Social services around the world are rapidly being digitised. But benefits of digitisation are highly unequal. This episode delves into the issue of digital exclusion, what causes it, and how to address it.

Together with Christiaan van Veen of the Digital Welfare State and Human Rights Project, New York University School of Law and Becky Faith at the Institute of Development Studies, we talk about the impact of digital technology on marginalised communities across the world.

Find more information about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org

14. Digitising the fight against poverty - poor use of technology?

Interfaith collaboration has enormous potential to mobilise community resources, foster a shared sense of humanity, and to tackle poverty.

In this episode, we are joined by representatives from three faith-based organisations - Arigatou International, Shanti Ashram, and Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC) to discuss the role of community-based work and interfaith cooperation in addressing child poverty.

Find out more about this episode on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org.

16. Faith and empathy in community work - coming together to tackle poverty

Hidden and invisible, the wastepickers of the trash mountains outside of Mumbai in India build their livelihoods by collecting glass, sorting cloth scraps and hunting for hospital waste. They are lives marred by precarity and danger, but also love and laughter. 

In this episode we are joined by Saumya Roy. author of Castaway Mountain - a non-fiction on the lives of people turning trash into treasure.

Read more about this episode on our website here: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=536

20. Lives built on trash: the story of wastepickers in Mumbai - Saumya Roy

People in poverty experience disadvantage, stigma and discrimination in all aspects of life. Tackling poverty requires changing our language and making policies more universal, and governments taking their responsibility in doing so.

In this episode, we talk with Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights about factors causing poverty and how to tackle it.

Find more about this and other episodes on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org.

21. A fair chance in life for everyone – UN Special Rapporteur Olivier de Schutter

Turning the heating on, buying food or getting your child a school uniform. These are some of the impossible choices faced by people on low income. Instead of receiving support that helps them create a better life, the welfare system keeps people trapped.

In this episode, we speak with participants Brian and Caroline and researcher Katie from the Covid Realities research project. We hear first-hand about the challenges of living on little and what needs to change.

22. Trapped in a hole - the reality of life on a low income

Intro to Poverty Unpacked

Mobility mentoring is brain science-based approach to break the vicious cycle of poverty. What does that mean? And does it work? 

In this episode, we speak with Elisabeth Babcock from EMPath, a nonprofit in the US implementing coaching to support economic mobility.

You can more information about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/

23. Mobility mentoring to navigate the trauma of poverty - a brain-science based approach

Finding out about prices, checking the balance on your bank account and sending money to others – mobile phones can make all this a lot easier. But what are the challenges and risks of getting those on low-incomes to use digital technology?

In this episode, we speak with Rosa Wang, author of 'Strong Connections. Stories of resilience from the far reaches of the mobile phone revolution’ and previously Global Director for Digital Financial Services at Opportunity International.

You can find more information about this episode and our podcast on https://poverty-unpacked.org

25. Can mobile phones help to end poverty? – Rosa Wang

Empowering families in poverty to take control and set them on a path towards a better life, this is at the core of so-called ‘graduation’ programmes.

Yet the programmes are not a silver bullet, nor do they work for everyone.

In this episode, we speak with Greg Chen and Rozina Haque to mark the 20-year anniversary of the first graduation programme implemented by NGO BRAC in Bangladesh.

Find out more about this episode and others on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org

27. Graduating out of poverty - can it be done?

What is it like to face financial hardship? How to find the right support? What can anti-poverty organisations do better?

Listen to Toneva Munroe, a social justice activist, about her own experiences in Boston, USA and the power of lived experience.

29. Learning from lived experience - Toneva Munroe

Can basic income rewrite the narrative about poverty?

In this episode, we discuss this and many other questions about basic income - or guaranteed income - and how to implement it. We are joined by Melody Valdes and Sarath Davala who discuss their experiences in Boston, US and Hyderabad, India.

