The work of SDDirect

Social Development Direct designs, leads and directly delivers programmes which create a lasting positive impact in the societies and communities we work with and for. Our work includes complex, multi-year programme management; demand-led technical helpdesks for policymakers and practitioners; and specialist research, reviews, monitoring and evaluations. Find out more about our work below.

Latest from SDDirect

From Beijing and beyond: Now is the time to accelerate our commitment to feminist principles in humanitarian action

We must remember that feminist principles and approaches are not mere theory. They include practical strategies for shaping more effective and just humanitarian responses. At the heart of this work is leadership of affected communities, especially leadership that is by women, for…

Learning lessons from Toose: a global webinar on the SAFE Programme’s IPV model, 10 December 2024

To mark this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the SAFE Programme held a webinar to share learning from its Toose model on the prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV). During the event the SAFE team’s Netty Musanhu and Hind M’hamdi gave this presentation on the…

Supporting organisations at the frontline of caring for child survivors

During these 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Social Development Direct (SDDirect) colleagues Clare Hollowell and Hanna Smit are focusing on child survivors of sexual abuse, by facilitating a training on the new Caring for Child Survivors guidelines, jointly…

What I learned about gender equality and Indigenous leadership at COP16

"The forest is everything to us". Biodiversity loss is a major issue for people and planet. We are currently on track to lose over 1,000,000 animal and plant species within the next decades. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP) provides a space for…

Nigerian women farmers at the frontline of climate change

For many Nigerians, the climate crisis is a harsh reality. In 2024 alone, a scorching heat wave swept across the country and the North was hit particularly hard by severe flooding. In September 2024, a dam collapsed in Maiduguri and flooded half of Borno State’s capital city. Communities…

Why inclusive education is the cornerstone of climate resilience

By Danielle Cornish-Spencer, SDDirect Head of Portfolio Equal Education, and Jummai Joseph, GESI and Safeguarding State Advisor, PLANE The impacts of climate change are putting education systems under unprecedented strain globally, and the need for state-led, gender-responsive,…

Why we are working to embed safeguarding in climate programmes

At SDDirect we are working to embed safeguarding into a range of climate programmes so that people can be kept safe from harm and to uphold inclusive and ethical commitments. This blog from Anna Gawn, Loulou Shah and Rebekah Martin explores why this is so important. As climate change…

Putting equality at the heart of climate action

As thousands gather in Baku for the UN climate conference, it is essential that addressing injustice and promoting equality is at the heart of the discussion. We know that the climate crisis is exacerbating existing inequalities and creating barriers for socially excluded groups to exercise…

Evidence digest focus issue: Health and Disability Inclusion - Antimicrobial Resistance and Artificial intelligence

This evidence digest focuses on Health and Disability Inclusion - Antimicrobial Resistance and Artificial intelligence

Annotated Bibliography: Review of Technical Resources on Honor-Based Abuse in the Middle East and North Africa Region

This annotated bibliography provides an overview of relevant literature and resources on Honor-Based Abuse (HBA) within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and among communities from MENA living in the diaspora. Intended to support the development of training materials for first-line…

S2S Key message 4

This document is a poster used to communicate the S2S services within communities.

S2S Key message 3

This document is a poster used to communicate the S2S services within communities.

S2S Key message 2

This document is a poster used to communicate the S2S services within communities.

S2S Key message 1

This document is a poster used to communicate the S2S services within communities.

Collaborating with the ODA community to support survivors of SEAH

This document is a learning product produced by the programme.

SDDirect at the SVRI Forum 2024 brochure

This is the Social Development Direct (SDDirect) event brochure for the SVRI Forum 2024. This interactive document, featuring clickable buttons, showcases SDDirect’s global programmes and highlights the key sessions and events where our colleagues and partners will be actively participating. At the…

Tip Sheet: The Inclusion and Participation of Older Women in GBViE Programs

This tip sheet highlights the importance of inclusion of older women in GBV in emergencies (GBViE) programming. It reviews key terms and concepts related to addressing the needs of older women; examines global data on aging women, and on GBV affecting older women; presents relevant frameworks and…

Guidance Note on Applying Feminist Approaches to Humanitarian Action

This paper considers the question of whether feminist theories and principles hold the potential to help the humanitarian system better meet many of its highest priorities. Research across the world provides widespread evidence that feminism can benefit not just women and girls, but entire…

Evidence digest focus issue: Stigma and Disability Inclusion

Pre-print edition: Guidance Note on Applying Feminist Approaches to Humanitarian Action

Beyond specific efforts to address GBV, this paper considers the question of whether feminist theories and principles hold the potential to help the humanitarian system better meet many other of its highest priorities. The paper begins with a basic primer on feminist theory—what it means, where it…