Think Change episode 20: why should men care about International Women's Day?

African countries have had close economic relationships with China for many years. China is a major trade and investment partner, technology and infrastructure collaborator and development finance player in Africa.This has challenged traditional Western donors who had colonial relationships with many African countries as well as the US, until now the unquestionable dominant security and military power interacting with the continent.Earlier this year Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that ‘leaving Africa in China’s hands is a big mistake’. Just last month, the UK’s Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell hinted at the competition in Africa between the West on one side, and China and Russia on the other side.But as always, the reality is way more complex than this simple narrative. African countries entertain relationships with Europe, North America and Asia at the same time. What does the partnership with China mean for African countries? Will this mean a boost to Africa’s economic diversification and manufacturing growth? Will it bring greater independence and autonomy to African actors?In this episode we explore how African countries are shaping their own relationship with China beyond big infrastructure projects and the role the Chinese private sector is playing in fuelling investment and growth on the African continent.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODITin Hinane el Kadi, political economy researcher, London School of Economics and Political ScienceYuezhou Yang, researcher, London School of Economics and Political ScienceLinda Calabrese, Research Fellow, ODI & Doctoral Fellow, Lau China Institute, King’s College LondonAnzetse Were, Senior Economist at Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Kenya

The current terrible violence in Sudan comes almost twenty years to the day of when the genocide in Darfur started. Darfur was headline news at the time, but forgotten by the international community since. Only the recent escalation of violence between powerful armed groups in Khartoum has put Sudan back in the spotlight.This episode continues the conversation from an ODI event this week on the fallout from 20 years of conflict in Darfur. We convened the event to better understand the roots of the current violence and the country’s long history of conflict.Recent international media coverage has unhelpfully focused on the evacuation of expatriate personnel and third party citizens from Sudan. In response, we go behind the headlines to build a picture of the current situation in the country, focussing on the humanitarian impact and the local response to support those fleeing the violence.We dig deeper into the history of the conflict to better understand what is happening today, and ask how humanitarians, politicians and diplomats must now respond.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIMohanad Hashim, BBC journalistKholood Khair, Founder and director, Confluence AdvisoryEddie Thomas, Fellow, Rift Valley InstituteRelated resourcesFrom El-Fasher to Khartoum: The fallout from 20 years of conflict in Darfur (event video)Remembering Darfur – marking 20 years of conflict and its fallout (Disasters journal)

On the face of it, the global outlook for democracy looks pretty bleak. Democratic norms are eroding all over the world. According to International IDEA, ‘half of the world’s democracies are in retreat’.In Tunisia we have seen President Saied dismiss parliament and re-write the constitution. In Hungary, President Orbán has packed the courts and attacked the press. And in the US, Trump refuses to accept the results of an election he lost, inciting an insurrection to overturn them.Against this backdrop, and of course Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the US recently co-hosted the second Summit for Democracy to bring attention to the threats it faces.But will the promises made at the summit hold any weight, or was this more about geopolitical interests? And what can the US and allies do to effect democratic change abroad given the challenges they face at home?This episode explores these questions, and asks whether the whole notion of 'democratic backsliding' is a Western lens that ignores more diverse and innovative processes of political change.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIIdayat Hassan, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development, AbujaSandra Pepera, Director for Gender, Women and Democracy at the National Democratic Institute, Washington DCSamuel Sharp, Senior Research Officer, Politics and Governance, ODI