Find more information about this episode on the Poverty Unpacked website: 
https://poverty-unpacked.org/2023/03/15/episode-30-basic-income-more-than-just-cash/

30. Basic income - more than just cash

Catching up on news, books, podcasts and events on poverty in our bi-monthly chats.

This month, we share reflections on the podcast 'The Uncertain Hour' about the welfare-to-work policy in the US, three memoirs about growing up in poverty in the UK and the UN Special Rapporteur's visit to Bangladesh and his assessment of poverty and human rights in the country.

Find out more on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/?p=1072

33. Poverty Unpacked - June chat

Catching up on some of the latest news, books, movies and events on poverty in the third of our bi-monthly chats. 

This month, we reflect on a recent poll in the UK about the public's attitudes to poverty, discuss a research article on poverty in the US and cover a film called 'Free Money' about a US-based NGO giving cash transfers to a poor community in Kenya.

Links to all content in this episode can be found in the show notes on our website www.poverty-unpacked.org

35. Poverty Unpacked - August chat

What if programmes aiming to improve people’s lives did a simple thing – give people cash, directly?

In this episode, we're joined by Lydiah Wangechi, Regional Director for East Africa for GiveDirectly, to talk about the benefits and challenges of giving cash directly.

Find out more on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/

36. Giving cash directly – Lydiah Wangechi

October is here! 

In the month of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, in this chat we reflect on discussions about future of poverty reduction in two recent conferences, and on two new books - one about shame, one about poverty.

Tune in now! Links and more on our website: poverty-unpacked.org

37. Poverty Unpacked - October chat

When you have less to spend, life costs more.

Poverty premiums refer to higher prices that people pay for anything from car insurance to grocery shopping due to having a smaller budget.

In this episode, we speak with  Maria Booker, Head of Policy at Fair by Design, a campaign that aims to eliminate unfair poverty premiums.

Find out more on: https://poverty-unpacked.org

38. Poverty is expensive - Fair by Design

Have you wondered about those armrests on park benches, or spikes on ledges or in hidden corners? They're examples of defensive design and hostile architecture.

In this episode, urban planning expert Cara Chellew explains how hostile design of public spaces affects some of the most vulnerable and makes them less appealing to all.

Check out more on https://poverty-unpacked.org

40. Defensive design and hostile architecture - Cara Chellew

Poverty Unpacked chats are back!

In January 2025, hear about forthcoming book The Empathy Fix, two new reports on astonishing and infuriating wealth inequality and providing input on the issue of welfare and conditionality.

41. Poverty Unpacked - January chat

Homelessness in the UK is on the rise. Can direct financial support to people experiencing homelessness make a difference? 

In this episode, we speak with Greater Change CEO Jonathan Tan to discuss their novel way of working with frontline service providers to help individuals and generating evidence to affect policy change.

Find out more on poverty-unpacked.org

42. Tackling homelessness without strings attached – Greater Change

Poverty in the UK is high and on the rise. Announced cuts will send more families into poverty.

In this episode, I discuss the latest figures, implications of the announced welfare cuts and importance of redistribution for breaking intergenerational poverty.

43. Poverty Unpacked - March chat

Ending poverty requires mass movements. Real change only happens when people come together and stand up against the injustice of poverty.

In this episode, we speak with Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and Noam Sandweiss-Back about their 
 book ‘You Only Get What You’re Organized to Take: Lessons From the Movement to End Poverty’. 

Find out more on  https://poverty-unpacked.org



44. Getting organised to fight poverty

Round up of news on poverty from around the world by host Dr Keetie Roelen. 

From reports on child poverty to a call for submission for monologues on homelessness - listen now.

For list of links to all items in this episode, head over to poverty-unpacked.org

45. Poverty Unpacked - May chat

With only five years to go before the goal of ending extreme child poverty, we are off track to achieve this. But there are valuable lessons from countries that have made significant progress to accelerate efforts.

In this episode, we discuss what works to reduce child poverty with members of the Global Coalition to End Child Poverty.

Find out more on poverty-unpacked.org. 

46. What works to reduce child poverty – Global Coalition to End Child Poverty

Time for another Poverty Unpacked chat!

