Student researchers and fellows contribute enormously to WORLD’s work to support evidence-based change in countries worldwide. As WORLD’s work has evolved, WORLD fellows and students have engaged in a wide range of activities—from service and research with partner organizations around the world, to publication in academic journals, to invaluable contributions to our data and knowledge bases. WORLD deeply is grateful to the more than 300 graduate students and fellows who have supported our work with their time and expertise, and are proud to highlight the following examples.
Student and fellow global and regional policy and practice projects
WORLD students and fellows come from countries around the world and have participated in on-site collaborations with wide range of partner organizations in dozens of countries. Students and fellows have worked on a range of projects, including: supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals with the United Nations, advancing gender equality with a local in-country community health organization, supporting civil society working to end child marriage, reforming education policy, and much more.
Systematic policy reviews
WORLD fellows' and students’ systematic, rigorous and comprehensive research has meaningfully contributed to our evolving knowledge base across a range of policy areas. WORLD is pleased to highlight these examples of literature, policy and practice reviews, analytic mapping, and working papers to further inform research and policy efforts.
Changes in Women’s Economic Participation after the Implementation of National and Subnational Policies: A Global Systematic Review
Authors: Negar Omidakhsh, Vanessa Ríos-Salas, Aleta Sprague, Jody Heymann
Despite global commitments to gender equality, women’s economic outcomes continue to lag men’s. To understand whether policies can advance equality, the authors systematically reviewed studies examining the impacts of public policies on women’s economic outcomes. Three reviewers examined studies published from 01/01/2000 to 03/01/2018 across 13 academic databases, identifying 23,946 unique articles. These were reviewed for applicability and for rigor in evaluating causal impact; 61 studies met inclusion criteria. Work-family reconciliation policies, including paid leave and childcare, had the largest positive impact on all women’s economic outcomes (participation, hours worked, and wages). Other policies that had positive impacts on some or all economic outcomes included conditional cash transfers, labor market reform, tax credits, legalized divorce, improved inheritance laws, pay-equity legislation, and abortion rights.
Read the policy brief here
Adaptations to Special Education and Related Services, Start of 2020-21 School Year through February 2021
Authors: Melissa Mendoza, Timothy Brewer, Matthew Smith, Michael Stein, Jody Heymann
The United States School District Special Education Services Policies during the COVID-19 Pandemic data was released in April 2022 in conjunction with a new study published in the International Journal of Inclusive Education. This dataset includes findings on 24 school districts within the United States; the sample includes districts classified as High Enrolment, Low Enrolment, High Per Pupil Spending, and Low Per Pupil Spending, as well as districts with varying amounts of COVID spread. English-language information was extracted from publicly available district websites and reviewed for information on adaptations to special education and related services in place between the start of the 2020-2021 school year and the end of February 2021.
Article
Download the policy dataset and data dictionary here
The Role of Constitutional Courts in Protecting Health During Pandemics: Early Rulings on Social Determinants of Health
Authors: Firooz Kabir, Zoe Reinecke, Aleta Sprague, Gonzalo Moreno, Erin Bresnahan, Jody Heymann
This study reviews constitutional court decisions issued between March and August 2020 to examine whether and how constitutions can make a difference in addressing social determinants of health during the first stages of a global crisis. This brief emphasizes the potential of constitutions and constitutional courts to shape government responses to crises in ways that are compatible with fundamental social, economic, and equal rights.
Article
Map
Student and fellow publications
Allmang S, Raza W, Rozhenkova V, Khakshi JW, Heymann SJ. Factors Associated with Educational and Career Aspirations of Young Women and Girls in Sierra Leone. Development in Practice. September 2021.
Gadoth A, Heymann SJ. Gender parity at scale: Examining correlations of country-level female participation in education and work with measures of men’s and women’s survival. EClinical Medicine. March 2020.
Chai A, Nandi A, Heymann SJ. Association of increased duration of legislated paid maternity leave with childhood diarrhea prevalence in low- and middle-income countries: a difference-in-differences analysis. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. February 2020.
Allmang S, Jou J, Gadoth A, Rozhenkova V, Raub A, Heymann SJ. Legislative Protections from Discrimination in Access to Employer-Provided Training across 193 United Nations Countries. International Journal of Training and Development. October 2019.
Milovantseva N, Earle A, Heymann SJ. Monitoring Progress Towards Meeting the United Nations SDG on Pre-primary Education: An Important Step Towards More Equitable and Sustainable Economies. International Organisations Research Journal. 2018; 13(4): 122-143. Full article text currently available only in Russian; full text in English to come.
Conklin A, Ponce N, Crespi CM, Frank J, Nandi A, and Heymann SJ. Economic Policy and the Double Burden of Malnutrition: Cross-national Longitudinal Analysis of Minimum Wage and Women’s Underweight and Obesity. Public Health Nutrition. 2018; 21(5):940-7.
Chai Y, Nandi A, and Heymann SJ. Does Extending the Duration of Legislated Paid Maternity Leave Improve Breastfeeding Practices? Evidence from 38 Low-income and Middle-income Countries. BMJ Global Health. Published online before print October 2018. [Research brief]
Conklin A, Ponce N, Frank J, Nandi A, and Heymann SJ. Minimum Wage and Overweight and Obesity in Adult Women: A Multilevel Analysis of Low and Middle Income Countries. PloS One. Published online before print March 2016. [Research brief]
