The 6 big thinkers reshaping foreign aid, masculinity, and development – vox.com

Report on Key Contributors to Global Sustainable Development

Introduction

This report profiles several influential thinkers, economists, and activists whose work significantly contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By employing data-driven analysis, innovative social programs, and evidence-based policy advocacy, these individuals are advancing global progress in health, poverty reduction, gender equality, and institutional strength. Their efforts underscore the importance of rigorous, targeted interventions in addressing the world’s most persistent development challenges.

Dean Karlan

Profile and Contributions

• A professor of economics and finance, Karlan is recognized for his focus on applying rigorous data analysis to foreign aid and development programs.
• He served as the first chief economist for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), where he worked to improve the cost-effectiveness of aid initiatives.
• Karlan is the founder of Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), a non-profit research organization that conducts randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate solutions to global poverty.
• He also founded ImpactMatters, a non-profit that rated charities based on their effectiveness, which was later acquired by Charity Navigator.
• His work advocates for evidence-based foreign aid strategies to maximize life-saving impact and ensure efficient use of resources.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 1 (No Poverty): Karlan’s founding of IPA and his broader research are directly aimed at identifying and scaling the most effective interventions to eradicate poverty.
2. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): His support for cost-effective, life-saving initiatives like PEPFAR demonstrates a commitment to improving global health outcomes.
3. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): By working within USAID and developing bipartisan plans for foreign aid, Karlan’s career exemplifies the cross-sector collaboration needed to achieve the SDGs.

Gary Barker

Profile and Contributions

• Barker is the co-founder and CEO of Equimundo, a global non-profit organization focused on engaging men and boys to advance gender equality.
• He champions the concept of “positive masculinity,” which promotes vulnerability, kindness, and emotional health as an alternative to regressive gender norms.
• Equimundo’s programs, such as MenCare+ and Program H, have been proven through randomized controlled trials to reduce domestic violence and promote healthier gender attitudes.
• The organization conducts the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) across more than 30 countries to gather data on attitudes regarding gender equality.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Barker’s work is centrally focused on transforming harmful gender norms and engaging men as partners in achieving gender equality.
2. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): By addressing the “masculinity crisis” and its links to mental health issues and suicide rates among men, his initiatives directly support well-being.
3. SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): The demonstrated success of Equimundo’s programs in reducing violence against women contributes to building more peaceful and inclusive societies.

Ken Opalo

Profile and Contributions

• Opalo is a political scientist at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, specializing in African political development.
• His research, notably in his book Legislative Development in Africa, analyzes the growth and function of political institutions on the continent.
• He focuses on “the growth question,” arguing that sustainable economic growth is fundamental to all other development outcomes, including effective governance, education, and public services.
• Through his newsletter, An Africanist Perspective, he translates complex political economy concepts for a broader audience, advocating for functional, democratic institutions in the Global South.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions): Opalo’s academic work provides critical insights into how effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions are built and sustained in Africa.
2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): His emphasis on economic growth as the foundation for development aligns directly with the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic progress.
3. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): His analysis of governance helps inform how international partners and domestic leaders can work together to build state capacity.

Pascaline Dupas

Profile and Contributions

• Dupas is a professor of economics at Princeton University and a leading researcher in development economics.
• She serves as the co-chair of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), a global research center that uses randomized controlled trials to evaluate anti-poverty policies.
• Her highly cited research covers critical development topics, including the impact of free malaria bednet distribution, access to banking for small businesses, and educational policies.
• Her findings have directly influenced policies at the World Health Organization, the British foreign aid agency, and governments in several African nations.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 1 (No Poverty): As a leader at J-PAL and a prolific researcher, Dupas’s work is dedicated to generating rigorous evidence on the most effective ways to reduce global poverty.
2. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Her research on the distribution of free bednets has been instrumental in shaping global strategies to prevent malaria.
3. SDG 4 (Quality Education): Her studies on educational interventions, such as grouping students by achievement levels, provide valuable evidence for improving learning outcomes.

Paul Newnham

Profile and Contributions

• Newnham leads the “Beans Is How” campaign, an initiative launched at COP27 to double global bean consumption by 2028.
• The campaign promotes beans as a highly nutritious, affordable, and environmentally sustainable source of protein.
• It unites a global coalition of over 120 partners, including agricultural researchers, chefs, and non-governmental organizations, to improve the public perception and consumption of beans.
• The initiative supports practical applications, such as programs to serve high-iron beans in school meals in Kenya to combat malnutrition.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): The campaign directly addresses food security and malnutrition by promoting a nutrient-dense, accessible food source.
2. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): By advocating for a shift from resource-intensive animal proteins to sustainable plant-based proteins like beans, the initiative supports sustainable food systems.
3. SDG 13 (Climate Action): Promoting beans, which have a significantly lower environmental footprint than meat, is a direct contribution to mitigating climate change.

