Morocco has made significant economic progress in the last two decades, increasing per capita income and reducing poverty. In our paper, Exports to Jobs: Morocco’s Trade Patterns and Local Labor Market Outcomes, we tackle the questions of whether trade policies, such as signing Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs), improved trade flows; whether an increase in exports improved […]
Recurrent and intensifying shocks—driven by extreme weather events, pandemics, and conflicts—have cast a long shadow over the timely realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. In research and policy circles, attention has been given almost exclusively to post-shock remedial interventions. However, interventions preceding shocks are increasingly seen as preferred alternatives to enhance societies’ ability […]
At the Global Refugee Forum this week, education stakeholders will pledge to include all refugee children in national education systems. Three major questions arise: what does inclusion mean, why does it matter and how do we get there? Inclusion refers to refugee children attending schools that are part of the host country’s national public system, funded through […]
Some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from too much water. South Sudan, for example, ranks seventh in the world for flood risk. In contrast, countries in the Horn of Africa are facing an intense and lengthy drought, pushing 26 million people into extreme hunger. This creates profound water insecurity for tens of millions of Africans […]
In Mali, the Jigisemejiri Emergency Social Safety Net Program is protecting the poorest and most vulnerable rural households from the impact of economic shocks and other crises. Since the program’s launch in 2013, the Government of Mali, with support from the World Bank including IDA grants of $122.4 million total, has provided cash transfers to more than […]
Innovative financing is needed for nature-based solutions, which protect biodiversity and combat climate change. Nature is in deep trouble. The losses in our planet’s biodiversity – in our forests, oceans, species – are at a crisis point. By some estimates, two fifths of the world’s most significant marine biodiversity has already been lost, nearly one […]
The use of green hydrogen could be a critical factor in addressing climate change but policymakers, industry leaders and investors need to fund essential infrastructure and encourage research and development. Many developing countries view industrialization as the benchmark for economic growth and success. This includes large infrastructure investments in heavy industries including steel and cement, […]
Governments face risks and opportunities when developing national strategies for using carbon markets to transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbon markets are increasingly being recognized as a pivotal mechanism to channel financial resources into initiatives combating climate change. As integral components of the climate policy architecture, these markets play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse […]
The traditional banking system in India is struggling to meet the needs of under-served communities, including women. Fintech solutions can bridge this gap and expand financial inclusion if pursued carefully and with the right precautions. Traditional financial institutions in India, including banks, face challenges in serving a large segment of the population, particularly in rural […]
In Pakistan, disability can often mean invisibility. In times of crisis, this invisibility can become deadly. As a term, “disability” is not a monolith, but rather an umbrella description for a broad range of individuals suffering from physical impairments or psychological impediments. The World Bank estimates that 15% of the world’s population experiences some form of […]
