Poverty Unpacked podcast

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In conversation with others, we explore how poverty affects the mind, relationships, emotions and society as a whole, and what can be done to change it. Hear from activists, researchers, policy makers, and those with lived experience of poverty around the world.

Poverty Unpacked


    • Sep 16, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 39 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Poverty Unpacked podcast

    38. Poverty is expensive - Fair by Design

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 33:11


    When you have less to spend, life costs more. Poverty premiums refer to higher prices that people pay for anything from car insurance to grocery shopping due to having a smaller budget. In this episode, we speak with Maria Booker, Head of Policy at Fair by Design, a campaign that aims to eliminate unfair poverty premiums. Find out more on: https://poverty-unpacked.org

    37. Poverty Unpacked - October chat

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2023 26:26


    October is here! In the month of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, in this chat we reflect on discussions about future of poverty reduction in two recent conferences, and on two new books - one about shame, one about poverty. Tune in now! Links and more on our website: poverty-unpacked.org

    36. Giving cash directly – Lydiah Wangechi

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2023 37:39


    What if programmes aiming to improve people's lives did a simple thing – give people cash, directly? In this episode, we're joined by Lydiah Wangechi, Regional Director for East Africa for GiveDirectly, to talk about the benefits and challenges of giving cash directly. Find out more on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/

    35. Poverty Unpacked - August chat

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2023 19:14


    Catching up on some of the latest news, books, movies and events on poverty in the third of our bi-monthly chats. This month, we reflect on a recent poll in the UK about the public's attitudes to poverty, discuss a research article on poverty in the US and cover a film called 'Free Money' about a US-based NGO giving cash transfers to a poor community in Kenya. Links to all content in this episode can be found in the show notes on our website www.poverty-unpacked.org

    34. Dignity in development - Tom Wein

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 32:59


    Enhancing dignity might seem integral to processes of international development, yet dignity often tends to be an afterthought. Listen to our conversation with Tom Wein, Director at IDinsight, about the importance of dignity in international development and social services and how to foster it. Read more on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=1099

    33. Poverty Unpacked - June chat

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2023 25:49


    Catching up on news, books, podcasts and events on poverty in our bi-monthly chats. This month, we share reflections on the podcast 'The Uncertain Hour' about the welfare-to-work policy in the US, three memoirs about growing up in poverty in the UK and the UN Special Rapporteur's visit to Bangladesh and his assessment of poverty and human rights in the country. Find out more on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=1072

    32. Improving outcomes for children in poverty – Naomi Eisenstadt

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2023 35:11


    How to improve outcomes for children growing up in disadvantage? In this episode, we speak with Naomi Eisenstadt, director of the Sure Start programme in England. Finding a balance between creating opportunities and reducing pressures for families is vital, but at present there is too much focus on behaviour and too little recognition of the financial struggle. Read the full notes on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=1037

    31. Poverty Unpacked - April chat

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2023 24:07


    Catching up on the latest news, books, podcasts and events on poverty in the first of our bi-monthly chats. In this episode, we talk about the books 'Broke' and 'Evicted and the housing crisis in the UK and the US, reflect on a Dutch podcast episode of 'Haagse Zaken' on poverty in the Netherlands and pick up on the debate about economic growth and poverty. Links to all the mentions in this episode can be found on our website: episode-31-poverty-unpacked-april-chat

    30. Basic income - more than just cash

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2023 49:03


    Can basic income rewrite the narrative about poverty? In this episode, we discuss this and many other questions about basic income - or guaranteed income - and how to implement it. We are joined by Melody Valdes and Sarath Davala who discuss their experiences in Boston, US and Hyderabad, India. Find more information about this episode on the Poverty Unpacked website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2023/03/15/episode-30-basic-income-more-than-just-cash/

    29. Learning from lived experience - Toneva Munroe

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2023 39:16


    What is it like to face financial hardship? How to find the right support? What can anti-poverty organisations do better? Listen to Toneva Munroe, a social justice activist, about her own experiences in Boston, USA and the power of lived experience.