Oliver Kim

Profile and Contributions

• Kim is a research fellow and the author of the Global Developments newsletter, which provides data-driven analysis of development economics.
• His work focuses on clarifying complex debates surrounding poverty, economic growth, and foreign aid effectiveness.
• He uses empirical evidence and historical data to challenge common misconceptions and provide rigorous, accessible explanations of key development concepts.
• His writing serves as a critical resource for policymakers and the public, ensuring that discussions on global development are grounded in evidence.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 1 (No Poverty): Kim’s analysis of economic growth and poverty reduction strategies contributes to a more informed and effective approach to ending poverty.
2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): His explainers on core economic concepts help build a broader understanding of the mechanisms that drive sustainable growth.
3. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): By critically examining the track record and impact of foreign aid, his work helps guide more effective global partnerships for sustainable development.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 1: No Poverty

  The article directly addresses poverty through the work of individuals like Dean Karlan, founder of “Innovations for Poverty Action,” and Pascaline Dupas, an economist dedicated to “reducing global poverty.” Their focus on evidence-based solutions and efficient foreign aid is central to poverty alleviation efforts.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This goal is highlighted in the section about Paul Newnham and his “Beans Is How” campaign. The campaign promotes beans as a nutritious, sustainable, and affordable food source to combat malnutrition and improve food security, particularly in low-income countries.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  Global health is a core theme. The article mentions saving lives through efficient aid (Dean Karlan), preventing malaria with bednets (Pascaline Dupas), addressing mental health and suicide rates among men (Gary Barker), and tackling diet-related diseases through nutrition (Paul Newnham).

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  This goal is connected through the work of Ken Opalo, who emphasizes the need for “schools that teach” as a component of functional states, and Pascaline Dupas, whose research includes the effects of different teaching methods on student achievement.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  Gary Barker’s work with Equimundo directly targets this goal by engaging men and boys to shift norms around masculinity, promote gender equality, and reduce violence against women. His programs aim to create a “healthier model of identity” for men that is not based on aggression.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article connects to this SDG through Ken Opalo’s focus on “the growth question” in Africa as the foundation for development. Additionally, Pascaline Dupas’s research on how access to banking affects small business development relates to promoting entrepreneurship and economic activity.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  Ken Opalo’s academic work on African legislatures, building functional tax systems, and ensuring leaders are accountable to the people directly relates to the goal of developing effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The entire article underscores the importance of partnerships. It discusses the role of government agencies like USAID, non-profits like Innovations for Poverty Action and Equimundo, academic research networks like J-PAL, and global campaigns like “Beans Is How” in mobilizing resources and expertise to achieve development goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 1 (No Poverty):

   • Target 1.2: Reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty. This is the overarching goal of the work done by Pascaline Dupas and Dean Karlan.
   • Target 1.a: Ensure significant mobilization of resources… to implement programmes and policies to end poverty. The discussion of USAID’s budget and the need for efficient foreign aid directly addresses this.

2. Under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):

   • Target 2.2: By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition. Paul Newnham’s campaign to promote high-iron beans for schoolchildren in Kenya is a direct effort to combat malnutrition.

3. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):

   • Target 3.3: End the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases. The article mentions Pascaline Dupas’s influential research on distributing free bednets to prevent malaria and the importance of lifesaving initiatives like PEPFAR for HIV.
   • Target 3.4: Reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases… and promote mental health and well-being. This is addressed by Gary Barker’s work on the “masculinity crisis” and rising male suicide rates, and Paul Newnham’s focus on beans to prevent chronic diet-related diseases.

4. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality):

   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls. Gary Barker’s MenCare+ program, which reduced violence by men against their partners in Rwanda, is a specific intervention aimed at this target.

5. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):

   • Target 8.1: Sustain per capita economic growth. This is central to Ken Opalo’s argument that “Without growth, everything else is noise.”

6. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):

   • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels. Ken Opalo’s study of Africa’s legislatures and his focus on building states with functional tax systems and accountable leaders directly aligns with this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 1 (No Poverty):

  The use of “randomized control trials” by researchers like Pascaline Dupas is mentioned as the “gold standard” for figuring out what policy interventions work, serving as a rigorous method for measuring impact on poverty levels.

• For SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):

  A specific, measurable goal is mentioned: the “Beans Is How” campaign aims to “double global bean consumption by 2028.” The number of schoolchildren in Kenya served high-iron beans is another concrete indicator of progress.

• For SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):

  The article implies tracking “male suicide rates” as an indicator of the mental health crisis Gary Barker is working to address. The distribution and use of free malaria bednets, as studied by Pascaline Dupas, is another measurable indicator.

• For SDG 5 (Gender Equality):

  The article provides a very specific indicator of success: the MenCare+ program “reduced violence by men against their partners in Rwanda by over 40 percent.” Furthermore, the “IMAGES survey” is mentioned as a tool that interviews thousands of people in over 30 countries to understand and track attitudes about gender equality.

• For SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):

  The article implies that the “cost-effectiveness” and “efficiency” of foreign aid are key indicators. Dean Karlan’s work focuses on ensuring “every dollar saves the maximum number of lives,” which suggests a cost-benefit analysis for aid programs.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: vox.com