IDRC & SSHRC Partner to Work to Build Safer, More Prosperous Societies

 $10 million in new research projects announced

OTTAWA, Oct. 1, 2014 /CNW/ - Four research teams have been awarded up to $2.5 million each over the next seven years to build safer, more sustainable, and prosperous societies in Canada and around the world. The projects are supported through the International Partnerships for Sustainable Societies (IPaSS). 

Projects include working to:

• improve food security in seven cities across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean
• combat sexual violence in South Africa by engaging girls and women in policy-making processes
• design community-based conservation programs to protect biodiversity and improve livelihoods in East Africa, and,
• make cities in Southeast Asia more resilient to the effects of climate change

Funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), IPaSS partners top Canadian and developing-country researchers with government, the private sector, and civil society.

 "We know that innovation drives prosperity, wellbeing, and development," says IDRC President Jean Lebel. "That's why we are proud of the IPaSS projects, which bring Canadian and developing-country researchers together with the private and public sectors and with civil society to build safer, healthier, and more sustainable societies."

"We are pleased to participate in this innovative research collaboration, which will contribute to developing the next generation of leaders and to building a better future for Canada and the world," says SSHRC Executive Vice- President and Chief Operating Officer Ted Hewitt.

The four projects team research leads from McGill University, the University of Toronto, and Wilfrid Laurier University with counterparts from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), the African Conservation Centre (Kenya), the Thailand Environment Institute (Thailand), and the African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town (South Africa).

IPaSS is one of several partnership initiatives between IDRC and Canada's granting councils which support research that helps improve lives and nurture research excellence in Canada and around the world. 

About IDRC
A key part of Canada's aid program since 1970, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development. IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world. The result is innovative, lasting local solutions that aim to bring choice and change to those who need it most.

SOURCE: International Development Research Centre

Marianne Goodwin, Senior Media and Public Affairs Advisor, IDRC, ([phone], [email protected]; Julia Gualtieri, Media Relations Advisor, SSHRC, ([phone], [email protected]; Learn more about IPaSS, Our Challenge Fund , The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council