Local economic development, innovation and livelihoods
A cry for justice by “invisible squatters” – Colonial legacy, local democracy, and the quest forhuman rights in land dispossession by Kakuzi PLC in Makuyu, Murang’a County, Kenya
This thesis examines the enduring impact of colonial legacies on local democracy and human rights concerning land dispossession in Makuyu, Murang’a County, Kenya, focusing on the experiences of ’invisible squatters’ affected by Kakuzi PLC. Through the lens of decolonization and post-colonial thinking practices theories, the research reveals that historical injustices rooted in colonial land policies…
Provisions of social workers to victims of internal child trafficking in Uganda: A case study of children living on the streets of Kampala City
Human trafficking has become a serious global challenge in the recent past. Regarded as a global epidemic, it has triggered an increase in numbers of children living on the streets especially in countries where internal trafficking in children is a common social vice. This has resulted into a syndemic as a social evil in human…
The role of trust in achieving sustainable community-based disaster risk management – case studies from the Philippines
Impacts of disasters are felt acutely at community level, as a consequence communities in the Philippines are among the most affected by the increase in disaster risks. This realization led to an increase of community-based approaches, such as community based disaster risk management (CBDRM). However, literature acknowledges a recurring failure of projects to be sustainable…
Locally-led Adaptation as a Silver Bullet? Complexities, Needs, and Responses in Climate Adaptation at the Volta Coastline, Ghana
Sea-level rise increases the exposure of low-lying communities to climate risks along the eastern coast of Ghana, while adaptation responses are reactive and insufficient to secure fishing livelihoods in highly vulnerable areas. To better address needs, Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) promotes just climate governance by shifting power to local actors to enable context-specific and place-based responses.…
Drawing rural paths on the urban margins: An Ethnographic Study of Peacebuilding, Displacement and Place-making in Medellín Largest Informal Settlement
This thesis provides an in-depth ethnographic analysis of La Nueva Jerusalén, Medellín’s largest informal settlement, exploring the complex interplay between displacement, place-making, and a territorial perspective within the urban margins. It examines how displaced populations engage with and transform their newly inhabited urban spaces, forging communities at the intersection of rural and urban dynamics amid…
María José Zapata Campos driver forskning och förändring vid ICLD
Ny forskningschef María José Zapata Campos har väl axlat sin nya roll som forskningschef vid ICLD, med uppdraget att stärka den lokala demokratin och bekämpa globala ojämlikheter. Hon brinner för att skapa en hållbar framtid och är redo att sätta sin prägel på ICLD. Vem är María-José? Född och uppvuxen i Elche, en stad på…
Empowering Local Voices: The Role of Participatory Research in SDG Voluntary Local Reviews
This report analyses the use of community-based, participatory methods in producing Voluntary Local Reviews. Since 2022, the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy has supported municipalities with policy integration of the Sustainable Development Goals. Research teams together with three of these municipalities (Bijeljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Emboreet and Kibaha in Tanzania) applied community-based participatory…
Falun – Kolomyia, Ukraine
Youth, Education, and Entrepreneurship The partnership between Falun and Kolomyia focuses on youth engagement and entrepreneurship, with a strong emphasis on inclusive education. Around 90 students have already participated in educational initiatives as a result of the project, alongside some teacher training. The project is aligned with several Agenda 2030 goals —particularly SDG 4 (Quality…
Voluntary Local Review – City of Bijeljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
This report looks into the localisation of SDGs in the City of Bijeljina, which is an SDG pioneer in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It reviews three SDGs – SDG5 (gender equality), SDG10 (inclusion), and SDG17 (partnerships towards goals) – through the lens of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) which is based on an immersion of researchers into…
Bridging the Accountability Gap: Applying assed-based and citizen-led development in Emfuleni, South Africa
This research project aims to gain an understanding of how to institutionalise the Asset-Based and Citizen-Led Development (ABCD) approach as an innovative means of promoting active citizen engagement along with local-level social accountability in Emfuleni Local Municipality, Gauteng Province in South Africa. Building on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA)’s work in three wards of…