    28. Climate change: How can people in poverty be better supported to cope with climate shocks?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 40:19


    People in poverty contribute least to climate change yet also benefit least from policies that either try to mitigate climate change or help people adapt to it. Social protection can help vulnerable populations to adopt strategies that make them more resilient. In this episode, we are joined by Marco Knowles and Nicholas Sitko from FAO to discuss the need for greater investment in policies that help vulnerable populations cope with changes in our climate. Find out more on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org

    27. Graduating out of poverty - can it be done?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2022 30:44


    Empowering families in poverty to take control and set them on a path towards a better life, this is at the core of so-called ‘graduation' programmes. Yet the programmes are not a silver bullet, nor do they work for everyone. In this episode, we speak with Greg Chen and Rozina Haque to mark the 20-year anniversary of the first graduation programme implemented by NGO BRAC in Bangladesh. Find out more about this episode and others on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org

    26. Cost of living crisis: fighting to survive - the Trussell Trust

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2022 33:28


    Rising food and fuel prices are causing the biggest squeeze on living standards in the UK and around the world in decades. The cost of living crisis has made many families rely on food banks so they are able to put meals on the table. In this episode - in collaboration with the Trussell Trust - we hear from Caroline about coping with higher costs of living and the experience of receiving support through food banks, and from Amy about the work of the Trussell Trust. Read more about this episode on our site: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=753

    25. Can mobile phones help to end poverty? – Rosa Wang

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2022 32:06


    Finding out about prices, checking the balance on your bank account and sending money to others – mobile phones can make all this a lot easier. But what are the challenges and risks of getting those on low-incomes to use digital technology? In this episode, we speak with Rosa Wang, author of 'Strong Connections. Stories of resilience from the far reaches of the mobile phone revolution' and previously Global Director for Digital Financial Services at Opportunity International. You can find more information about this episode and our podcast on https://poverty-unpacked.org

    24. Why are women poorer than men? - Annabelle Williams

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2022 37:21


    The feminisation of poverty starts young and is compounded over the life-cycle. At every step of the way, policies and social structures disadvantage women, reinforcing the large gap between women's and men's income and wealth. In this episode, we speak with Annabelle Williams, author of the book 'Why women are poorer than men'. You can find more information about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=638

    23. Mobility mentoring to navigate the trauma of poverty - a brain-science based approach

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2022 37:27


    Mobility mentoring is brain science-based approach to break the vicious cycle of poverty. What does that mean? And does it work? In this episode, we speak with Elisabeth Babcock from EMPath, a nonprofit in the US implementing coaching to support economic mobility. You can more information about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/

    22. Trapped in a hole - the reality of life on a low income

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2021 20:34


    Turning the heating on, buying food or getting your child a school uniform. These are some of the impossible choices faced by people on low income. Instead of receiving support that helps them create a better life, the welfare system keeps people trapped. In this episode, we speak with participants Brian and Caroline and researcher Katie from the Covid Realities research project. We hear first-hand about the challenges of living on little and what needs to change.

    Intro to Poverty Unpacked

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 0:44


    Why you have to listen to this podcast!

    21. A fair chance in life for everyone – UN Special Rapporteur Olivier de Schutter

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2021 40:01


    People in poverty experience disadvantage, stigma and discrimination in all aspects of life. Tackling poverty requires changing our language and making policies more universal, and governments taking their responsibility in doing so. In this episode, we talk with Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights about factors causing poverty and how to tackle it. Find more about this and other episodes on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org.

    20. Lives built on trash: the story of wastepickers in Mumbai - Saumya Roy

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2021 24:53


    Hidden and invisible, the wastepickers of the trash mountains outside of Mumbai in India build their livelihoods by collecting glass, sorting cloth scraps and hunting for hospital waste. They are lives marred by precarity and danger, but also love and laughter. In this episode we are joined by Saumya Roy. author of Castaway Mountain - a non-fiction on the lives of people turning trash into treasure. Read more about this episode on our website here: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=536

    19. The Social Guarantee - meeting the universal need to thrive

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2021 21:38


    Having access to life's essentials is a universal need shared by all. The Social Guarantee aims to ensure that this need is met so that everyone can flourish and thrive. But how does it work? In this episode, we speak with Maeve Cohen from The Social Guarantee.

