Guest blog on WhyDev:
Donors face difficult challenges. Sometimes they face choices between conflicting priorities. For example: (1) governments should have the right to determine how and where resources are used, and (2) individual human rights should be upheld and protected. These principles often conflict, particularly in countries where democratic governance is weak. Rosalind Eyben wrote about this challenge (then working for DFID) in her book, International Aid and the Making of a Better World (2014), stating, "I sometimes chose to ignore one of the principles and paint a simpler picture of development practice, where the decisions were either right or wrong in accordance with established procedures and available evidence."
In a recently published paper, I explore one of these conflicts. Ethiopia's Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) is widely touted as being a highly effective, well-targeted program that supports rural, food insecure households. Drawing upon case studies of seven communities, I outline that while the positive impact exists, the implementation of the program is problematic....
