International development is a vast field of study that includes the work done by government aid agencies, international NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and global consulting firms. It also encompasses research and academics, whose jobs include studying the underlying issues that cause problems like poverty, malnutrition and human rights violations. Cultural and society specialists help development workers understand the people they are working with so that projects can be culturally appropriate.
International development is the work done by NGOs, governments, big international charities and other organizations around the world to promote human rights, poverty alleviation, global economic growth and more. The United Nations codifies its goals for this work in Sustainable Development Goals – to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect the planet by 2030.
The most visible type of development work is disaster relief and humanitarian aid. Professionals in this field focus on bringing food, water, shelter, medical care and other supplies to those affected by war, natural disaster, or other crises.
Economic development is also an important part of the industry, focusing on poverty reduction and economic growth. This area of work can include entrepreneurship support for small businesses, working with local farmers to increase their global market access and more. Culture and society is another common area of expertise for international development professionals. These professionals ensure that projects and programs are culturally appropriate, designed to work within the existing traditions and social structures.
International development encompasses a wide range of topics, from economics to global/public health to sustainable/green solutions. Professionals in these areas work to improve lives worldwide through sustainable means – rather than just providing disaster relief or humanitarian aid, which typically offers temporary fixes.
These professionals study the populations with whom they work to understand their customs, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. Many have anthropology or sociology backgrounds and work to help projects be inclusive and sustainable within the existing culture.
This focus area works towards building up infrastructure, good governance, civic participation from local to national levels, and a more equitable society. This can include education, women’s empowerment, and sustainability. This may also include the global economy, including domestic and foreign markets/trade and small business development.
International development organizations are a broad group of multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, as well as government donors and NGOs that work towards specific sectors of development. They often have monitoring and evaluation frameworks that include a variety of methodologies, including participatory and impact assessment, baseline and impact evaluation, and qualitative and quantitative research.
Environmental areas of international development deal largely with science-related issues such as climate change, clean air and water, green infrastructure, sustainable agriculture and preservation of nature/wildlife. Many of these projects require a mix of both policy and implementation and can involve everything from setting up recycling systems to changing energy sources.
Economic areas of international development aim to reduce poverty, promote economic growth and raise the standard of living for the masses. This is a hugely complex area that covers everything from working with small businesses to increase their global market access to helping develop domestic markets.
International development professionals work on a huge range of issues. This sub-sector includes tackling humanitarian crises like food shortages and lack of clean water or shelter, as well as managing disaster risk reduction, with experts working on early warning systems, prevention methods, training of first responders and strengthening durability against conflict or natural disaster.
Economics is a major area of focus in international development, with professionals working on domestic and global markets/trade, economic growth, poverty reduction and more. In modern economic development, there is a strong emphasis on inclusive and sustainable growth.
Dependency theory and modernization theory are two widely used theories of international development. However, more recent theories have moved beyond purely economic transformation to include social and political change. One such theory is World Systems Theory, which places underdevelopment within global systems and networks of power. It also acknowledges that not all LLEDCs and MEDCs have the same ability to develop. Its critics argue it relieves national governments of the responsibility to take care of their citizens and leads to dependency and exploitation.
