Countries are driving the efforts to institutionalize monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. Through the promotion of knowledge-sharing, and by taking stock of current M&E systems, fostering South-South collaboration, raising awareness through presentations, and, by launching an informal...

This note reviews the available evidence on developing effective policies against child labor, outlining it requires attention to gender differences among working children. This is so because standard definitions of child labor tend to underestimate girls' work, because economic activities of...

Gender equality is an important indicator of a country's progress toward sustainable development and is one of the Millennium Development Goals. Yet World Bank teams often find gender equality a difficult concept to include in projects. One solution is to conduct a targeted gender assessment,...

This note summarizes the operational perspective and design of severance packages supported by Bank loans and credits. The analysis focuses on severance-funding investment projects approved between fiscal 2000 and 2004, during which time revised expenditure eligibility guidelines were issued (in...

This note considers the impacts on female workers of two forms of labor market regulations common in developing countries: mandated maternity benefits and working-hour restrictions for women. Anecdotal evidence suggests that maternity benefits are unpopular with employers. Many developing...

Changes in public sector institutions and governance systems in developing countries may be relatively easy to achieve technically, but very tough to implement politically. Such reforms create winners and losers, so understanding the political realities that shape the incentives of key...

Coined at the dawn of the scientific age, Bacon's aphorism has taken on new meaning today, when government agencies have at their disposal massive amounts of information about nearly every aspect of modern life. Striking an appropriate balance between the power of government and of citizens to...

E-government is about changing how governments work, share information, and deliver services to external and internal clients. It harnesses information and communications technology to transform relationships with citizens and businesses, and between arms of government. Benefits can include...

Developing more efficient, transparent public institutions in the Bank's client countries requires a two-pronged approach. First, countries must build their capacity to perform functions such as policymaking and policy implementation, regulation, service delivery, and administrative management....

Although trade liberalization can create jobs and raise incomes, these benefits can easily be undermined if trade transactions involve excessive costs and delays-reducing a country's export competitiveness. Trade facilitation efforts aim to reduce such costs and delays by simplifying trade...