International Development Glossary

The idea, associated with Paul Rosenstein-Rodan and Jeffrey Sachs, that a large, coordinated investment in infrastructure, health, and education is needed to break out of poverty traps.

Development assistance provided directly from one country's government to another, as opposed to channeling funds through multilateral institutions.

A normative framework that evaluates well-being and development in terms of people's real freedoms to achieve lives they value.

Adjustments in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climate change effects, aimed at reducing vulnerability and building resilience.

Social programs that provide cash payments to poor households contingent on meeting specific conditions such as school attendance or health visits.

The partial or total forgiveness of debt owed by developing countries, aimed at freeing resources for investment in development priorities.

A theory arguing that underdevelopment in the Global South results from exploitation and structural economic dependence on wealthy nations.

An economic condition where resource export revenues cause currency appreciation that harms other export sectors and can lead to deindustrialization.

The condition in which all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs.

Investment by a company or individual in one country into business operations or assets in another country.

An approach that addresses gender inequality as a central barrier to development and emphasizes women's empowerment across economic, social, and political dimensions.

The exercise of political authority through transparent, accountable, participatory, and rule-of-law-based institutions that serve the public interest.

A composite index measuring average achievement in life expectancy, education, and income per capita, developed by the UNDP.

A trade and economic policy strategy that replaces foreign imports with domestic production through tariffs, subsidies, and state intervention.

Financial services including small loans, savings, and insurance provided to low-income individuals who lack access to conventional banking.

Development assistance channeled through international organizations such as the World Bank, UN agencies, or regional development banks.

Government aid provided to developing countries for the purpose of promoting economic development and welfare, measured by the OECD Development Assistance Committee.

A self-reinforcing mechanism where poverty creates conditions that perpetuate further poverty across generations.

An economic adjustment that accounts for cost-of-living differences between countries, enabling more accurate cross-country comparisons of income and output.

An experimental design that randomly assigns subjects to treatment and control groups to measure the causal impact of an intervention.

The paradox that countries with abundant natural resources often experience slower growth, weaker governance, and more conflict than resource-poor countries.

Technical and economic collaboration among developing countries to share knowledge, resources, and best practices for development.

Policy reforms required by the IMF and World Bank as conditions for loans, typically involving austerity measures, privatization, and market liberalization.

Seventeen global goals adopted by the UN in 2015 to address poverty, inequality, climate change, and other challenges by 2030.

A set of market-oriented economic policies promoted by the IMF and World Bank in the 1980s-90s, including fiscal austerity, privatization, and trade liberalization.