This note synthesizes the findings of research on trade and labor in the region, including World Bank studies on: (i) trade and job quality, (ii) informality, and (iii) labor policies in the region. First, the evidence on the relationship between trade liberalization, macro-restructuring and...

Limited innovation in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries impairs the region's potential to grow and improve its living standards. Ever since the seminal research of Solow (1957), economists have known that technological change, and not only factor accumulation, is critical to growth....

The main objective of CReCER is to create greater awareness of the importance of sound financial reporting and auditing for the development of a well functioning market economy and of an efficient public sector, which in turn are the cornerstone for equitable and sustainable economic...

Urban and rural local development projects share common goals with tourism insofar as they aim to improve the quality of life, the attractiveness of locales and to increase economic opportunities and incomes for residents. In Santa Rosa de Copan a World Bank financed project has reinforced links...

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has one of the highest levels of crime and violence in the world. While the average world homicide rate is 11 homicides per 100,000 residents, the rate in the LAC region is 36 per 100,000 (WHO, 2003). Crime and violence are now recognized as serious...

The trend toward new tourism niches in Latin America and the Caribbean (hereafter, LAC) has brought benefits, but also costs to the region's indigenous peoples. As the World Bank social and environmental portfolios in LAC reveal, work with indigenous groups has frequently favored tourism as a...

This note discusses the rapidly evolving issue of micro insurance in Latin America and how microfinance institutions (MFIs), insurance companies and donors can respond to its challenges. This note is part of a series summarizing the Department of International Development-Latin American Markets...

The trend toward new tourism niches in Latin America and the Caribbean (hereafter, LAC) has brought benefits, but also costs to the region's indigenous peoples. As the World Bank social and environmental portfolios in LAC reveal, work with indigenous groups has frequently favored tourism as a...

Mexico, like other Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) governments, is committed to improving the performance of the public sector. An important first step is to gather objective information that enables governments to measure progress towards achieving their policy and program goals....

Housing is one of the most important sectors of the economy -- in developing countries as in richer ones -- with large positive externalities in terms of economic growth, public health and societal stability. It is the primary form of asset accumulation for the poor -- often representing more...