This multisectoral Jobs Diagnostic provides a comprehensive overview of Pakistan's job market, with the aim of informing key policy areas. It investigates a host of factors associated with labor outcomes, such as the general macroeconomic environment and job-specific conditions, workers' education and skill levels, labor market segmentation and disparities, structural transformation, and workers' mobility.
... See More + It highlights issues related to job creation, quality, and access by looking at past and present trends in the labor market. It also provides a global and regional comparison of key dimensions of the job market, in an effort to assess Pakistan's position. Finally, it highlights a prioritized set of interventions to address key priorities on the jobs agenda that will focus on quantity, quality, and inclusiveness of jobs.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 145951 FEB 01, 2020
This multisectoral Jobs Diagnostic provides a comprehensive overview of Pakistan's job market, with the aim of informing key policy areas. It investigates a host of factors associated with labor outcomes, such as the general macroeconomic environment and job-specific conditions, workers' education and skill levels, labor market segmentation and disparities, structural transformation, and workers' mobility.
... See More + It highlights issues related to job creation, quality, and access by looking at past and present trends in the labor market. It also provides a global and regional comparison of key dimensions of the job market, in an effort to assess Pakistan's position. Finally, it highlights a prioritized set of interventions to address key priorities on the jobs agenda that will focus on quantity, quality, and inclusiveness of jobs.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 145951 FEB 01, 2020
Improving jobs outcomes—especially for poor people—is at the center of Honduras' development agenda. This report shows how jobs are related to persistently high poverty and disappointing growth over the last 20 years and suggests ways to reduce poverty and encourage growth in the future.
... See More + It is organized in three main sections. The first section, Jobs, growth and poverty, provides an overview of how growth and poverty trends relate to Honduran jobs. The second section focuses on Labor supply challenges, including the growth and quality of labor supply; it analyses demographics, labor force participation rates, education, and training. The third section turns to Private sector growth analyzing factors influencing labor demand in the private sector, discussing the investment climate; distribution of job types (formal and informal) across firms, sectors, and households; and public programs to create better jobs for poor people. The report concludes with a section summarizing Policy recommendations to improve jobs outcomes in Honduras.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 145647 FEB 01, 2020
Michel Gutierrez,Veronica; Walker,David IanDisclosed
Improving jobs outcomes—especially for poor people—is at the center of Honduras' development agenda. This report shows how jobs are related to persistently high poverty and disappointing growth over the last 20 years and suggests ways to reduce poverty and encourage growth in the future.
... See More + It is organized in three main sections. The first section, Jobs, growth and poverty, provides an overview of how growth and poverty trends relate to Honduran jobs. The second section focuses on Labor supply challenges, including the growth and quality of labor supply; it analyses demographics, labor force participation rates, education, and training. The third section turns to Private sector growth analyzing factors influencing labor demand in the private sector, discussing the investment climate; distribution of job types (formal and informal) across firms, sectors, and households; and public programs to create better jobs for poor people. The report concludes with a section summarizing Policy recommendations to improve jobs outcomes in Honduras.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 145647 FEB 01, 2020
Michel Gutierrez,Veronica; Walker,David IanDisclosed
This report considers the science of adult literacy acquisition, with the goal of identifying principles that may improve the effectiveness of adult literacy programs.
... See More + We define literacy as a continuum, from emerging literacy, through improving literacy, to fluent literacy and we outline the factors that influence how far along that continuum an adult learner is likely to proceed. Four nested levels are identified at which obstacles to literacy progress operate, but to which adult learners may also bring strengths.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 145579 JAN 01, 2020
Thomas,Michael Stephen Charles; Knowland, Victoria C. P.; Rogers, CathyDisclosed
In the past decade, Uganda has made significant progress in reducing poverty and sustaining high economic growth. However, Uganda still faces considerable challenges that include poor infrastructure, weak public service delivery, low levels of human capital, and underdeveloped institutions.
