About us
DevNet connects academics, students and development practitioners to facilitate the exchange of ideas, information and research.
The Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network links people and organisations involved and interested in the broad field of international development in Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider world…
CONFERENCES
DevNet’s conferences have been held biennially since 1998. Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest, regular conference on international development, provides a great opportunity for people from Aotearoa, the Pacific and others to learn from each other and from international experts. Keynote speakers have…
RESOURCES
eSocSci is an interactive knowledge space for communicating social science research and bringing together people who have common research interests in Aotearoa New Zealand. It includes an eLibrary of working papers on topic related to a variety of topics including migration, health, education…
PROF. ANTHONY BEBBINGTON
Director of the Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, MA, USA
MICHAEL EDWARDS
Director of the Governance and Civil Society Unit at the Ford Foundation
Two PhD-position opportunities with the University of Hamburg.
The two positions are part of the research project “Nuclear Justice and Gender in the South Pacific”, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, which aims to conduct in-depth socio-ecological research on the interactions between the impacts of nuclear weapon tests and climate change in the South Pacific with a focus on environmental (in)justice and gender.
The deadline for applications is July 19th. We particularly welcome applications from early career researchers with strong regional and/or thematic connections to the South Pacific.
The full posting and more information about the application process can be found here:
DevNet 2024 Conference - Call for Papers:
Shifting Landscapes of Development: Future Possibilities for Change
December 4-6, 2024
University of Otago, Ōtepoti, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand
Email: Devnet2024@otago.ac.nz
This week, we would like to introduce you to Shaya Malini from the University of the South Pacific. Shaya received the DevNet Pacific Development Research Award in 2023 for her Master's research on "Perceptions of Rural Indo-Fijian Women on the Effectiveness and Implications of the No Drop Policy in Fiji." Shaya shared her story with us:
“The Pacific Islands have some of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world, Fiji alone having a prevalence rate of 64% without overlooking the fact that most cases go unreported. In 1995, women’s movements in Fiji, particularly the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, advocated for stronger responses and support for battling domestic violence, which led to the Introduction of the No-drop Policy. The No-drop policy allows prosecutors to prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence cases regardless of victim participation. However, despite the No-drop policy in place, the high prevalence of domestic violence continues to raise questions about the efficacy of the policy as this policy itself is debated by many feminists and academics. My research, which is supported by the University of South Pacific and DevNet focuses on exploring the perceptions of rural women and stakeholders involved in the implementation process of the No-drop policy.
I chose rural women because there is very little research done on this policy globally and many studies have shown that rural women are more prone to domestic violence. I wanted a holistic view of the challenges women experienced when engaging with the No-drop policy and factors that restrained them from using such policies. My findings stated that factors such as cultural attitudes (mindset, lack of privacy and anonymity), family background and socio-economic factors (age, number of children and family support), patriarchy, isolation and geographic location limit women’s decision to report and engage with such policies.
I am very grateful for the grant provided by DevNet to assist me in my fieldwork which allowed me to interact with more participants and stay longer in Vanua Levu tapping into remote islands such as Taveuni which allowed me to gather promising data for this research. The information gathered in my research is a starting point for more studies in rural areas in relation to domestic violence policies and also will help me write other articles and meet with other NGOs that can use this data to assist more women in rural areas in terms of accessing justice systems.”
Please go to our website to learn more about Shaya's research findings and her research brief: devnet.org.nz/shaya-malini-university-of-the-south-pacific/
We are always excited to share our awardees' stories and their fascinating research findings. Let's meet our New Zealand Postgraduate Development Field Research Awardee, Louis Morrell, a Master of International Development student at Massey University. Louis’s research topic: An investigation into the strategies employed by Samoa’s indigenous fishing industry to manage and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. Here is Louis's story:
"I spent three weeks in Apia, Samoa, talking to key stakeholders in the fields of climate change adaptation, fisheries, and aquaculture. My thesis looked to investigate the national adaptation policies implemented to protect and sustain coastal marine environments and the communities that rely upon resources sourced for these environments. As a case study, I examined aquaculture and explored whether aquaculture was a viable adaptation option for people involved with coastal and subsistence fishing. Over the three weeks, I was able to have conversations with coastal community members, visit aquaculture sites and consult with experts on the utility of aquaculture projects, including recent efforts to revitalise the culturing of traditional, edible limu (seaweed). My research found that national adaptation frameworks do adequately address the needs of those most impacted by the effects of climate change and environmental degradation (coastal and subsistence fishermen), but the future aquaculture as a viable adaptation strategy is unclear."
Please go here to read Louis's policy brief: devnet.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Louis-Morrell-DEVNET-Policy-brief-FINAL.docx
Photos: Louis and edible limu he took in Samoa.
Congratulations Lous!! Well done! Good luck!!