The effectiveness of a demand-driven vocational-training program for disadvantaged youth in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia is assessed through a randomized controlled trial. Mongolia, a transitional country whose economic structure shifted from a Communist, centrally planned economy...

This paper tests the effectiveness of an entertainment education television series, MTV Shuga, aimed at providing information and changing attitudes and behaviors related to HIV/AIDS. Using a simple model, the paper shows that "edutainment" can work through an individual or a social channel....

Behaviors that are putting people's health and well-being at risk are widespread in the developing world and some of them, like smoking and unhealthy diets, are on the rise. Some of these behaviors can be prohibited or prevented by taxation. But financial incentives such as conditional cash...

The Eastern Europe and Central Asia region has the world's fastestgrowing HIV epidemic. Although still concentrated, the epidemic has diversified, affecting several key populations in many countries. This change has increased the number of people in need, the ways the epidemic can spread, and...

Decisions during youth have great long-term impacts on human development, which is key to poverty alleviation and economic development. During adolescence, two of the primary transitions are beginning a family and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Youth face many choices and challenges around these...

Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank Group, notes that we stand at a critical threshold for global health and development. Too many women and children are still dying because they lack access to quality health care, especially in the least developed countries. He talks about shifting focus...

This report summarizes the findings of an allocative efficiency analysis to support Cote d'Ivoire's national HIV response. The study was conducted at the request of the Government of Cote d'Ivoire by the World Bank, the University of Bern, the Burnet Institute and the University of New South...

This study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness and returns on investments of HIV prevention programs implemented during 2006-2010 and to identify the optimal allocation of resources across combinations of programs for an effective HIV prevention response to inform the prioritization of...

The Indonesian health sector is currently experiencing a financing transition that will have a profound impact on the country's efforts to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) and national health goals. The transition is marked, on the one hand, by increasing per capita expenditure on health...