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Tajikistan Country Evaluation : Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR)
Get PDFThis evaluation assesses the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) support to Tajikistan over 2015-2024. Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to disasters caused by natural hazards and to climate change due to its topography and limited adaptive capacity. GFDRR has approved 13 grants for Tajikistan since 2015, with commitments of 3.9 million had been disbursed as of February 2025. It also provided support through 6 regional grants and global thematic areas. GFDRR’s grants were relevant to disaster risk management (DRM), GFDRR’s objectives, and Tajikistan’s needs. These grants catalyzed the World Bank’s DRM program in Tajikistan and helped to prioritize DRM across the Bank’s portfolio. GFDRR activities have contributed to and are continuing to contribute to substantial improvements in disaster resilience in Tajikistan. They have substantially improved the quality of DRM support through World Bank lending operations, and government counterparts expressed their appreciation for GFDRR support and interest in continued engagement. The main benefit from GFDRR support has been to support project design and delivery for Bank projects, but sustaining enhanced capacity gained by these projects faces challenges given high turnover of government officials. GFDRR contributed to substantial achievements in reducing risk and mainstreaming DRM. In the transport sector, analytics helped to build the case for improving resilience in roads and bridges, and technical assistance improved the quality of these investments. GFDRR has helped to improve Tajikistan’s disaster preparedness
Learning Together : Why Couples Value Receiving the Same Extension Training
Get PDFIn many low-income countries, agricultural extension services are a key channel for improving farming practices and nutrition outcomes, yet women farmers often have limited direct access to them. This study draws on qualitative evidence from a nutrition-sensitive agriculture program in Ethiopia examined by the Africa Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) to understand how gendered access to extension information shapes household decision-making. Findings show strong demand among farmers for extension services that reach both men and women: over 72% reported that agricultural advice typically delivered to men is important for women, and 74% emphasized that nutrition information should also reach men. Farmers reported that when spouses learn together, information is more trusted and more likely to be discussed and applied. These findings highlight how jointly targeting women and men can strengthen household collaboration and improve the effectiveness of nutrition-sensitive agriculture programs
Women’s Political Empowerment and Public Spending Efficiency in Developing Countries
No full textThis paper examines the effect of women’s political empowerment on public spending efficiency in developing countries. Using a large panel of 126 developing countries over 1995–2021, the paper constructs public spending efficiency scores based on Stochastic Frontier Analysis, capturing governments’ ability to transform public expenditures into socioeconomic outcomes. The analysis employs a fractional regression model with a bootstrap and instrumental variable approach, complemented by alternative identification strategies. The results consistently show that higher levels of women’s political empowerment significantly improve public spending efficiency. These findings remain robust in alternative estimators, additional controls, subsamples, and alternative measures of women’s empowerment. In addition, a transmission channel analysis further reveals that this positive effect operates primarily through improved governance quality, particularly stronger control of corruption, while fiscal capacity and education spending play complementary but less dominant roles. These findings suggest that policies promoting women’s effective participation in political decision-making—beyond symbolic representation—should be integrated into fiscal governance and anti-corruption strategies to improve public sector performance in developing countries
FY 2025 Grenada Country Opinion Survey Report
No full textThe Country Opinion Survey in Grenada assists the World Bank Group (WBG) in better understanding how stakeholders in Grenada perceive the WBG. It provides the WBG with systematic feedback from national and local governments, multilateral/bilateral agencies, media, academia, the private sector, and civil society in Grenada on: (1) their views regarding the general environment in Grenada; (2) their overall attitudes toward the WBG in Grenada; (3) overall impressions of the WBG’s effectiveness and results, knowledge work and activities, and communication and information sharing in Grenada; and (4) their perceptions of the WBG’s future role in Grenada
Papua New Guinea Public Finance Review: Converting Resource Wealth into Human Capital: Rebalancing Public Finances for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth and Jobs
