Blog

Digital-by-default service delivery and the vicious circle of digital poverty

by Motunrayo Oladeji

Digital poverty affects people living on low incomes as they are more likely to be excluded from digital services. While digital services may be convenient for many, they can be a significant barrier for those without access to digital devices, unable to afford data packages, or less able to use them.

Ibali learning and networking event on inclusion

by Motunrayo Oladeji

The Ibali project team has been researching inclusion from the perspectives of young people and teachers in Nigeria, South Africa, and the UK using a storytelling approach for the last two years. They organised a learning and networking event in December 2023 to engage with researchers and practitioners working in the educational inclusion space.

Image of a woman carrying a child on her back while walking

Navigating the intersections of health and education: a case study of early pregnancy and motherhood research in Nigeria

by Motunrayo Oladeji

In Nigeria, 1 in 5 girls aged 15 to 19 years are either pregnant or young mothers. Unfortunately, pregnant teenagers and young mothers often face discrimination and are either expelled from school or forced to drop out due to the competing demands of childcare and education.

Exploring teachers' identity towards mental health well-being

by Motunrayo Oladeji

Teachers play a vital role in shaping the future of our society by imparting knowledge, skills, and values to their students. However, being a teacher is not an easy task. It comes with challenges and responsibilities that can affect a teacher's mental well-being.

Developing collaborative projects: why, how and with whom

by Prof Cathy Lloyd and Dr Philippa Waterhouse

As we reach the halfway point towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs), Ll Junhua, the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations, has called for a further strengthening of collaborations if we are to make meaningful change.

Reducing poverty and improving wellbeing: time for a new ‘human’ face?

by Motunrayo Oladeji

In a recent Poverty and Social Protection Hub seminar, Dr Keetie Roelen spoke about the importance of including a "human face" in policies that aim to reduce poverty and improve well-being. The session was divided into three parts: setting the scene, identifying five blind spots, and highlighting policy and research implications.

A wallet with various dollar bills in a man's hands

Forging renewed commitments towards eradicating extreme poverty

by Keetie Roelen and Vidya Diwakar

‘Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting Dignity in Practice for All’ is the theme of this year’s UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty held on the 17 October. Enabling these outcomes and practices is more pertinent than ever. According to recent reports, the world is currently off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 on ending extreme poverty by 2030.

Sharing insight and experiences from teacher professional development research

by Motunrayo Oladeji

The Executive Dean at the OU recently welcomed colleagues from partner institutions in South Asia, including Prof Vikas Maniar from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India and Prof Dr Md. Abdul Halim, Prof Dr S M Hafizur Rahman, and Prof Mohammad Nure Alam Siddique from the Institute of Education and Research, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

A portrait photograph of Martha Nicholson

Meet the researcher: Martha Nicholson – Exploring the role of midwifery and nursing in abortion care

by Motunrayo Oladeji

Martha Nicholson is a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education, and Language Studies at The Open University. She previously worked in sexual and reproductive health and rights for non-governmental organisations.

Meet the researcher: Jane Magaya - Exploring the education experiences of marginalised girls in Zimbabwe

by Motunrayo Oladeji

Jane Magaya is a PhD candidate interested in girls’ education and social justice. Her work explores the education experiences of marginalised girls in Zimbabwe.

Two female teachers supporting a male student with his schoolwork in a classroom

The power of community collaborations to improve children’s learning and wellbeing

By Alison Buckler, Freda Wolfenden, Kwame Akyeampong, Memory Malibha-Pinchbeck, Katie Godwin

Bertina - a primary school teacher in Ghana’s Akuapem South District - tells us about an interaction she had with the mother of one of her pupils. The child had been coming to school late, and infrequently, and Bertina had called the mother to school to discuss the issue.

Meet the researcher: Aaron Faro Mvula – Understanding the experiences of young unmarried fathers in rural Zambia

by Motunrayo Oladeji

Aaron Faro Mvula is a PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education, and Language Studies (WELS) at The Open University. He previously worked as a lecturer in social work at the University of Zambia and as a senior social worker under the University Teaching Hospital HIV and AIDS Programme (UTH-HAP) in Zambia.

A group of women sitting on the ground and studying and working together

Engaging rural women and girls in research processes: A discussion at the NGO Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Forum

by Motunrayo Oladeji

How do we engage rural women and girls in our research processes? This was the question the Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD) focused on in our recent event at the NGO Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)67 Forum. The Forum is a platform for civil society organisations organised in parallel to the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Portrait of two women researchers at a meeting

Empowering participation in evidence cafés

by Tom Power and Prof Jacqueline Stevenson

Funded by the EdTech Hub, our collaborative OU-Dhaka University project, 3MPower (Mobile Learning for Empowerment of Marginalised Mathematics Educators) is generating evidence on technology use for Teacher Professional Development (TPD) in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on children’s foundation numeracy skills in schools serving marginalised, low-income, rural communities.

Meet the researcher: Elizabeth Ascroft – Creating safe spaces to discuss sex and sexuality

by Elizabeth Ascroft

Elizabeth Ascroft previously worked on programme design and research in the sexual and reproductive health and rights space in international development settings before starting her PhD at The Open University. Sexuality can often be seen as a taboo topic and Elizabeth’s work looks at creating safe spaces for people to discuss sensitive and taboo subjects such as sex, gender, and pleasure.