SDG1 No Poverty

UNCTAD Framework for Sustainable Freight Transport

The UNCTAD Sustainable Freight Transport (SFT) Framework provides a modular step-by-step process that details how to plan, design, develop and implement tailored sustainable freight transport strategies. It offers guidance and practical tools to stakeholders from both the public and the private sector across all modes of transport to evaluate the status quo, promote sustainable freight transport systems and track progress.

Refreshing the antileishmanial pipeline: Hybrid molecules as potential drugs against leishmaniasis

The leishmaniases are a complex group of devastating diseases with a wide clinical spectrum that annually affects more than 1 million people throughout 98 countries, leading to approximately 20,000 deaths per year in its most severe form, the visceral leishmaniasis. Additionally, most endemic regions comprise communities living under substandard conditions, with low income and social-economic standards.

Transport as gendered employment practice in sub-Saharan Africa

When it comes to gender equality in employment, transport as a sector has done very poorly. Overall employment statistics can be difficult to find in sub-Saharan Africa, given the informal nature of much employment but the fact remains that women are under-represented across the sector. The transport sector is a cornerstone of the infrastructure necessary for the delivery of goods and services. It further provides access to skills acquisition and income generation.

Region

Towards the end game: operational research on improving rural housing in sub-Saharan Africa as a strategy to support malaria elimination

Most of malaria infection in sub-Saharan Africa occurs indoors and at night. In 2018, this region accounted for 213 million malaria cases and 380,700 malaria-related deaths. Malaria has consequences for the health status of the population, as well as in education, production, economy, and development.

Region

Soil health Improvement Technologies (SITs) to Enhance Drought and Nutrient Resilience in Zimbabwean Soils

Severe food insecurity and hunger have increased in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and this has been partly attributed to climate change and soil degradation. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of agricultural land in SSA is severely degraded and that production of major food crops including maize will decline by more than 30% by 2050 due to rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns.

Region

Maya subsistence farmer decision-making under climatic uncertainty in Belize, Central America

The Maya population in Belize, like millions of Central Americans, decides when to cut, burn, and plant their crops based on experience as to when seasonal rains will begin, and misjudgements can be catastrophic (Rodríguez et al., 2015). Maize, the staple crop of Maya farmers, is already grown near its temperature and moisture threshold, making it highly vulnerable to warm and drought episodes (Richardson, 2009). Climate change means more frequent drought, floods, and destructive storms and less predictable precipitation seasonality.

Law’s Dynamic Effects: The Case of South Africa

This project investigates the implementation and operation of the National Minimum Wage Act, 9 of 2018 through a qualitative small-scale study of the domestic work and garment sectors in South Africa. The broad research aims are to understand how labour laws apply in informal workplace settings (or spaces where labour law does not commonly operate), and the processes and strategies used by workers and other relevant stakeholders in achieving improved working conditions.

Region

Assessing the impact of COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific and designing policy responses: An Excel-based model

COVID-19 is an unprecedented socio-economic crisis and calls for unprecedented policy responses. Asia-Pacific region is no exception.

In this context, an Excel-based model is developed to help countries ensure effective policy design and to align policy responses with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The model produces a snapshot of the socio-economic situation facing the country/territory, and allows simple policy scenarios to be studied.