The COVID-19 pandemic affected businesses of all scales and types worldwide. However, little is known about the role and potential of online platforms in supporting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) during such crises, particularly in emerging markets.

We recently investigated the performance and strategies deployed by MSMEs in Indonesia which use the digital application GoFood, an on-demand cooked food delivery service on the GoJek platform. In this blog, we summarise three key findings: women-owned businesses performance suffered more than men-owned; women entrepreneurs relied more on self-sufficiency as a coping strategy; and competition escalated, providing both threats and opportunities for MSMEs.

We find that women-owned businesses contracted substantially more during the pandemic. Specifically, they experienced an average decline in revenue of over 50%, compared to around 40% for men-led firms. They also witnessed a more pronounced decline in employee numbers (Figure 1). This disparity could be explained by potential differences in gender roles, responsibilities and socio-cultural norms, leading to a disproportionate impact on women entrepreneurs. For instance, women entrepreneurs often face additional challenges due to their role as caregivers, which could affect their ability and willingness to work long hours or pivot business models during the pandemic.

Figure 1: Employment distribution of firm size by gender of business owner (%) 2021 (a), 2020 (b) and 2019 (c)

MSMEs that experienced a significant reduction in their business operations were likely to adopt self-sufficiency or self-insurance measures to cope with the crisis. Women entrepreneurs were more likely than men to cut personal expenses, and tended to use personal savings rather than formal financial sources (for example, bank loans) due to the limited access to finance. As Figure 2 shows, 64% of women who owned businesses spent less on food and personal items, compared to 54% of male merchants.

Figure 2: Crisis mitigation strategies among GoFood merchants (%)

We also found that competition intensified sharply among merchants usin...

Humanity today is broken was the declaration of a Papuan elder in rural West Papua province, when our local research team (Katmo, Wambrauw and Syufi) began to discuss HIV education. Speaking to local people tended to evoke reactions like this about the seriousness of social and health crises, even in areas far from the current military operations.

HIV/AIDS remains at epidemic levels in West Papua, and mostly affects Indigenous Papuans, yet has largely dropped off the radar of humanitarian activities and aid programs. Community-based prevention and local NGO-designed activities, which were once a relatively small and inexpensive but powerful part of the overarching response, are no longer operating. HIV/AIDS is part of a broader political, social and ecological disaster in West Papua that includes violence towards civilians, refugees fleeing conflict, overcrowding in cities, the destruction of rural livelihoods and coastal ecologies by extractive industries, and a lack of effective health care.

Building on discussions of the localisation of humanitarianism and its ongoing challenges, particularly in Indonesia, we reflect on what lessons can be used to support community-based humanitarianism and revitalise HIV responses.

Our approach to HIV prevention is to co-design education with local responders in a way that engages with existing activities and interests while prioritising cultural understandings and practices of health beyond a narrow biomedical framework. We consider community members, health workers, elders and leaders as local responders, who seek trust, autonomy and sufficient resourcing.

The team spoke to male and female elders, church leaders, teachers and young people about local understandings and practices of health. From the young people we heard that being healthy means having good relationships with parents, other relatives, and the environment; looking out for each other, especially younger siblings and children; and generally taking care of others. Finia meroh means woman of substance, and it emphasises the important role women play in producing life and sus...

Our monthly update of news and analysis on aid and international development, with a focus on Australian aid.

Australian aid

Australia has joined other countries in denouncing the unilateral decision by Russia to end the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The decision came as the UN reported that as many as 783 million people faced hunger in 2022 an increase of 122 million people since 2019. The US also condemned Russias decision, and announced US$250 million in additional aid for Ukraines agriculture sector.

At their leaders meeting, Prime Minister Albanese and President Widodo announced that Australia would provide $50 million to support clean energy investments in Indonesian small and medium enterprises. In addition, Export Finance Australia will work with Indonesias state-owned electricity provider to establish a US$200 million capital financing facility to support Indonesias energy transition.

In a joint op-ed with his Canadian and New Zealand counterparts, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has called for a global financial architecture that helps address the existential threat of climate change, while supporting countries development ambitions, responding to the millions slipping back into poverty and maintaining stability in the global financial system. The op-ed calls on multilateral institutions to do more, but says nothing about what donors and shareholders need to or are prepared to do in support of that goal.

Australia reportedly joined with nations such as China, Russia and Brazil at the International Maritime Organization to block a proposed US$100 per tonne levy on global shipping emissions. The proposal which would generate an estimated US$60-80 billion a year was supported by several Pacific countries and other small island nations, as well as South Korea, Denmark and France.

Aid to Solomon Islands has again become a flashpoint in the bilateral relationship, with Prime Minister Sogavare accusing Australia and New Zealand of...