Islamic trade finance (ITF) offers a meaningful opportunity for Malaysia. ITF can play a substantial role to support trade, foster growth, and accelerate post-pandemic recovery. In addition to its impact on the domestic economy, enhancing ITF can bring benefits to other Organization of Islamic...

The halal economy (HE) plays an important role in Malaysia's economic growth, contributing 7.5 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of 2020. Under the Twelfth Malaysia Plan, 2021-2025 (12MP), one of the key strategies to boost Malaysia's economic growth is enhancing the competitiveness...

The Libya Financial Sector Review represents a snapshot review of the Libyan financial sector which is based on a fact-finding mission to Tripoli, Libya, in January 2019, discussions with leading participants in the financial sector, and desk research. The report is based on the limited...

This summary report presents the findings of the Bangladesh WASH Poverty Diagnostic (BWPD) study led by the World Bank's Water and Poverty Global Practices. Though very few Bangladeshis now fetch water from rivers or defecate in fields, the vast majority still live in environments plagued by...

Bangladesh has been a star performer on fertility reduction, reducing its TFR from 6.7 in 1960 to 2.1 in 2017 (i.e. the replacement level of fertility). As a comparison, SSA countries reduced TFR by as little as 2 births per woman, on average, between 1970 and 2016 (World Bank, 2019), with...

This report was commissioned by the World Bank Group's (WBG) financial inclusion support framework program, with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and with technical support from the East African Business Council...

The world today believes that supporting women entrepreneurs is vital for economic growth. As economic opportunities increase, unprecedented numbers of women are entering the world of business and entrepreneurship. The number of women entrepreneurs has risen in global economy including in...

Coding bootcamps have recently emerged as a promising approach to equipping individuals with the skills needed to thrive in digital economies. But despite the potential of these training programs to prepare graduates to compete in a changing global labor market, women often participate at...

Economic policymakers in developing countries across the world are focusing on expanding financial inclusion. This agenda assumes greater significance for countries like Pakistan, where financial inclusion levels are quite low. It has led to several policy interventions in Pakistan over the past...

In 2019-2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) introduced a historic package of legal reforms aimed at strengthening women's economic participation, in line with its national policy commitment to gender balance. The reforms signified a major milestone for the region, introducing paid parental...