At #WIDERDevConf2025, 160+ leading thinkers came together to reimagine how social protection can drive inclusive, sustainable development. The message was clear: social protection is not a luxury. It is a cornerstone of equitable development and economic resilience. Read more 👉 go.unu.edu/Br0z3
Rachel Gisselquist speaking into a microphone at the WIDER Development Conference in Helsinki, June 2025.
How can development cooperation thrive in fragile, conflict-affected areas?
At #WIDERDevConf2025, Rachel Gisselquist shared insights from her book Fragile Aid:
👉 No one-size-fits-all
👉Inclusive ownership matters
👉Small, adaptive programs work
More: go.unu.edu/HuQTL
India’s ageing population is growing fast—but pensions aren’t keeping up.
In our new conference blog, Shreya Bhattacharya and @shreyaseedas.bsky.social explore how state-by-state pension gaps are deepening inequalities in retirement, work, and wellbeing. 👉 go.unu.edu/lf08Q
#WIDERDevConf2025
How can social protection strengthen societies during crises, tackle inequality, and foster inclusive growth?
This June, 160+ experts gathered in Helsinki for the WIDER Development Conference.
Check out the insights: go.unu.edu/e60Q7 #WIDERDevConf2025
Great to have had Frantz Celestin from @iom.int East, Horn & Southern Africa in Helsinki this week for the @unu-wider.bsky.social #WIDERDevConf2025.
He moderated a session on securing the livelihoods of #InternallyDisplacedPeople. Valuable discussion on inclusion & sustainable solutions for IDPs.
This morning's Fireside Chat discussed how the global trust crisis undermines democracy, weakens social cohesion, and threatens economic stability.
“Trust isn’t just about believing in institutions—it’s about believing they work for you”
go.unu.edu/gPKGz
#WIDERDevConf2025
Some highlights from this afternoon's #WIDERDevConf2025
☔Well-designed protection mechanisms can build resilience and reduce inequality in fragile contexts.
🔥In a fireside chat, Rachel Gisselquist noted: we don't need less aid, we need better aid
💥In crisis settings, precision is not always better
#WIDERDevConf2025 session on non-state actors and social services explored how armed actors can fill governance gaps
The discussion challenged conventional models of public services and highlighted a tension: when non-state actors deliver stability, they can alleviate needs but entrench informality
3 highlights from our session on rethinking global financial architecture to finance social protection:
1️⃣ Domestic resource mobilization is essential
2️⃣ Developing countries need a voice in the global financial architecture
3️⃣ Jobs are the foundation of social protection
#WIDERDevConf2025
Thrilled to see my guidebook (go.unu.edu/SJ9xs) alongside Amartya Sen’s seminal work—both his classic first-ever @unu-wider.bsky.social working paper (lnkd.in/gdhbVFGn) and his book Hunger and Public Action! 📘✨ #WIDERDevConf2025
Last session of day 1 of #WIDERDevConf2025
social protection in the age of compounding crises needs adaptive systems, inclusive design, and rethinking outdated models.
It's not just safety nets—it's about dignity, resilience, and belonging.
Kicking off @UNUWIDER #WIDERDevConf2025 with powerful insights: 🌍 Social protection is foundational, 💼 employment is the engine of development, and 💡 bold thinking is key in a world of crisis. The urgency for inclusive, evidence-based action has never been clearer.
Fascinating research presented by WIDER Visiting Scholar Timothy Köhler on South Africa's social relief grant.
The paper reveals cash transfers to the unemployed boosted
🔎job search
📦business attempts
💼employment
though long-term effects aren't universal
#WIDERDevConf2025
Powerful insights to kick off the WIDER Development Conference!
3 key takeaways that resonated deeply:
☂️ Social protection is foundational
💼 Employment is the engine of development
💡 We need transformative thinking
go.unu.edu/1bvUf
#WIDERDevConf2025
A group of young girls sit at a table, smiling and interacting, with a blog headline about Brazil’s cash transfer program and women's employment overlaid on the image.
💼 Can cash transfers empower women without disadvantaging men?
Gabriel Leite Mariante analyses how Brazil’s largest unconditional cash transfer program boosts women's employment while supporting men too. A must-read before #WIDERDevConf2025!
Read more: go.unu.edu/72HTH
📢 Happening next week!
Are you a student, researcher, or development professional in Finland? Join the #WIDERDevConf2025 in Helsinki for 3 days of dialogue on social protection & inclusive growth.
See the programme → go.unu.edu/APhgJ
Register locally → go.unu.edu/BpE6h
Not all hardship is visible. In Senegal, many families are just above the poverty line—one shock away from falling into poverty.
Check out Oscar Barriga-Cabanillas' insights on a vulnerability map for targeted support in our new blog: go.unu.edu/Tq8Jy
#WIDERDevConf2025 #WIDER40
From welfare systems and fiscal space to cash transfers in conflict zones, #WIDERDevConf2025 will unpack the ideas shaping development today.
Check the full agenda and register: go.unu.edu/APhgJ...
How can we safeguard tomorrow? 🌱 Join 140+ global experts at #WIDERDevConf2025 to explore new ideas for equitable growth, social protection, and sustainable development.
🔗 go.unu.edu/PcGzH...
📅 9–11 June | Helsinki
New blog series!
In the lead-up to the WIDER Development Conference in June, we publish blogs on social protection. In the first one, Martin Paul Tabe-Ojong Jr. and Emmanuel Nshakira-Rukundo explore the benefits of a cash plus programme in Ghana. Read more here: go.unu.edu/Hil5m
#WIDERDevConf2025