... See More + This note analyzes jobs-related projects in Uganda to identify focus areas and gaps in the portfolio in relation to country priorities mentioned in the World Bank’s country policy framework (CPF). The objective of this exercise is to understand how well the jobs agenda is being implemented through lending operations and the types of targeted jobs outcomes. This note seeks to influence future investments and analytical work in the country and provide a baseline for further analysis on jobs in the World Bank and other donors’ portfolios.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 145337 DEC 31, 2019
Parikh,Vismay Bharat; Clay,Timothy Joseph PeterDisclosed
Incentive-based conservation is a promising approach to tropical forest conservation, including within multiple-use protected areas. Here we analyze the environmental impacts of Bolsa Floresta, a longstanding forest conservation program combining conditional household payments with livelihood-focused investments in 15 multiple-use reserves of Amazonas State, Brazil.
... See More + We use grid-based data, nearest-neighbor matching, and panel data econometrics to compare forest-related program outcomes (deforestation, degradation, fires) with non-participating reserves. While post-treatment deforestation and degradation was negligible, this was already the case pre-treatment, since low-threat reserves had preferentially been targeted. We thus find only statistically insignificant additional conservation effects from implementation. No important heterogeneous treatment effects could be detected either. Our findings thus add to the growing evidence that spatial mis-targeting towards low-hanging fruits, that is disproportionally selecting low-threat forest conservation areas into programs, constitutes a prime cause for low additionality found in rigorous impact evaluations of incentive-based forest conservation initiatives.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 144519 DEC 01, 2019
After a weak performance in the first half of 2019, helped by monetary easing, faster public spending and some one-off effects, economic growth in Russia picked up in the third quarter at 1.7 percent, y/y.
... See More + Consequently, our 2019 forecast has been revised upwards to 1.2 percent (from its previous reading of 1 percent). Globally, growth has weakened substantially in 2019, reflecting a broad-based slowdown in industrial activity and global trade. Slowing external demand and the OPEC agreement weighed on Russia's exports performance. Crude oil prices fell 14 percent in January-September 2019, y/y, reflecting a downturn in the world economy.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 144672 DEC 01, 2019
After a weak performance in the first half of 2019, helped by monetary easing, faster public spending and some one-off effects, economic growth in Russia picked up in the third quarter at 1.7 percent, y/y.
... See More + Consequently, our 2019 forecast has been revised upwards to 1.2 percent (from its previous reading of 1 percent). Globally, growth has weakened substantially in 2019, reflecting a broad-based slowdown in industrial activity and global trade. Slowing external demand and the OPEC agreement weighed on Russia's exports performance. Crude oil prices fell 14 percent in January-September 2019, y/y, reflecting a downturn in the world economy.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 144672 DEC 01, 2019
Disruptive factors related to technology, market integration, and social and demographic change imply upcoming changes in the needs of the labor force.
... See More + This study reviews the current approach to active labor market policies (ALMPs) globally and, based on the evidence and accounting for these factors, discusses desirable attributes for a resilient national active labor policy system, which covers universal access, tailored beneficiary service bundles, private sector linkages, using available technology, demand-driven skills training, measuring performance, social enterprises, and labor market demand side policy. Considering these attributes, we propose a public sector approach focused on supporting service providers rather than direct service provision. The approach revolves around: (i) Active Labor Policies (ALPs), referring to public expenditures on services aimed at improving the labor force's engagement in productive economic activity; (ii) Active Labor Policy Providers (ALPPs), referring to the entities that implement activities associated with ALPs; and (iii) the ALPP sector, referring to the set of existing ALPPs in a country. We also highlight potential actions by governments to transition into this model, such as contracting services out; service brokerage; service provider registries, accreditation, and incentives; integrated monitoring and evaluation systems; and aligning supply and demand side policy.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 144552 NOV 01, 2019
The policy note is organized into five sections. Following the introductory section, section two provides a brief discussion of recent trends in organizational arrangements of revenue administrations across the world.