In just over a week’s time, the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF will see the first formal session for a Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. The problem of debt, and debt sustainability, has become one of the most urgent issues facing many low and middle-income countries around the world. The IMF estimates currently 36 low-income countries are at high risk of, or are currently in, debt distress, with the highest proportion of these in the African continent.  Prior to the pandemic, many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa were already facing a high risk of debt distress. This has been compounded by the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as rising interest rates from the US Federal Reserve. Just days ago, the Fed again raised its benchmark interest rate another quarter of a percentage point to 5%. We’ve yet to see how this will ripple out, but it’s going to add even more pressure on indebted sovereign governments, their ability to service their existing debts, and their prospects for financing an economic recovery. So how did we get here, and more importantly, what can be done about it? What does an insolvency crisis look like for different countries today, and how will it impact vulnerable populations and other citizens?  In this episode, we'll explore the challenges facing borrowing countries right now in managing their debt, and we’ll look at potential solutions, and the role different groups, including bilateral creditors, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), and the private sector, can play.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIGregory Smith, Emerging Markets Fund Manager, M&G Investments; Author, Where Credit is Due: How Africa's Debt Can Be a Benefit, Not a BurdenYunnan Chen, ODI Research Fellow, Development and Public FinanceBright Simons, Honorary Vice President, IMANI Center for Policy and Education; President, mPedigree, Ghana  Related resources·      Where Credit is Due: How Africa's Debt Can Be a Benefit, Not a Burden (book)·      Old wine in new bottles? China, the G7 and the new infrastructure geopolitics (blog)·      China’s lending landscape and approach to debt relief (briefing note)·      Rising interest rates are threatening debt sustainability in Africa (blog)·      Providing climate finance in the context of a looming debt crisis (blog)

The rhetoric around immigration in Europe has become increasingly politicised and polarised. National governments are taking a more hostile approach in both the narrative used, and the implementation of regressive policies that are costly and ineffective.In the spirit of ‘deterrence’ we are seeing pushbacks of migrants arriving by sea in southern Europe and at numerous land borders with severe consequences.In the UK, there has been much debate around the government’s proposed zero-tolerance stance on migrants arriving illegally, with a particular focus on the Channel small boats crossings. This is in stark contrast to the widespread support for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Europe being granted full protections, access to public services and the right to work.Meanwhile, our research suggests that the public attitudes towards refugees and other migrants is increasingly positive.In this episode we will discuss what policies are working, how and why public opinion is often at odds with the political narrative, and what our political leaders can do better.Speakers:Sara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODISunder Katwala, Director of British Future, UK  Gonzalo Fanjul, Director of Research, Fundación porCausa, Spain  Claire Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, ODI EuropeRelated resources:Will the conflict in Ukraine reset the narrative on refugees in Europe? (event video)Hearts and minds: how Europeans think and feel about immigration (data visualisation)Public narratives and attitudes towards refugees and other migrants: UK country profile (paper)Refugees and other migrants in Poland: a spotlight on city leadership (blog)Public narratives and attitudes towards refugees and other migrants: Poland country profile (paper)Public narratives and attitudes towards refugees and other migrants: Ireland country profile (paper)Public narratives and attitudes towards refugees and other migrants: Spain country profile (paper)Massacres in Melilla and Libya: nothing new on European borders (blog)The rise of the far right in Denmark and Sweden – and why it’s vital to change the narrative on immigration (blog)Public narratives and attitudes towards refugees and other migrants: Denmark country profile (paper)Public narratives and attitudes towards refugees and other migrants: Sweden country profile (paper)

This International Women's Day, we ask how and why men should care more about feminist visions for a fairer society.Every year on 8 March, women organise together to collectively demand their rights – specifically to transform gendered inequalities in paid and unpaid labour. But there is an aspect of this conversation that is not talked about enough. It is about men’s neglected role at home in unpaid care work and in supporting women's activism. This episode answers the question of why men should care more, highlighting the direct links between equal division of domestic responsibilities to women’s labour participation and autonomy.These voices can help inspire wider discussions on the role of men in breaking down gender norms around what is perceived as women’s work, and how they can contribute to building change at home, at work and through progressive policy.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIGary Barker, President & CEO, EquimundoKhawar Mumtaz, feminist scholar & activist, former Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women, PakistanAatif Somji, Senior Research Officer, ODI~Related resourcesALIGN platformFrom allyship to action: how men can step up to end violence against women (ODI event video/podcast)Is no space safe? Working to end gender-based violence in the public sphere (ALIGN briefing paper)How to partner with feminist movements for transformative change (ODI policy brief)Women’s economic empowerment: supporting transformative change (ODI briefing note)The MenCare 50/50 Commitment (MenCare)International men and gender equality survey (equimundo)Men and gender: a global status report in 15 headlines (equimundo)

