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UK Integrated Security Fund (UKISF)
UK - UK Integrated Security Fund (UKISF)
The UK Integrated Security Fund (UKISF) replaced the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), with a wider remit, funding projects both in the UK and internationally to tackle some of the most complex national security challenges facing the UK and its partners. The UKISF combined the CSSF with the National Cyber Programme and the Economic Deterrence Initiative (EDI). The latter tackling sanctions evasion across the UK’s trade, transport, and financial sanctions. Like the CSSF, the UKISF budget includes Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) funds and non-ODA funds.
REDD Early Movers (REM) Programme
UK - Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
The REDD+ Early Movers (REM) Programme, currently operational in Latin America, aims to reward countries or jurisdictions considered as pioneers in forest protection and climate mitigation. It targets countries or regions that have already taken ambitious actions to protect forests and provides conditional payments upon verified emission reductions from avoided deforestation (REDD+). Results-based payments in the REM Programme are invested according to a “benefit-sharing strategy” that has been jointly agreed by partners.
Developing an Art-Based Public Engagement and Advocacy Model for Transforming Social Norms on Gender-Based Violence in the Andean Region (ARTS-CHANGE)
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
ARTS-CHANGE reviews the existing evidence on gender based violence (GBV), learns from the experiences of the victims across the gender spectrum, co-develops new research, and co-creates art-based interventions to curb GVB and capacitate care and advocacy. By addressing empowerment, social norms, social cohesion, and transforming the lives of local communities and vulnerable populations the project aims to support these four countries in combating GBV not only in the post-COVID-19 and beyond. The project aligns directly with the UNs SDG 3 (ensuring health and well-being for all) and SDG 16 (promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development). Research is focused on four countries - Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia- that are connected via Andean mountains and form the Andean group of countries.
ESRC-FAPESP Creating competitive advantage by serving marginalised communities: UK multinationals and inclusive development in Latin America
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
"Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are often blamed for only serving the elite population when they operate in emerging markets. In addition, they require local governments to create infrastructure and arrangements that can support their activities in the respective country, thus diverting resources from underserved communities within the country towards serving the elite population. The purpose of this study is to explore how multinationals from advanced markets can contribute to the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by addressing the needs of underserved populations and marginalised communities in emerging markets, while also providing expectations of long term economic return to their shareholders. Considering the increased awareness of doing good while doing well, MNEs are beginning to realise that profit maximization is not the only route to success. They need to improve their image and demonstrate that their existence is beneficial for the society in general, that is a more long-term route to achieve a competitive advantage. We intend to uncover the mechanisms and actions required by these companies to serve marginalised communities and to create a positive image in the society. To do so, we build from stakeholder theory, social entrepreneurship and value creation literature, and offer a qualitative cross-country study in Latin America. We will focus specifically on the experience of UK multinationals in Brazil and Colombia. We will collect data through focus groups and in-depth interviews with multiple actors (such as multinationals' executives, NGOs, underserved consumers, community leaders, local government representatives, investment promotion organizations, and local entrepreneurs). We will triangulate by comparing data from focus groups, interviews, and secondary sources to draw trustworthy conclusions. Further, we will use pattern matching and case comparison to analyse and make sense of data and draw conclusions. The MNEDEVELOP project is context specific and will culminate in a set of good practices for decisionmakers to incentivize positive actions by foreign firms that result in economic and social benefits for poorer communities in Brazil and Colombia. To address this complex research question, resources and expertise from the UK and Brazil will be combined. Principal and co-investigators have a successful track record in conducting research on MNEs impact in developing countries, on local firms, on engaging in training for managers, and working directly with policy makers. Key investigators are well-known international business scholars and experts with numerous relevant high-level publications. The UK team will contribute with theoretical framing, sharing research and training skills with local researchers, taking the lead in the analysis of data, producing actionable documents for stakeholders, and drafting academic publications. The Brazilian team will provide indepth knowledge of the research context, drawing on wider networks with businesses locally and close engagement with local societies while collecting data. As results we will provide guidelines for multinationals and other stakeholders as to how inclusive development can be achieved. " COVID-19
Building resilience and resources to overcome depression and anxiety in young people from urban neighbourhoods in Latin America