... See More + Section three considers the rationale behind creating semi-autonomous revenue authorities, reviews the levels of autonomy used, and discusses details of design and implementation. This section also provides initial reflections on the impact of autonomous bodies on performance and presents case studies from Kenya, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda. Section four reviews the rationale behind the integrated revenue authority model and presents case studies from Bulgaria and Kazakhstan. Section five concludes the paper by drawing lessons from the case studies and providing general observations on the issues involved in revenue administration reform.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 144418 NOV 01, 2019
Community-based natural resource management (CBRNM) aims to realize sustainable management of resources and improvements in livelihood. A central focus is the empowerment of indigenous and local communities through customary or devolved rights to common pool resources.
... See More + Less attention is given to the extent to which inclusive forms of governance are realized in CBNRM. Democratic innovations are institutions designed explicitly to increase and deepen citizen participation in political decision-making. A number of exemplary cases around the world provide evidence that it is possible to empower citizens in ways that are inclusive and achieve desirable outcomes such as redistribution, recognition of marginalized groups, and improved livelihoods. By clarifying elements of the design of democratic innovations - in particular goods, tasks, mechanisms, and co-design - it is possible to understand how effective forms of participatory governance can be crafted. With careful attention to the endogenous practices of indigenous and local communities and the governance structures imposed by public authorities, CBNRM practitioners can draw on these elements of democratic design to craft forms of inclusive participatory governance that promote sustainable management of resources and improve livelihoods. A program of collaboration between CBNRM and democratic innovations practitioners will contribute to improvements amongst both communities of practice and the communities they serve.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 144416 NOV 01, 2019
The largest trust fund supporting governance and anticorruption (GAC) implementation is the governance partnership facility (GPF), with a total value of 95 million dollars.
... See More + Currently all funds of the GPF are committed. Over the lifetime of the program, GPF grants have funded 126 projects. So far 28 grants have been closed and the remaining activities will gradually end by February 2015.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143487 OCT 13, 2019
Over the last years, the World Bank engagement on so called governance and anticorruption (GAC) global issues has had two main drivers. The first is the World Development Report (WDR) 2001, which demonstrates how global threats - transnational organized criminal activity, corruption, the illegal trade in natural resources, the laundering of the proceeds of crime and tax evasion - impact on governance and development outcomes across the developing world, which underpins the 2012 revised GAC strategy global governance agenda.
... See More + The second is driven by the demand from the outside (countries, other international organizations, civil society, etc.) for Bank engagement and inputs on global governance issues. The strong momentum on governance, anti-corruption, and more broadly transparency at the international level has led to a significant increase of such over the last two years - driven amongst others by the strong push by the G8 and the G20 on these issues, but also from developing countries (for example, emphasis on illicit financial flows by Africa) and civil society.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143486 OCT 13, 2019
Most countries face governance challenges at different levels: governance breakdowns are triggered by weak systems and processes governing the overall functioning of the public administration, in particular concerning public expenditure management, public procurement, and monitoring and evaluation.
... See More + Other challenges involve dysfunctional institutions of accountability (for example, supreme audit bureau, anti-corruption agency, and ombudsman) and the absence of an effective system of checks and balances through adequate parliamentary or judicial oversight over government activities. To address these deficiencies many countries have launched relevant reforms, for example to improve the performance orientation of their public administration or to maximize the value for money of public spending through expenditure management reforms. While these cross-cutting reforms are important elements of the overall governance agenda their impact often remains diffuse for citizens who are faced with governance challenges that have a direct impact on their daily lives and well-being. Examples include poor health and education services, discretionary treatment by public officials and an uneven application of existing rules and regulations which raises concerns with regard to equality and social justice. These sectoral governance challenges constitute a critical part of the overall governance agenda in every country - they significantly influence public confidence in the ability of governments to improve overall governance and the delivery of better public services.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143485 OCT 13, 2019
In response to the governance and anticorruption (GAC) Secretariat’s request, this note outlines the combined experience of the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) and Africa (AFR) regions with regional governance advisers.
