This report is a retrospective analysis of the implementation of political economy analyses (PEAs) solicited by USAID to assess whether PEAs are an effective tool to increase the impact of development programs. PEAs are commonly used within thinking and working politically (TWP) approaches, which seek to significantly improve development impact by understanding and responding to…
Erik Landemalm has over 20 years of international experience focused on East and Southern Africa. Prior to joining Chemonics, Erik spent many years based in Somalia and Kenya, leading international development projects around the region focused on Rule of Law, legislative and executive institutional strengthening, and supporting civil society organizations for various donors including the…
Thinking and working politically (TWP) entails carefully considering the operating context and how project interventions might affect it, then adapting the interventions to best advance common objectives within the local system. This report responds to the question of what explains practitioners’ particular interest in TWP as an explicit strategy and more than just “doing good…
In 2020, there were more than 122,000 reported cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Colombia. The country has also seen a rise in femicides in recent years. Since January 2022, the USAID Inclusive Justice Activity has been trying to improve Colombian citizens’ trust in the justice system by increasing access to justice services and reducing…
This Symposium presented experience and research from the past five years of Chemonics’ programming and others’ experiences using political economy analysis and savvy, adaptive approaches to improve development effectiveness and sustainability. Speakers explored future uses of Thinking and Working Politically (TWP), including integration with behavior science and supporting locally-led development. The Symposium took place in-person…
This virtual Forum brought together development practitioners, donors, and academics working to overcome the obstacles to sustainable progress created by corrupt practices and institutions to varying degrees in every country and every sector of development where USAID, Chemonics, and our partners around the world are pushing for meaningful changes that improve people’s lives. We used…
This post originally appeared on XCEPT, a programme which Chemonics is a leading partner. More than thirty years after some scholars wondered if the end of the Cold War might herald the end of war as we know it, humanity is fighting at least 27 armed conflicts, more than at any time since the Second World War. Two billion…
Chris currently serves as team leader on the HMG-funded Western Balkans Rule of Law Initiative, a highly adaptive transparency & accountability and criminal justice program working across each of the Western Balkans 6. Chris is a lawyer by background and has worked on many aspects of criminal, civil, and commercial justice as well as on…
Trust is a vital but often overlooked element of international development. Whether in formal spaces such as state healthcare or informal projects like community campaigns, trust has the power to make or break development initiatives. If those involved in a project trust each other, the chances of its success and sustainability are vastly improved. Yet…
Trust flavors our life choices. It lays the foundations of our social and professional relationships. It colors the way we engage with organizations, services, and people. Globally, trust in public institutions appears to be decaying. The ‘fake news’ phenomenon has damaged perceptions of traditional media. The COVID-19 pandemic gave rise to widespread vaccine hesitancy, in some…
Trust is a familiar concept, yet one too often ignored in programme design. It isan essential ingredient of mutually beneficial human relationships. Internationaldevelopment projects, particularly those in the field of governance, rely on relationshipsto meet their objectives. Trust smooths collaboration between project staff, donors,local stakeholders, governments, and, ultimately, the people who benefit fromprogramming. Despite its…