On 6 February, two major earthquakes struck Türkiye and Syria, bringing widespread destruction to both countries. Scientists had issued warnings, but the scale of damage caused was never anticipated and had not been prepared for.In this episode we hear a range of perspectives, including from those on the frontline of the response in both Türkiye and Syria, to build a picture of the different challenges facing both countries today. Experts reflect on the impact of the disaster, how the relief effort is going so far, and what further action is needed to support survivors and rebuild – now and in the long-term.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIDr Burçak Başbuğ Erkan, Associate Professor, Middle Eastern Technical University, TürkiyeWesam Sabaaneh, Director, Jafra Foundation for Relief and Youth Development in SyriaDavid Alexander, Professor of Emergency Planning and Management, University College LondonSorcha O’Callaghan, Director, Humanitarian Policy group, ODIEvren Aydogan, Executive Director, Ihtiyac Haritasi (Needs Map)Khadija Khatib, White Helmets, SyriaRelated resourcesDisasters journal – earthquakes in Turkiye: reflections from past experienceODI on the Türkiye-Syria earthquakesALNAP’s relevant learning for the earthquake response in Türkiye and Syria

Protests have gripped the country over the past four months. It’s not the first instance of civil unrest since the Iranian Revolution 44 years ago, but is there something different about how today’s women-led movement, whose rallying cry of ‘zan, zendegi, azadi’ – ‘woman, life, freedom’ – has galvanised activism today?This episode dives into the current situation in Iran. We hear what the protests signify for rights and freedoms, for Iranians and women around the world, and ask how the international community should respond.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIAzadeh Pourzand, researcher and writerHoda Katebi, community organiser, writer and activistIrene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion & ODI TrusteeRelated resources Women's organisations and feminist mobilisation: supporting the foundational drivers of gender equalityMobilising for change: how women’s social movements are transforming gender normsFeminist advocacy, family law and violence against women: international perspectivesWriter, entrepreneur, and activist Hoda Katebi on France’s Proposed Hijab Ban

Until recently, conversations about ending poverty were very mainstream. The sustainable development goals spoke of ending extreme poverty, and reducing poverty in all its forms to very low levels by 2030.But poverty seems to have fallen out of common parlance when discussing the many crises we face today.More fundamentally, are traditional notions of ending poverty simply by increasing individual income above an arbitrary line even useful any more? Poverty has changed over time, but general definitions and perceptions are still stuck in the past.In this episode our guests share their unique perspectives on why we need to rethink how we define and fight poverty today, ahead of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting at Davos next week.To find out more, sign up to watch the livestream of our Davos event on rethinking policy for a new era of poverty.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIYamini Aiyar, President and Chief Executive, Centre for Policy ResearchRicardo Fuentes-Nieva, Director of Equity and Social Policy, ODIRathin Roy, Managing Director, ODI

This final episode of 2022 reflects on the year that has just been and looks ahead to 2023.It has been a year of major and often cascading crises. Many have been covered on this podcast, from the war in Ukraine and its spill over effects, to other shocks like the US decision to overturn Roe v Wade.But there have been some positive steps towards solutions. We have discussed some of those too, including the growing momentum around reforming international financing institutions, and new agreements to address the climate emergency.As these events continue to unfold, it’s often hard to see the links between them and how they connect together, which we need to do in order to plan ahead. The word ‘polycrisis’ has been used more and more in 2022, and we need to think more about what this term means for how we design policy.In this episode our guests share their unique perspective on the risks and shocks the world is facing, and the wider trends we are observing.SpeakersSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODIHeba Aly, CEO, The New HumanitarianSir Suma Chakrabarti, formerly president of EBRD, and Chair of the ODI BoardRichard Smith-Bingham, Executive Director at Marsh & McLennan Advantage InsightsRelated resourcesWorld Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2022Think Change episode 3: will the war in Ukraine cause a food crisis?Think Change episode 5: how can global feminists help fight back on Roe?Think Change episode 6: how can we break the silence on famine in the Horn of Africa?The systemic impacts of the war in Ukraine: a triple shockThe crises we choose