The landmark 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) Paris Agreement recognized the need for a multi-pronged approach to reach the ambitious development goals set by 195 countries, 34 of which are in Asia. With one-third of the world’s total population, Asia is increasingly vulnerable to climate change due to its low-lying, heavily populated coastlines and dependency…
Often, the success of nationally funded programs hinges on budget allocation. “Show me the money,” is a saying that reflects this reality, meaning that what gets funded gets done. Below, we will walk through the principles of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB), which highlights the budget design stage as a critical opportunity for intervention. This post will…
People often give me puzzled looks when I try to describe my job here, and I don’t blame them. Since 2015 I have worked on an international development program that supports the Philippines’ shift from a cash-based economy to a cash-light economy, which will improve the livelihoods of Filipinos by getting more people involved in…
Negros, the fourth-largest island in the Philippines, is best known for sugar and grilled chicken. However, the charcoal that fuels restaurant owners’ income challenges the source of livelihood for rice and sugar farmers. What is the link between a tasty grilled chicken and a cup of rice? Well, the demand for charcoal puts pressure on…
The Bago City government received technical support through the Biodiversity and Watersheds Improved for Stronger Economy and Ecosystem Resilience (B+WISER) Program, jointly developed and implemented by USAID and the Philippines’ Department for Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Through this program, Bago City was able to introduce the environmental protection fee on water, with proceeds from…
As cities around the world rapidly grow, so do the needs of urban consumers. To understand these needs and effectively address them, Chemonics and others in the industry are asking: How can we improve the sustainability and food security of urban markets? During the Cracking the Nut Conference, Chemonics will join more than 300 experts from…
What is cross-sectoral democracy, rights, and governance (DRG) programming and why is it important? Cross-sectoral DRG programming recognizes that development issues are not single-sector problems — they overlap with other sectors; exist in a political context; and are as much, and often more, about power and relationships as they are about technical solutions. Solving a…
To bolster recent higher education reforms enacted by the Indonesian government and respond to the needs of the workforce, USAID/Indonesia launched the five-year Higher Education Leadership and Management project (HELM) in November 2011. Designed to improve the performance of Indonesia’s higher education system, HELM focused on four key management areas and five special initiatives across…
Why is social inclusion important for the development of Vietnam? Though Vietnam has made significant progress in achieving the key targets of the Millennium Development Goals and has confirmed its strong commitment to implement the Sustainable Development Goals framework, the challenges toward vulnerable groups such as the poor, women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and…
From March 5 through 9, the 2017 Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, bringing together more than 3,000 researchers, students, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world. As a sponsor, Chemonics has two booths and is presenting in 12 sessions that highlight the development impact of our education…