No full textThe Government of Papua New Guinea has ambitious goals: to grow the economy to K200 billion by 2030, create one million jobs, and achieve a balanced budget by 2027. Meaningful progress has been made, with sustained fiscal consolidation significantly reducing the fiscal deficit from its COVID-era peak. However, additional efforts will be needed to fully finance the country’s human capital needs and broader development priorities. Under ambitious scenarios, revenue reforms could yield around 5.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) complemented by expenditure efficiency gains of up to 1.5 percent of GDP. Achieving this will require a dual strategy. First, Papua New Guinea will need sustained improvements in domestic revenue mobilization, particularly from the resource sector, with transparently and strategically negotiated future resource projects playing a key role. Second, better allocation, execution, and accountability of public spending across all levels of government are needed to ensure public funds translate into frontline service delivery. These reforms are critical, given that chronic underinvestment in education, health, and social protection has resulted in weak human capital outcomes, constraining productivity, job creation, and long-term growth. Social sector spending needs to increase to at least 10 percent of GDP, and, if fully implemented, the reforms will generate sufficient fiscal space to finance additional investments of about 4.5 percent of GDP. As a first step, there is scope to reallocate a significant share of the fiscal surpluses projected from 2027 onward toward human capital investments. Together, these measures can help convert resource wealth into human capital while strengthening macroeconomic stability, attracting investment, and supporting job creation
Guinea Country Climate and Development Report
No full textThe World Bank Group’s Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) are a core diagnostic that integrates climate change and development. They help countries prioritize the most impactful actions that can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and boost adaptation and resilience, while delivering on broader development goals. CCDRs build on data and rigorous research and identify main pathways to reduce GHG emissions and climate vulnerabilities, including the costs and challenges as well as benefits and opportunities from doing so. The reports suggest concrete, priority actions to support the low-carbon, resilient transition. As public documents, CCDRs aim to inform governments, citizens, the private sector and development partners and enable engagements with the development and climate agenda. CCDRs feed into other core Bank Group diagnostics, country engagements and operations, and help attract funding and direct financing for high-impact climate action.The World Bank Group’s Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) are a core diagnostic that integrates climate change and development. They help countries prioritize the most impactful actions that can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and boost adaptation and resilience, while delivering on broader development goals. CCDRs build on data and rigorous research and identify main pathways to reduce GHG emissions and climate vulnerabilities, including the costs and challenges as well as benefits and opportunities from doing so. The reports suggest concrete, priority actions to support the low-carbon, resilient transition. As public documents, CCDRs aim to inform governments, citizens, the private sector and development partners and enable engagements with the development and climate agenda. CCDRs feed into other core Bank Group diagnostics, country engagements and operations, and help attract funding and direct financing for high-impact climate action.The World Bank Group’s Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) are a core diagnostic that integrates climate change and development. They help countries prioritize the most impactful actions that can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and boost adaptation and resilience, while delivering on broader development goals. CCDRs build on data and rigorous research and identify main pathways to reduce GHG emissions and climate vulnerabilities, including the costs and challenges as well as benefits and opportunities from doing so. The reports suggest concrete, priority actions to support the low-carbon, resilient transition. As public documents, CCDRs aim to inform governments, citizens, the private sector and development partners and enable engagements with the development and climate agenda. CCDRs feed into other core Bank Group diagnostics, country engagements and operations, and help attract funding and direct financing for high-impact climate action.Climate change can reduce Guinea’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 11.6 percent by 2050, disproportionately affecting the poor. Guinea is nearly a zero-carbon economy due to its reliance on hydropower energy. Its next challenge is decoupling economic growth from carbon emissions while adapting to the impact of climate change. Adaptation measures can reduce the negative impacts of climate change by approximately half, lowering the estimated impact to 5.4 percent of the baseline GDP in 2050 instead of 11.6 percent. The report offers key recommendations for addressing climate change impacts affecting hydropower generation, agriculture, and infrastructure: 1. Variability in hydropower output is expected to significantly increase by the 2040s, from annual decreases of up to 22 percent and increases of up to 19 percent. 