Poverty is a severe problem which deserves global attention. Despite the efforts of the international society and the commitments enshrined in the Millennium Declaration around two billion people are poor in today’s world. The key lies in the collaboration and building of partnerships in order to better tackle this worldwide problem. This study focuses particularly on the EU-UNIDO partnership and is aimed at evaluating its work towards eradicating poverty. For this purpose, fact sheets and charts from various secondary sources have been analysed. Moreover, the author has carried out a qualitative analysis of two EU-UNIDO projects according to a particular evaluation scheme. The study is of importance since the suggestions as to improvement of the EU-UNIDO partnership arising from it can help tackle the global poverty problem more effectively.There is a widespread view that most of the world’s extremely poor live in the Low Income countries (LICs) of Africa. However, a recent study suggests that bulk of the world’s poor actually live in Middle Income Countries (MICs), mostly in Asia. For the purpose of the analysis the following questions are addressed. Firstly, the study seeks to find out what instruments the EU-UNIDO partnership uses to tackle the problem of poverty and whether they are successful. Secondly, it investigates if and to what extent the EU-UNIDO partnership takes into account the change in the global distribution of the poor. The results indicate that in order to fight poverty the EU-UNIDO projects mostly seek to boost economic growth and develop trade capacity. However, the project area of action is not always pro-poor. Moreover, geographical distribution of the EU-UNIDO projects does not run in accordance with the global poverty distribution.

Magister Commercii - MCom / This minithesis aims to determine whether South Africa's microfinance institutions are operating efficiently and whether efficiency can be enhanced. Using the United Nations model and framework for efficiency, it examines the key principles of operational efficiency in the South African microfinance context. The paper begins with an overview of the literature relating to the principles of efficiency as underscored in the United Nations model.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study aims to provide insights into the nature and extent of development funding provided to various poverty eradication projects by the National Development Agency (NDA) and its subsequent impact on reducing poverty in the predominantly rural communities of the Makhuduthamaga Municipality in the Limpopo Province. It examines in detail the impact made by the NDA on community development through the disbursement of funds to poverty eradication projects. It also provides insights into the total number of the NDA-funded projects and the total proportion of the NDA-funds allocated to them in the Makhuduthamaga Municipality. The study further examines the nature of the NDA support regarding the design of the interventions, relevance, participation of communities, delivery modalities and sustainability. The effectiveness of the NDA-funded projects in community development is determined using employment opportunities created, income generated, skills transferred, assets accumulated, sustainability mechanisms and community empowerment indicators. Although all of these indicators are found to be tightly linked to the NDA’s mandate of poverty eradication, the extent to which the NDA has achieved its objectives in disbursing development funding earmarked for poverty eradication and strengthening of CSOs was yet to be determined, hence the relevance of this study. The study, therefore, highlights key issues regarding the types of employment opportunities created and levels of income emanating from the NDA-funded projects. The study further highlights various areas of community empowerment, financial and sustainability measures put in place for the sustainability of the NDA-funded projects. Using a combined method of research, that is the qualitative and quantitative case study approach, the study highlights in detail insights into the impact made by the NDA on community development, particularly on Makhuduthamaga Municipality. The study highlights that while the NDA made some strides in the creation of employment opportunities, income generation, food security and community empowerment, both financial and institutional sustainability proved to be a daunting challenge for the NDA-funded projects Tailor-made and accredited training interventions coupled with the introduction of market-driven products to the NDA-funded projects as opposed to heavy reliance on donor funding will go a long way in bringing about productivity and, most probably, positive balance sheets and the maximum impact on the NDA funded projects.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / Tourism is one of the fastest growing global sectors, with current international tourist arrivals exceeding 935 million, and projected arrivals to exceed 1 billion by 2020. Community-based ecotourism has been suggested as a possible avenue for poverty eradication and local economic development in South Africa's remote rural regions, which are characterised by undeveloped infrastructure, poorly functioning schools and few economic opportunities. This is especially true of the Wild Coast region in the Eastern Cape Province, which is characterised by the contrasting elements of abundant natural resources eminently suitable for tourism development, and abject poverty. The central objective of this qualitative study is to evaluate the developmental impacts of the Bulungula Lodge and related initiatives, in order to assess the extent to which ecotourism can be used as a catalyst for local economic development. This includes the conservation practices employed by the enterprise, as well as its contribution towards conservation knowledge amongst community members. In addition, the study undertook to assess the extent to which the Bulungula Lodge and related initiatives has provided employment, and facilitated local participation in decision making and skills development in order to contribute towards sustainable livelihood outcomes. The findings indicate that Bulungula Lodge and related initiatives contribute positively to the local economy through job creation, skills development and local collaboration. However, Bulungula Lodge is faced with a number of factors which constrain the attainment of development goals, such as an inactive local and provincial government, low human and physical capital stocks and an inability to expand without threatening the sustainability of the natural resource base. In conclusion, the study provides numerous recommendations in order to increase the effectiveness of projects and employment within an environment devoid of government intervention. Among these are strategies for improving an understanding of conservation amongst community members, as well as strategies to improve adult education and the empowerment of women in the decision making process.

