"This paper examines the ways in which lower-income households obtain basic financial services in urban communities in Mexico and the United States. And it discusses the efforts that private sector and government organizations are making to lower the cost or improve the quality of those...

"Regulation is purportedly enacted to serve specific social purposes. In reality, however, it follows a more complex political economy process, where legitimate social goals are mixed with the objectives of particular interest groups. Whatever its justification and objectives, regulation can...

"Minimum wages are generally thought to be unenforceable in developing rural economies. But there is one solution - a workfare scheme in which the government acts as the employer of last resort. Is this a cost-effective policy against poverty? Using a microeconometric model of the casual labor...

This report presents an overview of current and projected market trends for off-grid lighting. It was commissioned and coordinated by Lighting Africa,a joint initiative from IFC and the World Bank.The report provides a snapshot of the off-grid lighting market and provides industry level data and...

Poverty is at the root of the problems facing many public housing projects in the U.K. today. Experience emerging from 100 low-income housing estates echoes findings from urban upgrading for the poor in developing countries. Tackling poverty and unemployment in low income communities cannot be...

This report on anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regulation addresses the consequences of these regulations on low-income people. The introduction of new or tightened AML/CFT regulations may have the unintended and undesirable consequence of reducing the...