2. Crop yields are expected to be significantly affected, threatening food security. 3. Infrastructure will be degraded due to more volatile precipitation, coupled with growing exposure to flooding and sea level rise. Preparing for climate change challenges requires enhancing the adaptive capacity of people and firms through better access to information, services, and solutions. Addressing climate change necessitates significant investments, but the benefits greatly outweigh the costs. To make these priority investments a reality, Guinea can pursue several financing avenues in parallel: First, enhancing public financing potential is crucial. Second, fostering private sector engagement is critical and can be achieved. Finally, leveraging concessional and blended finance will be critical to multiply investments
El desafío de 2 mil millones de personas
No full textSocial protection goes well beyond cash transfers; it includes policies and programs that bridge skill, financial, and information gaps, aiding people in securing better jobs. The three pillars of social protection—social assistance, social insurance, and labor market programs—support households and workers in handling crises, escaping poverty, facing transitions, and seizing employment opportunities. But despite a substantial expansion over the past decade, 2 billion people remain uncovered or inadequately covered across low- and middle-income countries. Drawing from administrative and household survey data from the World Bank’s Atlas of Social Protection Indicators of Resilience and Equity (ASPIRE), the "State of Social Protection Report 2025: The 2-Billion-Person Challenge" documents advances and challenges to strengthening social protection and labor systems across low- and middle-income countries, analyzing the evolution of expenditure, coverage, and adequacy of support. This report details four policy action areas governments can embrace to maximize the benefits of adequate social protection for all: extending social protection to those in need; strengthening the adequacy of social protection support; building shock-proof social protection systems; and optimizing social protection financing. The report discusses how the path of reforms will depend on country context, capacity, and fiscal space. The rising frequency of shocks and crises calls for major investments in the adaptability and preparedness of social protection and labor systems. Amid a world in transition, social protection is more important and necessary than ever.La protection sociale va bien au-delà des transferts monétaires ; elle comprend des politiques et des programmes qui comblent les lacunes en matière de compétences, de ressources financières et d'information, aidant ainsi les personnes à accéder à de meilleurs emplois. Les trois piliers de la protection sociale – l'assistance sociale, l'assurance sociale et les programmes du marché du travail – aident les ménages et les travailleurs à gérer les crises, à sortir de la pauvreté, à affronter les transitions et à saisir les opportunités d'emploi. Pourtant, malgré une expansion substantielle au cours de la dernière décennie, 2 milliards de personnes restent non couvertes ou insuffisamment couvertes dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire. S'appuyant sur les données d'enquêtes administratives et auprès des ménages issues de l'Atlas des indicateurs de résilience et d'équité de la protection sociale (ASPIRE) de la Banque mondiale, le « Rapport sur l'état de la protection sociale 2025 : Le défi des 2 milliards de personnes » documente les avancées et les défis du renforcement des systèmes de protection sociale et d'emploi dans les pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire, en analysant l'évolution des dépenses, de la couverture et de l'adéquation du soutien. Ce rapport détaille quatre domaines d'action que les gouvernements peuvent adopter pour maximiser les bénéfices d'une protection sociale adéquate pour tous : étendre la protection sociale aux personnes dans le besoin ; renforcer l'adéquation du soutien à la protection sociale ; mettre en place des systèmes de protection sociale résistants aux chocs ; et optimiser le financement de la protection sociale. Le rapport examine comment le cheminement des réformes dépendra du contexte, des capacités et de la marge de manœuvre budgétaire du pays. La fréquence croissante des chocs et des crises exige des investissements majeurs dans l'adaptabilité et la préparation des systèmes de protection sociale et du travail. Dans un monde en transition, la protection sociale est plus importante et nécessaire que jamais.La protección social va mucho más allá de las transferencias monetarias; incluye políticas y programas que cubren las brechas de habilidades, financieras y de información, ayudando a las personas a conseguir mejores empleos. Los tres pilares de la protección social —asistencia social, seguro social y programas del mercado laboral— apoyan a hogares y trabajadores en la gestión de crisis, la superación de la pobreza, la adaptación a las transiciones y el aprovechamiento de las oportunidades de empleo. Sin embargo, a pesar de una expansión sustancial en la última década, 2000 millones