There is an increasing recognition that policy initiatives at the regional level can complement and strengthen country road safety strategies and programs. This is certainly the case in the South Asia region, with implications for regional road safety investment priorities and potential for...

The focus and approach of South Asia Second Regional Gender Action Plan (SAR RGAP) are based on an analysis of regional trends in key gender outcomes in South Asia, an assessment of SAR RGAP, and an extensive set of consultations, including country-level consultations conducted across the WBG....

Higher education systems in South Asia have undergone significant changes in the past two decades. Each country in the region has experienced a rapid rise in university enrollment, fueled by demographic growth and the resulting expansion of secondary education. However, in the absence of...

Although economic linkages between South Asia and Southeast Asia have been strengthened over the past decade, integration between these two regions remains limited. Can new approaches to regional integration help revitalize trade and economic links between South Asia and Southeast Asia This...

The South Asia Economic Focus is a biannual economic update presenting recent economic developments and a near term economic outlook for South Asia. It includes a Focus section presenting more in depth analysis of an economic topic of relevance for stability, growth and prosperity in the region...

This report presents the findings of a diagnostic study examining pathways and options for strengthening the governance of South Asia's groundwater resources in the face of climate change and increasing reliance on the resource by dependent communities, particularly during times of drought. This...

International migration for temporary employment is a critical component of South Asia's development path, from both the jobs and remittance flows perspectives. South Asian economies are at a stage of demographic transition where people of working-age are generally still increasing shares of...

From the near twenty million metropolitan city of Karachi, in Pakistan to the 400,000 person city of Pokhara, in Nepal, mayors and decisions makers are struggling to raise financing for capital investments in their cities that could deliver improved services to their communities, with the key...

Infrastructure assets and services provide the basic physical and organizational structures that underpin the functioning of economy and society. Access to reliable, quality, efficient, and affordable infrastructure services is critical to reducing poverty, promoting economic growth, supporting...

South Asia is one of the region's most vulnerable to the impacts of natural hazards, particularly climate-induced extremes. The frequency and intensity of climate-induced hazards are projected to increase in the coming years, threatening the safety of households and communities, their...