Western countries have established themselves and developed over the last two centuries in the model of the Nation-State, founded on national sovereignty. Civil societies from these countries have been educated and conditioned to respect and fully accept the principles and symbols of a sovereign...

The Bank expanded its housing finance activities in the 1990s, shifting its support toward sector reforms that increase the capacity of housing finance and delivery mechanisms to cater to the needs of low-income households. The present publication examines Bank experience in housing, draws...

The search for solutions to urban and social problems prompted by informal settlements is gaining importance in the development agenda of most large cities in Latin America. Nearly 60 percent of the population lives in informal, often centrally located settlements.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) welcomes the opportunity that the World Summit on Sustainable Development offers the development community to reflect on regional trends and the major challenges facing our member countries in environmental sustainability. The IDB prepared this document...

This study refers to disaster risk management at the local level. The topic was selected by the members of the Natural Disasters Network of the Regional Policy Dialogue, and was presented during its 3rd Meeting, on March 6 and 7, 2003. The goal of this document is to achieve a better knowledge...

The purpose of this presentation is to propose a definition of the concept of social cohesion and an approach to measuring it. We proceed in two parts: Part I: Cumulative definition and measurement; Part II: Exploration and measurement of key contributing dimensions: Solidarity, social...

This document is one of a series of technical notes that describe the nature and magnitude of violence in the region, its causes and effects, and how it can be prevented and controlled. The notes provide useful information on designing programs and policies to prevent and deal with violence....

The author stimulates a discussion on new partnerships where inter-governmental organizations, individual governments and non-governmental organizations collectively should meet the challenges posed by the violence, the complex emergencies and the intrastate wars affecting so many societies....

Intended as a contribution to the discussion of the relevance of social capital and social cohesion to Latin American development, this paper treats the two as assets for development and the creation of welfare. The paper defines the concepts, including their uses and limitations, and analyzes...