... See More + The authors have included sections on how these regions’ advisers support GAC initiatives as well as manage risks to operations. And, the authors have specifically set out a discussion of recommendations with regard to the role that regional (as opposed to country-specific) governance advisers may play within a framework of global practices, in particular the governance global practice (GGP). The authors will like to highlight that this exercise is from the client’s point of the view, based on the joint experience in overcoming governance challenges with the clients. As such, not only the Bank’s portfolio is taken into account and risk management, but rather, the entire development portfolio of the client countries. In this way, the authors have included work on the G or good governance enhancing work as well as risk management. It is this perspective that guided the thinking on the structure and functions of the regional governance advisers within the GGP. Also noteworthy is the professional qualification of the regional advisers in LAC and AFR; that is, both are former senior public sector management specialists who have years of experience as task team leaders on various types of public sector governance operations (for example, legal and judicial reform, institutional strengthening with anti-corruption agencies, social accountability, public financial management, etc.). This background has allowed these regions to benefit from advisers who can cross the bridge from risk identification and management to strengthening transparency and governance structures.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143488 OCT 13, 2019
An analysis of the state of play in governance and anti-corruption (GAC) knowledge and learning (K and L) was conducted in some depth during the preparation of the GAC strategy update by Colum Garrity and Dick Calkins.
... See More + A key objective for GAC in the Bank as stated in the 2011 K and L study is: to equip Bank staff with the knowledge and skills needed to deal with GAC issues and concerns at the country, sector, and project levels. This learning objective remains relevant regardless of how the Bank is organized. At the same time, the global practice groups (GPGs) are being formed, as the President re-emphasized at the latest town hall meeting, to ensure that knowledge in the 14 key areas is collected across the Bank so that it can be shared with clients who can benefit from the best that the Bank has to offer. As a result, the governance PG will also have a knowledge management and dissemination objective at its core.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143498 OCT 13, 2019
Bernstein,David S.; Minoso,Maria Del CarmenDisclosed
South Asia Region (SAR) has five governance advisors (GAs) based in the field covering Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and Maldives.
... See More + Three advisors are GHs and are designated formally as GAs (Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan) while the other two are technically GG level senior governance specialists. The function of GA in Nepal has de facto been carried out by two other senior governance specialists (one in country and one Delhi-based). In addition, GAs work on specific operations or analytical and advisory activities (AAA) as part of their governance and public sector work. This work is often interconnected with the GA functions. GAs is closely working on institutional assessments and other strategic analyses of governance hurdles to sector work, but this is ad hoc and largely a result of circumstances and perhaps personalities. The GAs is engaged in promoting governance and anticorruption (GAC) conditioned by country context.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143493 OCT 13, 2019
The project is the place where governance and anti-corruption (GAC) becomes concrete for most clients and World Bank staff. Unfortunately, there is no more contested space in the GAC arena then the project environment.
... See More + Project-level governance work will continue to be an essential element of the Bank’s engagements, especially as governance issues are often the binding constraints to policy implementation and service delivery. The creation of a governance global practice is an opportunity to improve the allocation of the governance resources through enhanced linkages between project and sectoral governance interventions, greater clarity in the objectives of specific project-level activities and strengthened monitoring and evaluation of impact.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143497 OCT 13, 2019
Under the governance and anticorruption (GAC) strategy implementation, the GAC in operations work across regions has focused on three key areas: (a) identifying, managing, mitigating governance risks in projects; (b) liaising with INT on its investigations; and (c) strengthening multi-stakeholder-based delivery mechanisms in projects.
... See More + The integration of this function into the governance global practice (GGP) provides an opportunity for closer integration with the other areas that this work has close synergies with - financial management, procurement, and social accountability.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 143495 OCT 13, 2019