<p>Traditionally, governments are the main providers of development assistance and re-sponsible for stimulating social development in the third world. In recent years, Corpo-rate Social Responsibility has gained considerable ground and it is now common for corporations to get involved in activities resembling those carried out in the name of development assistance. A deconstruction of these two activities shows that they could be described as two definitions of the same concept. Through a set of research ques-tions, this thesis explores the relationship between CSR and development assistance and seeks to identify possibilities for future cooperation between them.</p><p>The purpose of the thesis is to investigate (1) if there is a future possibility for a com-mon strategy where CSR and Development Assistance collaborate; (2) if developing countries would benefit from corporate involvement in development assistance; and (3) who else could benefit from such a strategy.</p><p>The main conclusion is that there are substantial possibilities for future co-operation be-tween them. It seems clear from the research that neither governmental development as-sistance organizations nor corporations stand a chance to eradicate poverty alone. It is, however, crucial that poverty eradication has to be the common goal for all actors in-volved. For cooperation to succeed the public must realize that a collaborative strategy is a way of including more actors in pursuing the goal of poverty eradication and not a way of trasferring money from development assistance to corporations.</p><p>Further, distribution of responsibility becomes useless if legal or official guidelines are unable to decide who has the ultimate responsibility. It is importance that responsibility is also followed by accountability.</p><p>Corporations would benefit by gaining access to emerging markets and the possibilities for innovative business strategies. Development assistance agencies would by introduc-ing new strategies improve the results and get more resources to achieve effective po-verty reduction. If corporations and development assistance agencies collaborate and focus on long-term projects real effectiveness will be the result. The general opinion seems to be that with a clearly set goal, several coordinated actors have a better chance of achieving it than one.</p><p><em> </em></p>

In view of the high levels of poverty in most under-developed and developing countries, poverty reduction has become an international phenomenon. South Africa (SA) is a country faced with the challenge of poverty as a result of the high rates of unemployment fifteen (15) years after the introduction of the new democratic dispensation. Poverty reduction has been placed at the centre of global development objectives to improve people‟s lives through expanding their choices, their freedom, and their dignity. Numerous countries have developed poverty-reduction strategies, which are over-arching macro-strategies implemented by different social and economic sectors in collaboration with the private sector. South Africa, however, does not have an over-arching poverty reduction strategy, which is the key national governmental priority, although many poverty-reduction programmes exist. The existing poverty reduction initiatives in South Africa, such as Income Generating Projects (IGPs), are either established by Government or the Civil Society structures with the aim to assist in changing the standard of living of poor people so that they can at least meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter and clothing. This study focuses on the IGPs that operate in Atteridgeville, Tshwane, with the view to explore and describe the experiences of individuals who participate in these IGPs. A qualitative research approach was selected for the study and three IGPs were selected from the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) that affiliate to the Phelindaba Forum. This Forum coordinates social development activities in Atteridgeville, Saulsville and Mshengoville. The findings of the study indicated that although IGPs are established to benefit participants financially, there are other factors that motivate people to join and remain in the projects, such as moral support amongst members. Furthermore, some NGOs claim to facilitate IGPs, but in some instances, these IGPs are left to operate on their own without much needed assistance. The recommendation for future studies is that participants need to be engaged with in order to get a true reflection of how the IGPs operate. The assistance and support of NGOs are crucial for the sustainability of such projects. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

