The public sector of most developing countries is often the target of numerous criticisms - lack of or no infrastructure, absenteeism of service providers like teachers and doctors, poor quality of services, corruption, non-transparency, favoritism, discrimination, etc. While several of these...

It is now increasingly recognized that, alongside the state and the market, civil society is a critical factor in determining the level, pace and equity of a country's economic, social and political development. Civic engagement is the participation of private actors in the public sphere,...

This note makes an in-depth analysis of public expenditure budget management, and its necessary reforms. The note presents a number of successful cases from around the globe where a framework for participatory public expenditure system is presented, and where civic groups influenced stages...

This note, summarizing recent research by Paul Collier and Anke Hoeffler, presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of the effects of economic policy and aid on the risks of conflict. It finds that aid and policy do not have direct effects on conflict risk. However, both directly affect...

This note puts figures behind the notion of poverty resulting from war. Using simulation models, the author estimates the economic and social costs of the El Salvadorian conflict. The calculations suggest that had conflict been avoided, income per capita would have been almost the double of its...

This Dissemination Note draws from the recent Bank report, "Eritrea: Investment Climate Assessment produced by the Africa Private Sector Group." It concludes, in short, that Eritrea is facing a critical labor shortage, partly the result of recent conflict. Mobilization has drained white collar...

The Program for Development and Peace in Magdalena Medio, supported by a Bank Learning and Innovation Loan, promotes a community-based participatory approach to development and peace in one of the most conflictive regions of Colombia. With a heavy emphasis on the strengthening of social capital...

During the past decade, Ecuador has suffered multiple natural disasters. It was hard hit by the El Nino phenomenon in 1982 and again in 1998. In addition to the psychological effects on the population, thousands of homes were destroyed, road networks damaged, extensive agricultural areas...

The Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project is a major run-of-river power project designed to meet the acute shortage of power in Pakistan. It is being implemented by the Water and Power Development Authority of Pakistan (WAPDA). The project consists of a barrage located near Ghazi village in the North...

Vietnam made remarkable progress in poverty reduction in the 1990s. Poverty rates decreased from 58% to 37% between 1993 and 1998. The reduction in poverty rates among indigenous people (who constitute 13% of the population and mostly live in remote areas) has been less remarkable. During the...