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During the Covid-19 pandemic, research organisations have strived to be resilient. This means navigating through the technical, operational, and political challenges to achieving successful research implementation. Particularly for local policy research thinktanks, the pandemic has made these challenges even more difcult to address. From the experience of the Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) in implementing large-sample research in the formal and informal sectors during the pandemic, these challenges are countered through: (1) the incorporation of a technical advisory team; (2) the adoption of a fexible resource allocation strategy; and (3) the implementation of a quality assurance system. Policy research is only impactful when the knowledge produced serves its purpose as evidence to inform policymaking and guide programme intervention. To realise this objective, CDRI implements three types of engagement activities (consultation, coordination, and validation) that provide opportunities for interaction between researchers and relevant stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What does research on informal sector workers and the state entail in the time of Covid-19? The pandemic has limited possibilities for in-person interactions and required adaptations in research approaches. These challenges are exacerbated when the subjects of the research are informal sector workers with limited access to technology and undefined spaces of work. In this article, we argue that the Covid-19 pandemic has magnified distances: between researchers located globally; between researchers and respondents; and between the state and people within informal employment. However, these distances also create new ways of working and opportunities for doing research. We discuss the challenges faced in the field, document the adaptations introduced to ensure robust research in difficult settings, and set out the limitations that remain. We also examine the ethical dimension of confronting dangerous misinformation related to the pandemic while conducting interviews, and the questions it raises about the distance between research and prescriptive advocacy in academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic struck Ethiopia at an important juncture in its development and political path. Following impressive progress in poverty reduction and human development in recent decades, driven by a state-led model, it is transitioning towards a more democratic governance structure and a more liberal economic model. This article examines the country's response to the pandemic, focusing on social protection and health systems. Ethiopia's experience demonstrates the importance of building shock-responsive systems for social protection, including pre-identification of vulnerable groups and a financing strategy to trigger an immediate response. It also highlights how the health sector capacity can be further strengthened in anticipation of future health emergencies. For example, the government could identify and build the health sector industry capacity before future shocks occur in order to quickly scale up the response. Covid-19 had a disproportionate impact on women and girls due to the closure of schools; limited access to gender-based violence and health services; and the economic impact on informal sectors. The article concludes by sharing key lessons for developing countries on how prioritisation of vulnerable groups and ensuring strong political commitment can support a more effective pandemic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown in India resulted in women informal economy workers being out of jobs and with no social security blanket to rely on. Women community leaders therefore worked with the state to reach out to the most vulnerable and marginalised populations. This resulted in decentralised units where decisions are made at the community level in a collective fashion including critical and diverse stakeholders, in collaboration with state authorities. This model works best where locally developed networks with high levels of community trust exist that enable community leaders to reach communities in distress quickly and effectively, ensuring that relief and aid is delivered to those who need it the most. Additionally, women coming together to advocate for themselves as women workers allows for us to build back better with a key focus on marginal populations such as women at the bottom of the pyramid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]