Increasing Immunization in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

By Savanna Henderson and Shana Warren

For the public health sector, the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines presents new challenges—a rapid timeline, targeting of adults, and, given limited initial supply, prioritization of high-risk populations. It also presents well-known challenges in building acceptance and achieving high uptake. Research on these challenges in the context of childhood immunization has shed light on the barriers and enablers to vaccination. Evidence from decades of global efforts to immunize children offers important lessons to inform COVID-19 vaccination rollouts. As a part of our work contributing to the pandemic response, IPA's Path-to-Scale Research team has compiled evidence from demand-side interventions to increase vaccination in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to help inform COVID-19 vaccination programming and save lives.

Read the full evidence brief here.

NEW RESULTS

Asset-based Finance Helped Microenterprises—and Households—in Pakistan

Researchers: Faisal Bari, Kashif Malik, Muhammad Meki, and Simon Quinn

Lack of access to finance limits small business growth—a problem that is exacerbated for Muslim business-owners, many of whom do not take out traditional loans for religious reasons. IPA supported research in Pakistan on a lease-based product that features more flexible repayment schedules, allows businesses to share risk with a large microfinance institution, and complies with local Islamic financial norms. Participating clients were more likely to remain self-employed, and had larger businesses, better business management practices, and better business performance. These positive results also extended to households, with incomes rising by 8 percent and monthly spending by 6 percent.

Read the full summary here and the working paper here.

Register for the webinar on this study and related research here.

NEW RESULTS

Gambling in Uganda: Are Large Expenses and Financial Constraints Driving the Popularity of Sports Betting?

Researcher: Sylvan Herskowitz

Sports betting has emerged as one of the fastest-growing forms of gambling, with new technologies facilitating its rapid spread into new markets in developing countries. What explains the persistent popularity of sports betting despite such a low rate of return from participation? While many people assume that gamblers are motivated by fun or a poor understanding of odds, this research explores another theory in Uganda: that a need for large amounts of cash without access to savings or affordable credit is contributing to its popularity. Using reported expenditures and betting behavior, a savings intervention, and two “lab-in-the-field” exercises, this research suggests that financial constraints contribute to the demand for betting, adding to the evidence on the motivation behind gambling.

Read the full paper here and the summary here.

FEATURED BLOG POST

IPA’s Commitments to Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Where Are We and Where Are We Heading?

By Annie Duflo and Radha Rajkotia

In 2020, IPA began a process to strengthen diversity and inclusion within our organization and our work. Like many others in the research and international development field, we felt compelled to look closely at our own organization to assess where we might do more. We spent six months looking at data, engaging with staff globally at all levels of the organization, and debating where we can and should initially focus our efforts. We collected information through an anonymous all-staff survey, and held focus groups in 22 country offices. In addition, we analyzed internal data on demographics, recruitment, retention, pay equity, promotion, benefits, and reviewed our research network and engagement practices. Here's what we found, and where we're going from here.

Read the full blog post here.

BLOG

RECOVR Roundup Vol. 14: Social Protection in the Time of COVID-19
By Luciana Debenedetti, Jeffrey Mosenkis, and Rachel Strohm

Mitigating the Impacts of COVID-19 in Zambia: Insights from RECOVR 2
By Tamara Billima-Mulenga, Elliott Collins, and Luciana Debenedetti

The Reach of the COVID-19 Crisis in Rwanda: Lessons from Round 2 of the RECOVR Survey

By Elliott Collins, Luciana Debenedetti, and Jean Leodomir Habarimana Mfura

RECOVR Roundup Vol. 13: Social Protection in the Time of COVID-19
By Luciana Debenedetti, Jeffrey Mosenkis, and Rachel Strohm