This month features research on poverty in new housing areas in UK and the role of coloniality in social protection policy in Africa. Plus celebrating six months since publication of The Empathy Fix book!

Check out all the links and more on https://poverty-unpacked.org

47. Poverty Unpacked - July chat

How to address poverty in schools? 

Check out this conversation with journalist and author Sean Harris on small but powerful tweaks to classroom practices as well as big and bold policy change beyond school grounds.

More information about this episode and all other episodes on https://poverty-unpacked.org 

48. Tackling poverty and disadvantage in schools - Sean Harris

Time for another Poverty Unpacked chat!

This month features new child poverty estimates, pressure on parents due to focus on early childhood, mismatch between policy makers' attitudes and evidence, and EU Anti-Poverty Strategy PLUS what's on in October in the month of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Check out all the links and more on poverty-unpacked.org

49. Poverty Unpacked - September chat

In this episode of Poverty Unpacked, we speak with Diana Skelton from ATD Fourth World in the UK.

Key discussion points include the pervasiveness of shame and stigma  in the experience of poverty worldwide; the need to co-create knowledge and formulate policies together with people with lived experiences of poverty in order to overcome poverty; and how a sense of solidarity and common purpose in working towards social justice and can be created by bringing people from different backgrounds together to learn about what it means to live in poverty.

Find out out more about this episode on the website:  https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/03/12/episode-1-all-together-in-dignity-diana-skelton/

Find out more about this episode and the work by ATD Fourth World here: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/03/12/episode-1-all-together-in-dignity-diana-skelton/

1. All together in dignity - Diana Skelton

Poverty (measurement) is political, experiences of shame and exclusion are not exclusive to poverty alone, and if we really want to reduce poverty, we need more redistribution at both national and international level.

In this episode, we interview Andrew Fischer, who is Associate Professor of Social Policy and Development Studies at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Hague in the Netherlands. He offers a critical perspective of how we measure and tackle poverty based on his book 'Poverty as Ideology': http://bora.uib.no/handle/1956/20614

Find out more about this episode on the website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/05/07/episode-3-poverty-is-political-andrew-fischer/

3. Poverty (measurement) is political - Andrew Fischer

Blaming and shaming of people in poverty is endemic and needs to change. Being open to others’ experiences can create awareness that our commonalities outweigh our differences, one story at a time.

In this episode, Mary O’Hara speaks about her most recent book ‘The Shame Game’. Mary is writer and award-winning journalist and has written about issues of poverty for more than 15 years.

Find out more about this episode on the website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/06/05/episode-4-shifting-the-blame-and-shame-of-poverty-mary-ohara/

4. Shifting the blame and shame of poverty - Mary O'Hara

Struggling to make ends meet reduces mental headspace and makes it harder to make long-term decisions. Applying behavioural science to anti-poverty interventions can help people to take more strategic action. But widespread poverty reduction won’t be achieved without substantial degrees of redistribution.

These are some of the messages in this episode with Saugato Datta. Saugato is Managing Director at ideas42, a non-profit organisation that uses insights from behavioural science to improve positive impacts of social programmes.

Find out more about this episode on our website: https://poverty-unpacked.org/2020/09/08/behavioural-science-a-cure-for-poverty/

7. Behavioural science: a cure for poverty? – Saugato Datta

While relative poverty rates show a fairly stable picture of poverty in the UK, those in 'deep poverty' face worsened conditions. 

In this episode, Daniel Edmiston discusses the two stories of poverty in the UK and argues for a pluralistic approach to poverty.

Find more information about this episode on our website: www.poverty-unpacked.org/2020/12/11/episode-10-two-stories-of-poverty-in-the-uk

10. Two stories of poverty in the UK - Daniel Edmiston

In conversation with others, we explore how poverty affects the mind, relationships, emotions and society as a whole, and what can be done to change it. Hear from activists, researchers, policy makers, and those with lived experience of poverty around the world.

Poverty Unpacked

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