In 2019, visible, “rapid onset” climate-related disasters displaced roughly 24.9 million people, with more than 143 million anticipated to be internally displaced by 2050 in Latin America, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Not only can climate change induce migration, but climate shocks—which can be defined as discrete, unanticipated destruction due to weather such as floods, […]
As 2022 comes to a close and the world confronts the “polycrisis,” researchers from the Boston University Global Development Policy Center highlight where progress has been made, where policy movement has stagnated and what to keep an eye on for 2023. Below, read key takeaways on the green energy revolution, sovereign debt, Chinese loans to […]
Estimates vary of the number of unintended pregnancies that occur worldwide each year, but recent data puts the number over 100 million, or nearly half of all annual pregnancies. The World Health Organization also notes unintended pregnancies can present numerous risks for both mother and child, from unsafe abortions, to higher vulnerability and risk of […]
By Emanne Khan The word “infodemic” emerged nearly two decades ago when journalist David Rothkopf wrote in a 2003 Washington Post article about the then-ongoing global SARS outbreak, “A few facts, mixed with fear, speculation and rumor, amplified and relayed swiftly worldwide by modern information technologies, have affected national and international economies, politics and even […]
The converging roles of women and men in the labor market is one of the most significant economic and social developments of the past century. Nevertheless, gender equality in labor market outcomes has remained elusive, even for the most developed economies in the world. A growing literature documents a sharp divergence in labor market trajectories […]
By Laura Aquino Imagine you need to print your thesis or dissertation. You go to a print shop near Boston University, leave your manuscript and prepare to collect it in a couple of days. What would happen if, when collecting your thesis, you find that some pages were printed incorrectly? Would you have to pay […]
By Yunus Kurt Family planning is a series of important decisions on when/if to have children, and it involves a wide range of contraceptive methods. Abundance of contraceptive methods offers a larger set of alternatives to women in their contraceptive decision-making. However, a larger set of alternatives means more information to process and might introduce […]
By Vidhu Priya Mukundan In 2020, the World Health Organization reported that out of the 1.9 billion women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in the world, 1.1 billion women have a need for family planning. However, only 842 million women who report a need for family planning are using contraception, leaving 270 million women with […]
By Emanne Khan Quotas that reserve a certain portion of seats in government for disadvantaged groups are widely utilized across the globe. Over half of all countries—135, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—have targeted women for such programs, including China, Australia, South Africa and much of the European Union. Gender quotas […]
Previous research by Rachel Brulé has demonstrated the powerful effects quotas for women in government can have on women’s property rights and economic standing. Women who assume elected office through quota systems can support their female constituents by advocating for gender equality in land reform and inheritance. Conversely, Brulé and colleagues have identified significant backlash […]