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Background The numbers of people with depression and anxiety greatly increases during adolescence. Adolescents who live in big cities more commonly experience stressful events such as conflict, poverty, substance misuse and social isolation. This includes adolescents from Latin America - which is the most urban part of the world. Although many individuals experience stressful events, the majority do not develop either depression or anxiety. Furthermore, when people do experience them, up to half recover within a year. This raises the question of what helps people to prevent depression and anxiety, and what helps people recover. We have called these resilience factors. Our aim is to understand resilience factors so we can develop new approaches to treat depression and anxiety. Objectives The overall aim is to identify resilience factors that are linked to either prevention of depression and anxiety, or to recovery. We will focus on adolescents and young people who live in three large Latin American cities - Buenos Aires, Bogotá and Peru. To achieve this, we aim to: 1. Develop new ways of measuring resilience factors that can be used with adolescents and young people, 2. Identify which resilience factors prevent depression and anxiety, 3. Identify which resilience factors help adolescent and young people to recover from depression and anxiety within one year, 4. Develop case studies about existing approaches that promote prevention and recovery, 5. Build up the research skills and knowledge of researchers in Latin America, 6. Involve adolescents and young people through an interactive arts-based project. Methods The project is organised into six work packages (WPs). In the WP1, we will ask young people and staff who work in schools, youth organisations and healthcare services to help us develop new ways of measuring resilience factors to create an assessment tool. The new tool will be used in a study that will compare 1020 adolescents (15-16 years old) and young people (20-24 years old) with depression and anxiety to 1020 adolescents and young people without. We will look at personal factors such as health behaviours and social factors including relationships. We will test if there are differences between the two groups. This will help us discover which factors are linked to prevention. The individuals who have depression and anxiety will be asked to complete the same measures after one year. We will compare individuals who recovered from depression and anxiety to those who did not. This will tell us about recovery. To promote prevention and recovery we will conduct interviews with participants who did and did not recover and with different stakeholders. This will help us identify areas of "good-practice" which we will write up as case studies. This may include initiatives such as health centres or social-groups in the community (WP4). So that researchers in Latin America can continue studying resilience and recovery, we will provide training and activities focused on research skills (WP5). Finally, we want to involve adolescents and young people in our research. To do this, we will run an arts-based project where we will ask those with depression and anxiety to use different materials such as photographs, films, and graffiti to document their experience. We will hold exhibitions to display the art. We hope this will encourage other young people to get involved in research (WP6). Expected results The project will lead to new knowledge about what prevents depression and anxiety and what help people recover. Understanding this will help us develop new approaches to improve the mental health of adolescents and young people and reduce the burden of mental disorders. Our communication methods will ensure the research is widely disseminated. Although the project focuses on Latin America, our learning will help other countries, including many Low and Middle Income countries, which are becoming more urban.
UK Blue Carbon Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The Fund will promote the sustainable management, conservation and restoration of mangrove habitats by developing and embedding operational blue carbon markets across the Caribbean and Latin America that provide local communities with a sustainable income and assist in moving low-income countries towards low-emission, climate-resilient development.
British Council - Amazonia Brazil / UK -International Science Partnerships Fund
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The Capacity Building for Amazonia +10 initiative focuses on the Brazilian Amazon and its under-represented groups, forming part of the broader Amazon+10 Initiative—a coalition of 25 State Research Foundations across Brazil established in 2022. This initiative aims to support and fund a sustainable development model for the Brazilian Amazon through Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I). With an initial investment of nearly £7 million in Research and development (R&D) projects across the nine states within the Legal Amazon, the strategy endeavors to foster a socio-biodiversity economy while enhancing collaboration networks and research opportunities for PhD and MSc researchers, whose capacity currently lags behind the national average. The proposal seeks to integrate with the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) by co-designing interventions with Brazilian partners to strengthen capacity and promote bilateral research collaborations, fostering engagement between UK and Brazilian researchers, particularly in the Legal Amazon and other contributing institutions. Workshops will cover topics such as biodiversity and climate change, protection of traditional communities, urban challenges, and bioeconomy to support sustainable development. Open to lead researchers from universities and research institutions in both the UK and Brazil, the grants aim to support international development, enhance early career researcher capacity, and establish or develop sustainable long-term research links. This initiative is ODA-eligible as it focuses on the economic development and welfare of the Brazilian Amazon, directly benefiting local communities by promoting sustainable development, enhancing research capacity, and fostering inclusive growth in a region classified as a developing area.
Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF)
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF)
BBC World Service
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Increasing the provision of, and access to, impartial news and information that responds to audience needs in English and local languages in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South America & Central America