Public service providers, especially frontline school teachers and health workers at local levels, are crucial to positive outcomes for children. Low pay is a key factor behind staff absenteeism, informal fees and brain drain. In past crises, pay levels for teachers and health workers have...

Ce document: (i) donne un aperçu de l'inégalité du revenu mondial, régional et national sur la base des dernières données de la Banque mondiale, l'UNU-WIDER et Eurostat, (ii) examine les conséquences négatives de l'inégalité croissante des revenus pour le développement, (iii) appelle...

This working paper: (i) describes recent labour market trends; (ii) analyzes how young people are experiencing a double employment crisis as a result of the demographic phenomenon known as the ‘youth bulge,’ which aggravates the already low demand for labour during the economic downturn;...

This paper argues why countries should give priority to developing cross-border regional social policies. The first part presents the conceptual case for regional social policies in terms of how the social dimension of regionalism can provide an alternative to the current pattern of...

MDG progress is measured in terms of national averages but these statistical averages often disguise that progress has not accrued to those at the bottom -- arguably those who need it most. Social protection is essential to accelerate MDGs with equity by facilitating access to essential services...

This working paper: (i) provides an overview of global, regional and national income inequalities based on the latest distribution data from the World Bank, UNU-WIDER and Eurostat; (ii) discusses the negative implications of rising income inequality for development; (iii) calls for placing...

This working paper: (i) briefly reviews possible causes of the food price spike that began in mid-2010; (ii) examines recent local food price movements in 58 developing countries during 2010; (iii) discusses the adverse impacts of food price increases on households; (iv) presents a rapid desk review of...

This working paper examines the extent to which fiscal consolidation is occuring in 2010-11 among 126 low and middle-income countries, and the potential risks for children and poor households at a time when economic recovery is fragile and uneven. Using fiscal projection data published by the...