This study reviews the African Region of the World Bank's current thinking on cost sharing and the poor as apllied in Sub-Saharan Africa. It inventories country experiences and Bank activities in cost sharing for education and health, reviews African experiences with the implementation of cost...

Albania provides a small amount of social assistance to nearly 20 % of its population through a system that allows a degree of community discretion in determining distribution. This study investigates the poverty targeting of this program. It indicates that relative to other safety net programs...

The report provides recent macroeconomic developments, outlook, and risks that Mongolia faces. The timing of the release of this report is ideal considering that, the Mongolian economy, which was recovering from the COVID-19 on the back of a successful vaccination program and income support,...

Many developing countries have made dramatic progress in promoting private sector participation in their infrastructure sectors, especially with the help of foreign investors. However, this has not been the case in Southern and Eastern Africa, which have been perceived as relatively unattractive...

Vietnam is a young country on the cusp of a dramatic aging of the population that is taking place at a faster pace and at an earlier level of development than most other countries in the world. Though Vietnam's favorable demographic window of opportunity is still open, this report argues it...

Bangladesh is home to one of the largest populations of older adults in the world. Driven by increasing life expectancy at birth, this population is increasing. By 2040,one in five Bangladeshis will be 60 years old or older. The increase in lifespan isaccompanied by a greater burden of...

Niger earns its foreign exchange mainly from uranium and gold, which has limited domestic economic linkages. Distant second, livestock export also provide important revenue to the country. Overall, most of the labor force is employed in a low productivity and shock prone rainfed agricultural...

Bangladesh's economy is growing at a healthy pace and macro conditions are strong. Progress in social outcomes in Bangladesh is inspiring other countries, but deep challenges persist as the pace of poverty reduction slows down. Bangladesh labor market is dominated by low-productivity and...

Nepal's recent transition to a federal state structure provides a historic juncture to realize the role that social protection can play in achieving the constitutional goals of equity, inclusion, and prosperity. The transition to a federal structure of governance and the promulgation of a new...