Blogs

As 2025 comes to a close, global NEET (not in education, employment, or training) rates continue to be a pressing issue. According to ILO estimates, this constitutes 25% of the world’s population in the 15-24 age group. Young women are especially impacted, with rates twice those of young men, and while this is a global issue, the figures for low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs) are more than double their high-income counterparts. 

The past two decades have seen a proliferation of activity supporting evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) in low- and middle-income countries. Investments in research infrastructure, technical capacity, and relationships between researchers and policymakers have developed markedly, alongside a growing discourse emphasising the importance of EIPM for efficient and transparent governance. 

Ethical considerations should remain at the forefront of researchers’ minds when conducting evaluations of development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding interventions. To make sure that authors for the Journal of Development Effectiveness (JDEff) take their ethical obligations seriously, the journal has added a new ethics-focused step in the publication process. These new ethical considerations will apply to the journal’s upcoming special issue on peacebuilding – more on that below – and beyond.

Each year, more than $200 billion is invested in life-saving policies and programs globally. Ensuring these resources deliver maximum impact depends on decision-makers having timely access to high-quality, relevant and actionable evidence. Yet too often, this evidence remains scattered, hard to interpret, or unavailable when it is most needed.

Social science research often involves collecting data through direct interactions with individuals, households, and communities. This data generally includes detailed personal and sensitive information. Additionally, data may be collected from marginalized and vulnerable communities, including those with a limited understanding of their rights as data subjects. Sensitive personal data intended for statistical analysis can be misused or cause harm to households and communities.