    18. Millennials, a generation of frustrated aspirations - Thomas Rochow

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2021 23:42


    Secure employment and affordable housing are among the most desired goals of millennials in the UK, but out of reach for many. Social mobility is held up as the answer, yet punitive welfare place emphasis on individual responsibility rather than structural support. In this episode, researcher Thomas Rochow discusses young people's work and life experiences, how they shape their aspirations, and what this means for social mobility. More information about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=512

    17. Aspirations and poverty - a double-edged sword

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 30:49


    Aspirations can inspire positive action towards a better life, but poverty can hamper expectations for the future. What can policies do to increase aspirations and reduce poverty? And what are the risks of a focus on aspirations? In this episode, we discuss the link between aspirations and poverty with two scholars - Katrina Kosec and Cecilia Mo. Find more information about this episode on www.poverty-unpacked.org

    16. Faith and empathy in community work - coming together to tackle poverty

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2021 22:46


    Interfaith collaboration has enormous potential to mobilise community resources, foster a shared sense of humanity, and to tackle poverty. In this episode, we are joined by representatives from three faith-based organisations - Arigatou International, Shanti Ashram, and Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) to discuss the role of community-based work and interfaith cooperation in addressing child poverty. Find out more about this episode on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org.

    15. Navigating Japan's social hierarchies and migrant hostilities - Dreux Richard

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2021 29:31


    The myth that Japan is a place where you can work your way out of poverty has been a pull for Nigerian migrants for several decades, only to be met with a hostile immigration system, dirty and difficult work and strong social hierarchies. In this episode, Dreux Richard speaks about his new book 'Every Human Intention' - an in-depth exploration of post-Fukushima Japan, including its Nigerian community. You can find more information about the episode on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org

    14. Digitising the fight against poverty - poor use of technology?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 28:39


    Social services around the world are rapidly being digitised. But benefits of digitisation are highly unequal. This episode delves into the issue of digital exclusion, what causes it, and how to address it. Together with Christiaan van Veen of the Digital Welfare State and Human Rights Project, New York University School of Law and Becky Faith at the Institute of Development Studies, we talk about the impact of digital technology on marginalised communities across the world. Find more information about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org

    13. Tackling child poverty: both urgency and opportunity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2021 28:59


    Child poverty has life-long adverse consequences, undermines children’s psychosocial wellbeing, and ultimately hurts all of us. Investing in the early years is crucial to ensure that children live healthy and fulfilling lives, both during childhood and as they grow older. In this episode, I speak with David Stewart from UNICEF, Yolande Wright from Save the Children International and Joan Nyanyuki from the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF) to discuss the importance of focusing on child poverty and how to tackle it.

    12. Working-class writers - voices to be heard

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 24:48


    Working-class writers or from those with disadvantaged backgrounds are underrepresented in the publishing world. In this episode, two working-class writers share their insights on the importance of greater representation of working class writers, barriers that they face in getting published and exciting initiatives to change that around.

    11. Poverty, politics and activism - Tabitha Morton

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 21:56


    Politics and media are dominated by the narrative of a zero-sum game in which those most vulnerable inevitably draw the short straw. But it doesn't have to be like that. In this episode, Tabitha Morton, deputy leader of the Women's Equality Party in the UK, talks about the need to work together to reduce poverty and implement policies that work for everyone. More information can be found on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2021/01/13/episode-11-poverty-politics-and-activism

    10. Two stories of poverty in the UK - Daniel Edmiston

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2020 24:36


    While relative poverty rates show a fairly stable picture of poverty in the UK, those in 'deep poverty' face worsened conditions. In this episode, Daniel Edmiston discusses the two stories of poverty in the UK and argues for a pluralistic approach to poverty. Find more information about this episode on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org/2020/12/11/episode-10-two-stories-of-poverty-in-the-uk

    9. Social protection response to Covid-19

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2020 20:28


    Covid-19 unleashed an unprecedented scale-up of social protection interventions across the globe. What did this response look like, and is it here to stay? In this episode, we discuss the role of social protection to help people cope with the socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic. Find out more about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/10/21/episode-9-social-protection-response-to-covid-19

    8. Food banks: plugging the gaps in the welfare system

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2020 20:00


    Are food banks a sign of the ‘big society’ coming together to help its vulnerable members? Or are they a failure of welfare and social protection systems to provide an adequate safety net for those who need it? In this episode, we discuss the role of food banks in the UK, hearing perspectives from those providing and using support. Find out more about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/10/15/food-banks-plugging-the-gaps-in-the-welfare-system/