de personas siguen sin cobertura o con una cobertura insuficiente en países de ingresos bajos y medios. Basándose en datos administrativos y de encuestas de hogares del Atlas de Indicadores de Protección Social para la Resiliencia y la Equidad (ASPIRE) del Banco Mundial, el "Informe sobre el estado de la protección social 2025: El desafío de 2 mil millones de personas" documenta los avances y los desafíos para fortalecer los sistemas de protección social y laboral en países de ingresos bajos y medios, analizando la evolución del gasto, la cobertura y la idoneidad del apoyo. Este informe detalla cuatro áreas de acción política que los gobiernos pueden adoptar para maximizar los beneficios de una protección social adecuada para todos: extender la protección social a quienes la necesitan; fortalecer la idoneidad del apoyo a la protección social; construir sistemas de protección social resistentes a las crisis; y optimizar la financiación de la protección social. El informe analiza cómo la trayectoria de las reformas dependerá del contexto, la capacidad y el margen fiscal del país. La creciente frecuencia de crisis y shocks exige importantes inversiones en la adaptabilidad y la preparación de los sistemas de protección social y laboral. En un mundo en transición, la protección social es más importante y necesaria que nunca
Ukraine Fourth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4), February 2022 – December 2024
No full textAs of December 31, 2024, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to have profound physical, socioeconomic, and environmental impacts, which will be felt for generations. This fourth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4) - undertaken jointly by the World Bank Group, the Government of Ukraine, the European Commission, and the United Nations, with support from other partners—takes stock of almost three years of the ongoing invasion, estimating damage and losses along with recovery and reconstruction needs for 10 years. Beyond the physical and financial impacts that are more readily quantified, the RDNA4 provides a qualitative description of how people’s lives have been dramatically altered since February 2022. RDNA4 builds on the previous three Rapid Damage and Needs Assessments (RDNA1, RDNA2, and RDNA3), which respectively covered the first three months, first year, and the first 22 month
An Evaluation of the World Bank Group Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020-2025 (Approach Paper)
No full textFragility, conflict, and violence
(FCV) have upended development progress. Overlapping and
mutually reinforcing crises, including worsening climate
challenges, ideological polarization and extremism, growing
economic disparities, and weak governance and corruption,
have all exacerbated the frequency and severity of
conflicts. Civil wars, interstate conflicts, and violence
and crime in both low- and middle-income countries have
profound welfare impacts inside affected countries and
destabilizing effects across borders through irregular
migration and forced displacement and the disruption of
trade and supply chains. Global poverty reduction and shared
prosperity have slowed since 2014 with significant risks of
reversing, which the World Bank attributes to lower economic
growth, the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation, and increased
conflict and fragility. As a result, global extreme poverty
is above the level of 2018, calling into question the
achievement of the World Bank Group’s objective of ending
extreme poverty by 2030. The Bank Group introduced its
Strategy for Fragility, Conflict, and Violence 2020–2025
(FCV strategy) in February 2020 to enhance its effectiveness
in supporting countries in addressing the drivers and
impacts of FCV The evaluation responds to a request by the
Bank Group Boards of Directors to inform the development of
a new Bank Group FCV strategy. It seeks to distill findings
and lessons from the Bank Group experience with the
implementation of the 2020–25 FCV strategy to inform the
preparation of a new Bank Group FCV strategy. Given this
objective and to optimize IEG’s value add, this evaluation
is focused on providing timely findings and lessons for the
new strategy
Using Remotely Sensed Earth Observation Data in Economic Contexts
No full textThe availability of weather data from
remotely sensed Earth observation data has reduced the cost
of including weather variables in econometric models.
Weather variables are common instrumental variables used to
predict economic outcomes and serve as an input in modeling
crop yields for rainfed agriculture. The use of Earth
observation data in econometric applications has only
recently been met with critical assessment of the
suitability and quality of these data in economics. This
paper quantifies the significance and magnitude of the
effect of measurement error in Earth observation data in the
context of smallholder agricultural productivity. The paper
shows that different Earth observation sources use different
measurement methods. The findings are not robust to the
choice of Earth observation dataset, and the outcomes are
not simply affine transformations of one another. Thus, the
paper suggests that researchers should exercise caution in
using these data and include robustness checks that test
alternative sources of Earth observation data