Growth and livelihoods in conflict-affected situations: what do we know? SLRC Briefing Paper No. 3

Abstract

This SLRC Briefing Paper summarises the findings of a working paper exploring the evidence on growth, economic activity and livelihoods in fragile and conflict-affected situations. It discusses the impacts of conflict and growth and livelihoods, the effectiveness of aid programming, and the role of enabling environments in supporting recovery. Three key messages emerge:

  1. The evidence base on growth and livelihoods in conflict-affected situations is comprised of four distinct ‘categories’ of evidence
  2. We know strikingly little about the impacts of livelihood and economic interventions in conflict-affected environments, and programming choices often appear to be driven by assumptions of effectiveness and unsubstantiated narratives of success
  3. Conflict-affected economies demonstrate surprisingly strong GDP growth rates, but methodological weaknesses suggest the data need to be treated with great caution.

Citation

Mallett, R.; Slater, R. Growth and livelihoods in conflict-affected situations: what do we know? SLRC Briefing Paper No. 3. Overseas Development Institute, London, UK (2012) 4 pp.

Growth and livelihoods in conflict-affected situations: what do we know? SLRC Briefing Paper No. 3

Published 1 January 2012