Substance use disorder (SUD) is a rapidly growing public health problem in India, with alcohol, cannabis and opioids being the most common psychoactive substances consumed by the 10-75 year age group (NSEPSU, 2018). Substance use disorder (SUD) or substance abuse … Read More
Deciphering Data: How Researchers at LEAD are Using AI for Qualitative Research
In the fast-changing world of social impact research, the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) — especially Generative AI — presents exciting new possibilities, especially for enhancing the efficiency of workflows in qualitative research. This technological breakthrough grants researchers access to … Read More
Social Media’s Impact on Women’s Entrepreneurial Journey
Expanding upon the insights shared in the initial segment of our two-part blog, the discussion in this second piece is anchored on the women who are benefitting from taking the social commerce route globally and how social media is providing … Read More
Social Commerce and the Growth of Women Entrepreneurship
This blog dissects social commerce in the business realm. To better understand how social media and e-commerce work together, our research explores the role social commerce plays in the advancement of women-owned businesses. The piece’s core objective is to provide … Read More
Minding the Gender Gap in MSME Credit
NBFIs have introduced “subjective” discretion in the underwriting and credit analysis process for women entrepreneurs. While mainstream financial institutions do not back this strongly, the non-traditional institutions have taken a leap forward for inclusion of women borrowers. Women-run MSMEs constitute … Read More
Gig Economy – The Indian Picture So Far
In the wake of COVID 19, Gig work emerged as a lucrative source of income generation for many. Significant advancements in technology, which allow quick access to and delivery of services even through mobile devices, have further enabled its proliferation … Read More
Measuring Financial Health of Informal Workers: Why it Matters
The global pandemic would be the most recent and appropriate example to substantiate the need for measuring the financial health of informal workers. COVID-19 induced severe downscaling of economic activities, due to which the LMICs have suffered strong financial consequences. … Read More
Smallholder Farmers, Big Challenges – Need for Transboundary Governance Solutions
South Asian economies primarily depend on agriculture for employment, with nearly 1.5 billion people directly dependant on the sector. However, in recent times, changing climatic conditions are impacting … Read More
Women’s Empowerment and Gender-based Violence: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice
In 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General unveiled the UNITE campaign intending to end violence against women and girls by 2030. Several campaigns were launched with a similar goal by United Nations with relevant stakeholders. The Pandemic unleashed its terrain of … Read More
Enabling Integrated Enterprise Development –
From Siloed Solutions to Systemic Change
Given the multidimensionality of poverty, a combination of well-thought-out interventions is required to address the many interconnected challenges related to development. Complex interventions are increasingly being implemented in the area of livelihood creation, rural development and community health as a … Read More