    7. Behavioural science: a cure for poverty? – Saugato Datta

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2020 24:53


    Struggling to make ends meet reduces mental headspace and makes it harder to make long-term decisions. Applying behavioural science to anti-poverty interventions can help people to take more strategic action. But widespread poverty reduction won’t be achieved without substantial degrees of redistribution. These are some of the messages in this episode with Saugato Datta. Saugato is Managing Director at ideas42, a non-profit organisation that uses insights from behavioural science to improve positive impacts of social programmes. Find out more about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/09/08/behavioural-science-a-cure-for-poverty/

    6. Multidimensional poverty in 2020: a double-sided picture – Sabina Alkire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2020 25:50


    Many countries were on track to half multidimensional poverty by 2030, but Covid-19 may lead to a reversal of trends. More data is urgently needed to understand how the pandemic will impact people’s lives and how multidimensional poverty will evolve. In this special episode, Sabina Alkire highlights findings of the 2020 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and reflects on measurement of multidimensional poverty. Sabina is director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford. You can find more information about this episode on the website: episode-6-multidimensional-poverty-in-2020

    covid-19 university picture oxford poverty multidimensional double sided oxford poverty human development initiative ophi
    5. Poor people are not 'damaged goods' - Martin Burt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2020 22:45


    Eliminating poverty requires the empowerment of people to understand their own situation and find solutions for it. Agency and self-efficacy are as important for moving out of poverty as opportunities and resources are. In this episode, Martin Burt speaks about the Poverty Stoplight programme and his recent book ‘Who Owns Poverty?’. Martin is founder and CEO of Fundacion Paraguaya, an NGO devoted to developing solutions to eliminate poverty. Find out more about this episode on the website: episode-5-poor-people-are-not-damaged-goods---martin-burt

    4. Shifting the blame and shame of poverty - Mary O'Hara

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2020 24:12


    Blaming and shaming of people in poverty is endemic and needs to change. Being open to others’ experiences can create awareness that our commonalities outweigh our differences, one story at a time. In this episode, Mary O’Hara speaks about her most recent book ‘The Shame Game’. Mary is writer and award-winning journalist and has written about issues of poverty for more than 15 years. Find out more about this episode on the website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/06/05/episode-4-shifting-the-blame-and-shame-of-poverty-mary-ohara/

    3. Poverty (measurement) is political - Andrew Fischer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2020 21:41


    Poverty (measurement) is political, experiences of shame and exclusion are not exclusive to poverty alone, and if we really want to reduce poverty, we need more redistribution at both national and international level. In this episode, we interview Andrew Fischer, who is Associate Professor of Social Policy and Development Studies at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Hague in the Netherlands. He offers a critical perspective of how we measure and tackle poverty based on his book 'Poverty as Ideology': http://bora.uib.no/handle/1956/20614 Find out more about this episode on the website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/05/07/episode-3-poverty-is-political-andrew-fischer/

    2. Coronavirus and poverty

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2020 20:16


    At the height of this global health crisis, we hear that coronavirus does not discriminate and that we are all in this together. But is this really true? Is it really the case that everyone is equal in the face of a pandemic like COVID-19? In this episode – with perspectives from Bangladesh, Kenya, Paraguay and the UK – we hear that the measures put in place to contain the virus hits people living in poverty hard. Social distancing is a privilege, people in precarious conditions bear the brunt of the pandemic’s economic consequences and government support needs to be more accessibly, timely and coordinated. Find out more about this episode on the website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/04/09/episode-2-coronavirus-and-poverty-and-how-we-are-not-all-equal-in-the-face-of-a-pandemic/

    1. All together in dignity - Diana Skelton

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2020 21:22


    In this episode of Poverty Unpacked, we speak with Diana Skelton from ATD Fourth World in the UK. Key discussion points include the pervasiveness of shame and stigma in the experience of poverty worldwide; the need to co-create knowledge and formulate policies together with people with lived experiences of poverty in order to overcome poverty; and how a sense of solidarity and common purpose in working towards social justice and can be created by bringing people from different backgrounds together to learn about what it means to live in poverty. Find out out more about this episode on the website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/03/12/episode-1-all-together-in-dignity-diana-skelton/ Find out more about this episode and the work by ATD Fourth World here: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/03/12/episode-1-all-together-in-dignity-diana-skelton/

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