal is in doubt, a second best solution would be to develop equity/equality indicators across any other goals and targets, and then pay a lot of attention to them post 2015.

Urban poverty has become a defining feature of our time. The global population has shifted from b... more Urban poverty has become a defining feature of our time. The global population has shifted from being predominantly rural to majority urban and future population growth is expected to be concentrated in cities and towns (UNDESA, 2018a). 1 Urbanisation is one of the demographic megatrends shaping global population patterns alongside population growth, ageing and international migration (UNDESA, 2018a, p.1). Urbanisation is a complex process, it transforms how people and communities interact with the built environment and potentially transforms "dominant occupations, lifestyle, culture and behaviour, and thus alters the demographic and social structure of both urban and rural areas" (UN Habitat, 2020, p.3). According to UNDESA (2020a): When properly planned and managed, urbanisation can reduce poverty and inequality by improving employment opportunities and quality of life… But when poorly planned, urbanisation can lead to congestion, higher crime rates, pollution, increased levels of inequality and social exclusion. (UNDESA, 2020a). This paper explores the relationship between urbanisation and extreme poverty. Its primary objectives are to provide a high-level summary of the latest well-evidenced research on measures to address extreme poverty in urban areas and to identify areas where further research could contribute value. It is a non-systematic reviewof the leading relationships between poverty and urbanisation, the current body of evidence on measures to address these relationships, and well documented evidence gaps. 2 The report draws on peerreviewed academic research, grey literature, and blogs from leading institutions and thinkers. This paper aims to identify evidence and literature gaps that might be filled by the Data and Evidence to End Extreme Poverty (DEEP) project, with a focus on DEEP priority countries, while also introducing principles for the prioritisation of research on policies and programmes with potential to promote extreme poverty reduction more generally. 1 There is no universally accepted distinction between rural and urban. UN estimates are typically sourced from national statistics offices where this distinction is made (UNDESA, 2018a). This paper uses the term urban to mean those locations deemed urban by local definitions. 2 The search strategy for this paper involved a snowball sampling approach. The search began with the identification of the latest widely cited academic papers, reports and blogs on the relationship between urbanisation and poverty. In the next phase, the research cited by these sources was reviewed. Selected works exhibited methodological rigor and substantive contributions to the overarching theme of our investigation. This encompassed a thorough evaluation of the research design, data collection methods, and analytical frameworks employed in each paper. Specifically, we prioritized studies with robust methodologies, transparent reporting, and a clear articulation of research objectives. The inclusion criteria for papers were limited to the English language and papers, report or blogs published between 2005 and 2023.

The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons lear... more The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Helpdesk reports are commissioned by the UK Department for International Development and other Government departments, but the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of DFID, the UK Government, K4D or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

Because E(α) is the same for each new trader it follows that the E(W etc. 2 Consequently, the sec... more Because E(α) is the same for each new trader it follows that the E(W etc. 2 Consequently, the second expression in equation 7 can be solved for this common value of expected price, E(W 2 * ) = E(W 3

The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and... more The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Southern based research partner organisations and offers a rapid social science research response to inform decision-making on some of the most pressing Covid-19 related development challenges. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, the UK Government, or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

This paper provides a high-level summary of the latest, well-evidenced research on measures to ad... more This paper provides a high-level summary of the latest, well-evidenced research on measures to address extreme poverty amidst high rates of migration, and to identify priority areas where further research would contribute value.

This paper explores the role social norms may play in efforts to reduce extreme poverty by 2030. ... more This paper explores the role social norms may play in efforts to reduce extreme poverty by 2030. It has two primary objectives. First, to summarise the latest well-evidenced research on efforts to tackle extreme poverty through policies and programmes that address social norms. Second, to identify priority areas where further research would be most valuable.

This report was prepared for the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FC... more This report was prepared for the UK Government's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and its partners in support of pro-poor programmes. Except where otherwise stated, it is licensed for non-commercial purposes under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0. K4D cannot be held responsible for errors, omissions or any consequences arising from the use of information contained in this report. Any views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, K4D or any other contributing organisation.

