The Social and Economic Policy Program Area focuses on public policies that can help to reduce poverty and enhance social equity in developing countries.  It works to strengthen long-term research capacities, to support policy-relevant research on issues of immediate policy concern, and to facilitate public accountability by helping researchers and civil society organizations participate effectively in policy debates at the local, national, and international levels.   The Program Area will focus on the following key themes for the 2005-2010 period:  

• Peace, Conflict, and Development

The Peace, Conflict, and Development (PCD) Program Initiative supports research to understand the causes and consequences of violent conflict, and to strengthen transitions from conflict to lasting peace.   PCD also works in close collaboration with the Middle East Unit, which facilitates the Middle East peace process by supporting research on refugee issues, and on broader issues of “good governance” in the region. 

• Globalization, Growth, and Poverty

The Globalization, Growth and Poverty (GGP) Program Initiative supports policy reforms in developing countries aimed at promoting inclusive growth and poverty reduction, and appropriate international integration strategies, by generating necessary evidence and analysis, and by strengthening the capacities for their production and use in democratic policy making.

• Equitable Access to Health and Social Services

The Governance, Equity, and Health (GEH) Program Initiative works to ensure equitable provision of health and health care services, especially to marginalized and underserved populations.  GEH also supports follow-up to the Tanzania Essential Health Interventions Project (TEHIP), a now-completed project that demonstrates the potential to improve the delivery of health services using simple, low-cost solutions.   Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC) is working to minimize the threats posed by tobacco consumption and production in developing countries.

• Women’s Rights and Citizenship

The Women's Rights and Citizenship supports research geared to understanding – and eliminating – the barriers to women’s exercise of their rights as citizens.

• Environmental Economics

SEP collaborates with IDRC’s Environment and Natural Resource Management (ENRM) Program Area to support research on environmental and resource economics, through the Environment and Economy Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) and related programs.

• Globalization, Growth and Poverty (GGP)
  GGP is a program initiative of IDRC, launched on 1 April 2006, aimed at enabling developing countries to design appropriate domestic policies and international integration strategies for promoting more inclusive and equitable growth.

• Governance, Equity, and Health
  The Governance, Equity, and Health (GEH) Program Initiative works toward the goal of an equitable, fair, and just provision of public services in developing countries.

• Peace, Conflict and Development
  

• Women's Rights and Citizenship
  IDRC's WRC program contributes to bringing Southern voices into current debates in the international gender and development field.

• Peru Economic and Social Research Consortium (CIES)
  The Peru Consortium for Economic and Social Research (CIES) is strengthening Peru’s academic community, and fostering debate through improved research and teaching.

• The Secretariat for Institutional Support for Economic Research in Africa (SISERA)
  The Secretariat for Institutional Support for Economic Research in Africa (SISERA) supports the networking of partners, and provides funding for economics research.

• Tanzania Essential Health Interventions Project
  See how the Tanzania Essential Health Interventions Project (TEHIP) is improving the delivery of health services using simple and low-cost solutions.

• Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC)