Panos London

What next for the economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries?

August 2010

Panos London

The international economic crisis has hit many developing countries hard, inflicting devastating social costs and calling into question the prospects for sustained economic recovery and long-term development. Has the crisis interrupted or ended recent economic growth rates? How successful had growth been anyway in improving living standards? Will economic policies now change? As governments grapple with the challenges, journalists are crucial to raising public debate about the issues at stake, and how they affect poorer citizens.

What is this media brief for?

This is a briefing document for journalists on economic growth and poverty reduction. It sets out the main issues around the topic and gives tips on reporting it. It aims to help journalists consider issues and debates, and research their own stories.

You can download the brief in the right-hand column. You can also see a selection of relevant links in the right-hand column, too.

In addition Panos London has assembled a series of resources relating to the brief

• Beyond the financial crisis: what next for economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries? This new media brief, contains selected references to key research, looks at how the international financial crisis has affected the economy and people in Africa and South Asia. It looks at emerging trends as governments make decisions on future growth and economic development, and provides tips for how journalists can cover the issues at stake in the public interest.
• The Beyond the financial crisis literature review (Pro-poor growth in the context of the financial crisis) provides a background overview of research literature on the much-debated relationship between economic growth and poverty reduction. It complements the media brief by providing further information and analysis on key economic growth and poverty reduction issues, and contains a complete set of research references on pages 31-38.
• An annotated bibliography provides further insights for journalists interested in finding out more about the issues raised by selected examples of the research covered in the literature review.
• A glossary of important terms provides journalists with the definitions they may need to understand in reporting on economic growth and poverty reduction and in using research to do so. The glossary extends the shorter list on page 10 of the media brief. 
• Tax matters: a media guide to research on tax and governance provides information and tips for journalists keen to cover tax policies. Tax underpins the state-citizen relationship, and policies in this area are vital as governments seek to deal with the impact of the international crisis on public finances, encourage growth and share its rewards.
• Making or missing the links? The politics of trade reform and poverty reduction encourages journalists to report on the costs and benefits of trade reforms for people in their countries. The export markets of many poor countries have been badly affected by the international financial crisis. But even before recent events, the link between trade, growth and poverty reduction was a hot topic of debate. This media brief explains why.

 

Publisher: Panos London

Translation(s): English

Price: £0.00

Nearly all our publications are available to download as free pdfs. Some are also available to order in hard copy - either free of charge or for a small payment, in which case you can pay using our secure online facility. We charge for post and packaging to cover our costs.

Farmer Abra Rejani in his barley field, Ethiopia. The financial crisis has been felt by people in the developing world through falling demand for commodities, and rising food and fuel prices / Crispin Hughes - Panos Pictures

Free downloads

• Beyond the financial crisis media brief
• Beyond the financial crisis bibliography
• Beyond the financial crisis glossary
• Beyond the crisis literature review

Related links

• Tax matters: a media guide to research on tax and governance
• Making or missing the links? The politics of trade reform and poverty reduction

User comments

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