Low- and middle-income countries are aging rapidly but stagnation of growth in participation in pension programs, due to widespread informal employment, presents a major fiscal challenge. Some claim that...
The rapid evolution of the global economy, driven by digitization and modularization, has outpaced existing theoretical tools. This paper proposes a unified analytical framework for understanding the complexity...
This paper examines tax revenue shortfalls in South Asian countries. On average during 2019–23, South Asian revenues totaled 18 percent of GDP—well below the average 24 percent among emerging market and...
This paper estimates the proportion of workers who would meet the required contribution periods to access a contributory retirement pension in the Dominican Republic. Using microdata from labor histories...
In settings where women’s land rights are informal, the death of a husband can severely limit a widow’s access to land and her ability to remain in her home — especially in the absence of a male heir...
Property registries have long been a pillar of state capacity and a basis for private market activity. While registry establishment and operation traditionally were costly and time consuming, digital technology...
Although microenterprises are the most prevalent employer in Africa, boosting their productivity remains a development challenge. Theoretically, microenterprise business associations could foster technology...
Droughts are increasingly cited as a driver of urbanization across Sub-Saharan Africa, yet little is known about the role they play in shaping the spatial expansion of cities. Combining satellite imagery...
Family law has witnessed significant global progress over the past 50 years: Since 1970, 600 million women have gained economic opportunities through family law reforms. In 1970, only 37 economies had...
The transition to a net-zero economy presents significant social and economic challenges, particularly for industries and regions reliant on high-carbon activities, hence the need for a just transition...
Prepaid electricity contracts lower enforcement costs but may burden consumers, particularly when market frictions are present. This paper presents the results of a randomized control trial where 2,000...
Somalia is highly exposed to climatic shocks. According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (NG-GAIN) ranking, Somalia is the most vulnerable country in the world to climate change. Somalia...
In 2022, the nomadic population, comprising just over 10 percent of the Somali population, faced the highest levels of monetary, non-monetary, and extreme poverty, along with the greatest inequality. Nomadic...
Somalia’s labor market displays some unique traits for its level of income. Somalia has very low labor force participation, likely driven by the limited viability of agricultural and low non-agricultural...
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in social protection systems, especially in South Asia, where financial constraints limited support for vulnerable populations. This paper emphasizes the...
This paper takes stock of the literature on infrastructure and jobs published since the early 2000s, using a conceptual framework to identify the key channels through which different types of infrastructure...
Sub-Saharan Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rural women dis- proportionately affected due to pre-existing gender inequalities that both increase their need for adaptation and constrain...
This paper uses household survey data from 27 countries to assess sex-differentiated access to social protection programs and their impact on mitigating gender gaps in the labor market. The analysis includes...
Well-functioning capital markets can foster economic growth and allocate resources efficiently. Firms can tap into a broader funding base by issuing debt and equity in capital markets, often at cheaper...
Well-functioning capital markets can foster economic growth and allocate resources efficiently. Firms can tap into a broader funding base by issuing debt and equity in capital markets, often at cheaper...