Research Areas

A developing research agenda

RFC’s developing research agenda covers women’s livelihoods, climate resilience, rural development, social protection, governance and monitoring, evaluation and learning.

Initial research priority

Women’s economic empowerment and livelihoods

RFC’s initial research priority is to understand the opportunities and constraints shaping women-led microenterprises and home-based businesses. Questions may include how women reach customers, sustain income, use digital tools, maintain business records and access relevant support.

Key questions

?What helps women-led businesses remain viable?
?Which barriers affect market access and customer acquisition?
?How do digital tools, business networks and household responsibilities shape enterprise choices?

Possible outputs: Exploratory qualitative studies, evidence reviews, policy briefs and recommendations for enterprise-support organizations.
Potential users: Women’s business networks, enterprise-support programmes, NGOs, researchers and relevant public institutions.

Climate resilience and adaptation

RFC is interested in how climate-related risks interact with livelihoods, household resources and community coping strategies. This area builds on the founder’s prior research on farmers’ perceptions, coping strategies and livelihood patterns in Lahore and Kasur.

Key questions

?How do people perceive and respond to climate-related pressures?
?Which resources shape adaptive choices?
?How do climate risks interact with livelihood security and local institutions?

Possible outputs: Literature reviews, qualitative research, research notes and policy analysis.
Potential users: Researchers, development programmes, agriculture and climate stakeholders, and public institutions.

Rural livelihoods and inclusive development

This area explores how rural households and communities sustain livelihoods, diversify income and navigate changing economic and environmental conditions.

Key questions

?What affects livelihood diversification?
?Which barriers constrain economic opportunity?
?How do local services, markets and social networks influence resilience?

Possible outputs: Community-level studies, evidence synthesis and policy briefs.
Potential users: Rural development programmes, researchers, NGOs and relevant public bodies.

Governance and institutional development

This area considers how institutions translate policy into practice, engage stakeholders and develop organizational capacity.

Key questions

?Where do implementation gaps arise?
?How do accountability and coordination affect delivery?
?What organizational conditions support effective practice?

Possible outputs: Institutional reviews, process analysis, stakeholder consultations and recommendations.
Potential users: Public-sector organizations, civil-society institutions, development programmes and businesses where the scope is suitable.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning

RFC may support structured inquiry into programme design, implementation, stakeholder experience and learning, subject to the scope and technical requirements of each assignment.

Key questions

?Is the programme addressing the intended problem?
?What is working, for whom and under what conditions?
?What lessons should inform adaptation?

Possible outputs: Evaluation frameworks, interview-based assessments, process reviews, learning reports and evidence summaries.
Potential users: Programme teams, commissioning organizations, NGOs and development partners.

Exploring a question in one of these areas?

RFC welcomes discussions where objectives, responsibilities and resources can be agreed clearly.

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