Reaching vulnerable women in Afghanistan | Coffee break research at LSE

Democratic backsliding, the climate crisis, and rising state fragility are creating new obstacles to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As an example, humanitarian needs are at their highest level since 1945, yet aid budgets are shrinking as developed nations face mounting challenges.

Dr Michael Callen presents his research which tests innovative strategies for supporting vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations in repressive and fragile states. He will discuss two projects – one delivering digital humanitarian payments to highly vulnerable women in Afghanistan, and the other using a proven over-the-phone approach to provide foundational numeracy and literacy education to girls barred from attending school by the Taliban.

Michael Callen is Associate Professor of Economics at LSE: https://www.lse.ac.uk/economics/people/faculty/Michael-Callen

Read more about Michael's research in Research for the World, our online social science magazine: https://www.lse.ac.uk/research/research-for-the-world/economics/paying-humanitarian-aid-digitally-can-help-societys-most-vulnerable-a-study-with-afghan-women

Find out more about the LSE Research Showcase events: https://www.lse.ac.uk/researchshowcase