In view of the high levels of poverty in most under-developed and developing countries, poverty reduction has become an international phenomenon. South Africa (SA) is a country faced with the challenge of poverty as a result of the high rates of unemployment fifteen (15) years after the introduction of the new democratic dispensation. Poverty reduction has been placed at the centre of global development objectives to improve people‟s lives through expanding their choices, their freedom, and their dignity. Numerous countries have developed poverty-reduction strategies, which are over-arching macro-strategies implemented by different social and economic sectors in collaboration with the private sector. South Africa, however, does not have an over-arching poverty reduction strategy, which is the key national governmental priority, although many poverty-reduction programmes exist. The existing poverty reduction initiatives in South Africa, such as Income Generating Projects (IGPs), are either established by Government or the Civil Society structures with the aim to assist in changing the standard of living of poor people so that they can at least meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter and clothing. This study focuses on the IGPs that operate in Atteridgeville, Tshwane, with the view to explore and describe the experiences of individuals who participate in these IGPs. A qualitative research approach was selected for the study and three IGPs were selected from the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) that affiliate to the Phelindaba Forum. This Forum coordinates social development activities in Atteridgeville, Saulsville and Mshengoville. The findings of the study indicated that although IGPs are established to benefit participants financially, there are other factors that motivate people to join and remain in the projects, such as moral support amongst members. Furthermore, some NGOs claim to facilitate IGPs, but in some instances, these IGPs are left to operate on their own without much needed assistance. The recommendation for future studies is that participants need to be engaged with in order to get a true reflection of how the IGPs operate. The assistance and support of NGOs are crucial for the sustainability of such projects. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

The European Union (EU) is the world’s leading development donor, playing a pivotal role in shaping development norms. This paper aims to investigate the extent to which the EU has been effective in its external aid actorness towards global poverty eradication during the post-Cotonou negotiation period (2000-2020). The theoretical framework of Sjöstedt’s (1977) Actorness Theory  is constructed upon the premises of Social Constructivism. To operationalize “actorness”, Brattberg and Rhinard’s (2012) criteria of context, coherence, consistency, and  capability are utilized. The research triangulates the methods of Discourse Historical Analysis and Thematic Content Analysis to assess the EU’s nom-setting policy discourse. The analysis suggests that the Union scores highly in the context and capability criteria, as it is recognized as a legitimate development actor and possesses mechanisms to reach aid agreements, while lacks  coherence  and  consistency  due to inadequate policy implementation and commitment to McKee et al.’s (2020) Aid Quality Index. The thesis concludes that the EU’s aid effectiveness has decreased due to its actorness being increasingly linked to foreign policy considerations in response to emerging challenges in development cooperation. The research underlines the significance of analysing the empirical linkage between EU’s actorness and effectiveness for the field of International Relations.

Traditionally, governments are the main providers of development assistance and re-sponsible for stimulating social development in the third world. In recent years, Corpo-rate Social Responsibility has gained considerable ground and it is now common for corporations to get involved in activities resembling those carried out in the name of development assistance. A deconstruction of these two activities shows that they could be described as two definitions of the same concept. Through a set of research ques-tions, this thesis explores the relationship between CSR and development assistance and seeks to identify possibilities for future cooperation between them. The purpose of the thesis is to investigate (1) if there is a future possibility for a com-mon strategy where CSR and Development Assistance collaborate; (2) if developing countries would benefit from corporate involvement in development assistance; and (3) who else could benefit from such a strategy. The main conclusion is that there are substantial possibilities for future co-operation be-tween them. It seems clear from the research that neither governmental development as-sistance organizations nor corporations stand a chance to eradicate poverty alone. It is, however, crucial that poverty eradication has to be the common goal for all actors in-volved. For cooperation to succeed the public must realize that a collaborative strategy is a way of including more actors in pursuing the goal of poverty eradication and not a way of trasferring money from development assistance to corporations. Further, distribution of responsibility becomes useless if legal or official guidelines are unable to decide who has the ultimate responsibility. It is importance that responsibility is also followed by accountability. Corporations would benefit by gaining access to emerging markets and the possibilities for innovative business strategies. Development assistance agencies would by introduc-ing new strategies improve the results and get more resources to achieve effective po-verty reduction. If corporations and development assistance agencies collaborate and focus on long-term projects real effectiveness will be the result. The general opinion seems to be that with a clearly set goal, several coordinated actors have a better chance of achieving it than one.

PhDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / See the attached abstract below