The report focuses on preschool, as an effective early childhood development (ECD) intervention, especially for improving the status of the poorest groups in Brazil's population. Because of data limitations, the focus is primarily on pre-schooling, with some discussions on day care, and other...

Iran's economic performance in the last two decades has been very disappointing. This is highlighted by the fact that per capita GDP was 16 percent lower in 1998 than in 1979. However, the most important single reason for this poor performance was not any domestic economic policy, but the long...

Bhutan has shown remarkable economic performance over the last two decades. Growth during the second half of the 1990s was particularly strong, with annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth averaging 6.5 percent. A large part of this performance has been supported by generous inflows of...

This study aims to assess the extent to which reforms have actually been implemented, the impact they have had on the rural population, and the challenges which, as a consequence, need to be addressed by the new administration. This report is organized as follows: Section 1 describes Mexico's...

The Emergency Social Investment Fund (FISE) ex-post impact evaluation, is one of the first to be carried out on a social fund since the introduction of these mechanisms, a decade ago. Through strong impact evaluation methodologies, the report provides empirical evidence regarding FISE's success...

In February 2001, Turkey was hit by its deepest economic and financial crisis since World War II, prompting a severe decline in business activity. The adverse effects of the crisis were felt throughout the economy-starting in the public sector, spreading to the financial sector, and, causing...

To provide a solid basis to define its needs and frame its priorities in terms of the specific assistance it seeks from the international community as well as to inform its own domestic policy response, the Government of Lebanon (GoL) requested the World Bank to lead an Economic and Social...