Definitions of democracies and non-democracies are abundant in the literature, with recommendatio... more Definitions of democracies and non-democracies are abundant in the literature, with recommendations to support democratisation being highly dependent on the base definition being applied. The binary concepts of democracy and non-democracy, while useful for categorisation for some purposes, are now understood to be overly generalised and nonrepresentative of the many 'shades' of regime classification . Terms such as 'hybrid regimes', 'sub-types' and 'democratic quality' are used to differentiate and analyse the full range of political systems and socio-political relations that have emerged around the world Gaventa, 2006;. consider this plurality to be more productive than the search for a "definitive interpretation" of democracy and suggest a pragmatic approach to conceptualising and defining democracy that depends on how the term is to be used. Others caution that public understandings of the intended characteristics of democracy have led to a decline in public support for democracy, where quasi-authoritarian regimes or limited electoral functions that lack substantive political agency have been perceived as democracy . This report offers a brief overview of the literature on the defining characteristics of democracy in the 21 st century. By no means a comprehensive review of this vast literature, this report seeks to map out a range of conceptual approaches to understanding democracy, evidence on emerging trends in democratisation, and challenges to realising democracy in its varied forms. The report begins with a discussion on definitions of democracy that have emerged in recent decades (Section 2), highlighting a range of qualifiers that are widely used to differentiate and analyse different democratic regime types. Section 3 summarises trends in key indicators of democracy from widely cited observers -The Economist Intelligence Unit and the V-Dem Institute -and recent trends in public opinion towards democracy, according to World Values and Pew Centre surveys. Section 4 gives a very brief overview of three leading challenges to democracy discussed widely in the literaturegender inequality; the role of media and social media; and declining quality of elections, freedom of expression and civic space.

What do we know about the role of local actors, including governments and NGOs, in delivery of se... more What do we know about the role of local actors, including governments and NGOs, in delivery of services to vulnerable groups in protracted crises? Contents 1. Summary 2. Background 3. Improved targeting of local needs 4. Coordination 5. Transparency and accountability 6. Promoting local ownership to prevent conflict 7. References The K4D helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. Helpdesk reports are commissioned by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and other Government departments, but the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, the UK Government, K4D or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and... more The Covid Collective helpdesk service provides brief summaries of current research, evidence, and lessons learned. Helpdesk reports are not rigorous or systematic reviews; they are intended to provide an introduction to the most important evidence related to a research question. They draw on a rapid desk-based review of published literature and consultation with subject specialists. of the most pressing Covid-19 related development challenges. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, the UK Government, or any other contributing organisation. For further information, please contact

View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by IDS OpenDocs any consequence... more View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk provided by IDS OpenDocs any consequences arising from the use of information contained in this report. Any views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of FCDO, K4D or any other contributing organisation.

The post-2015 development goals must include targets on disasters and climate change, recognising... more The post-2015 development goals must include targets on disasters and climate change, recognising the threat they pose to the headline goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. Climate change and exposure to ‘natural’ disasters threaten to derail international efforts to eradicate poverty by 2030. As temperatures warm, many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens will face the growing risks linked to more intense or lengthy droughts, extreme rainfall and !ooding and severe heat waves – risks that threaten lives and livelihoods, as well as the hard-won gains made on poverty in recent decades. The impoverishing impact of both climate change and natural disasters is so grave that the UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel (HLP) on Post-2015 Development Goals1 has suggested a target to be added to the "rst proposed post-2015 development goal on ending poverty: ‘to build resilience and reduce the number of deaths caused by disasters’.

RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 2013

The evidence we have on chronic poverty and the fortunes of the poorest people suggests that a si... more The evidence we have on chronic poverty and the fortunes of the poorest people suggests that a significant proportion of the poor, between one-quarter and one-half, are chronically poor in low-and lower-middle-income countries. Using the limited available data covering the last 20 years, this paper examines whether those who were poor in the 1990s could plausibly still be poor today, despite international and national efforts to eradicate poverty. The data on poverty dynamics are restricted to only a few countries, so this paper also explores the changing fortunes of the poorest quintile of the population between the 1990s and the 2000s from 33 Demographic and Health Surveys, concluding that significantly greater benefits (and fewer losses) from development across a range of indicators have gone to the second and third quintiles. This evidence shows that the poorest quintile have indeed lost out: they have not seen the same total amount of benefits as accrued by other wealth groups. The poorest have also lost more land and marry earlier in relative terms. Policies to equalize the benefits of development are wide ranging and often context specific. Many of them are not amenable to international goals and targets and they require positive political change and supportive change in social values. The main action to achieve greater equality is at the national level, and national policy makers need better and especially longitudinal data and analysis, particularly on wages and urban populations, if policies for the poorest are to improve significantly. The post-2015 framework needs to emphasise support for positive actions at national level and be sparing about imposing international goals and targets. While the MDGs focus on critical areas of policy, which should not be lost sight of, the one new goal which could draw attention to the plight of the poorest would be about equality/inequality in its various forms. While the political feasibility of such a goal is in doubt, a second best solution would be to develop equity/equality indicators across any other goals and targets, and then pay a lot of attention to them post 2015.