How rapidly will child malnutrition respond to GNP growth? This study explores that question using household data from twelve countries. In addition, data on the malnutrition rates since the 1970s available from a cross section of countries are employed in this investigation. Both forms of...

We investigate adaptation of subjective well-being using a randomised controlled trial. We find that providing medical equipment to a random sample of Ugandan adults with lower limb disabilities has a positive effect on their physical health, using both objective and self-reported measures....

We use Synthetic Control Methodology to estimate the output loss in Tunisia as a result of the "Arab spring". Our results suggest that each Tunisian citizen lost, on average, an estimated US$ 600 (5.5 percent of GDP), US$ 574 (5.1 percent of GDP) and US$ 735 (6.4 percent of GDP) in 2011, 2012...

Previous work has investigated whether political instability has a negative effect on economic growth, with mixed results, largely because political instability can take various forms. Using synthetic control methodology, which constructs a counterfactual in the absence of political instability,...

This paper examines the relationship between poverty and education in Uganda in the 1990s. It shows how growth in living standards and poverty reduction during that period was fastest for more educated households. Income growth at the household level is disaggregated into earnings growth from...

This paper explores the urban-rural welfare gap in 2002 and 2009/10 for the case of Sri Lanka. This was a period of high growth and falling poverty rates in the country. The paper attempts to explore three issues: (a) what are the determinants of urban and rural household welfare, (b) does the...

This paper explores the rates of return to education in Sri Lanka across the sexes and different types of employment during 2009/10. The endogeneity bias suggests that education may be associated with other characteristics such as ability and family background - excluding such attributes could...

This paper attempts to examine the labour force participation decisions and earnings across employment sectors and how it varies by gender in Sri Lanka. The labour market is disaggregated into 5 sectors - public, formal private, informal private, self-employed and agriculture. Using the Labour...

This paper investigates gender inequality of academic achievement using mean and quantile decomposition analysis in eight selected MENA countries. We use data from TIMSS 2007 to decompose the test scores gap between boys and girls at the eighth grade. There is a mixed picture of gender...