ICLD Travel Grants support female researchers

Ahead of the DevRes 2022 conference in Uppsala/Stockholm, ICLD financed travel grants to female researchers from two of our partner universities, University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Makerere University in Uganda.

The two researchers seized the opportunity to improve their own research, learn about key discussions in the field of development, and broaden their international networks. By supporting women researchers, ICLD hopes to contribute to a more equal society.

Out of fifteen applications, Victoria and Irene distinguished themselves with their research proposals on topics of gender and migration in Tanzania, and paths toward inclusive health in Uganda. With the help of a grant that covered accommodation and travel to Sweden, the grantees could make full use of the networking opportunities. In short, the DevRes Conference brought together researchers, public agencies, policy makers, organisations and practitioners to find solutions for poverty and develop strategies for the future of sustainable development.

When we asked Victoria and Irene, this is what they, themselves say about the experience and why their research matters for local governments:

Victoria: The grant was a great opportunity for me to be able to present my research work on gender and climate change impacts. Also, I was able to establish networks with participants from various parts of the world and different expertise. This is something I wouldn’t have benefited from if it was not for the DevRes grant.

The research focus on decisions that involve both local authorities as well as central government. For instance, while central government makes the decision to resettle flood victims, all arrangements for resettlement were implemented by the local authorities.

Irene: Participating at the Conference was a great opportunity for me to share our research findings with a bigger audience and to engage with other people from different settings doing related work. I was also privileged to moderate a session on aspects related to SDGs.

Our research presented at the Conference highlighted the nature of connections that exist between Sustainable Development Goals in Uganda and further emphasized the need for multisectoral collaborations to achieve health and other SDGs, specifically in the Ugandan context.

Our work is critical in informing local policymakers and decision-makers in the country as they plan for implementation strategies and has triggered discussions on multisectoral actions between sectors at different levels.

With this type of grant, ICLD hopes to continue supporting female researchers in the field of local democracy in the upcoming years.