Cultural activities are increasingly noted as drivers of meaningful development. But they have yet to gain a prominent place in the architecture of development strategy.
... See More + The performing arts, discussed here, exhibit direct effects on social progress and economic growth through trade in music, movies, and temporary work permits for artists, for example. Indirect contributions may also include environmental stewardship, tourism, nation branding, social inclusion, cultural democracy, and shifting cultural behaviors. These direct and indirect contributions are not well documented. As such, how is the creative or cultural sector a crucial part of the wealth of nations, and how could the World Bank Group better leverage the performing arts in its development strategy? This discussion provides a broad snapshot, from arts education, to social inclusion, to international trade in services. Key constraints include: the paucity of data and the difficulty of measuring cultural activities, the challenge of intellectual property, and the unclear benefits of cultural tourism. Part I sets the stage. Part II then provides policy options to foster the performing arts as a promising engine for development. Suggestions include: 1. expanding direct involvement in artistic projects, 2. increasing the use of performing arts to address social issues, 3. collecting data, 4. promoting intellectual property training programs, 5. supporting digital platforms in the developing world that advance indigenous music, and 6. funding studies on such areas as cultural tourism. Progress still needs to be made in the discussion of the diverse ways that the performing arts can contribute to meaningful development.
See Less -
Policy Research Working Paper WPS7118 NOV 01, 2014
The Development Objective of the Vega Flood Prevention and Drainage Project of Argentina is to increase the resilience of the City of Buenos Aires to flooding, particularly in the Maldonado Vega and Cildáñez watersheds.
... See More + It will aid in the betterment of the populations quality of life, a reduction in related economic losses, and the efficient delivery of essential services such as energy, transportation, health and education, among other benefits. In addition, the development of a large scale drainage infrastructure will strengthen the construction sector and create jobs. The major potential environmental adverse effects are associated with the construction of the tunnel and complementary works in the Vega basin, but are not considered irreversible. Key considerations associated with the physical location and characteristics of the project area include health and safety issues (for workers and the population), disruptions to a highly congested part of the city, and specific groundwater quality characteristics, as well as the management of excavation and the hauling of soil and waste generated during the construction of the drainage tunnel. There will be specific mitigation measures to ensure the proper management of waste materials from excavations, and identify and assess alternatives of potential disposal sites. The environmental adverse impacts of the construction stage are considered more important than those of the operational stage although they are reversible with the application of relatively routine and standard mitigation measures.
See Less -
The Development Objective of the Vega Flood Prevention and Drainage Project of Argentina is to increase the resilience of the City of Buenos Aires to flooding, particularly in the Maldonado Vega and Cildáñez watersheds.
... See More + It will aid in the betterment of the populations quality of life, a reduction in related economic losses, and the efficient delivery of essential services such as energy, transportation, health and education, among other benefits. In addition, the development of a large scale drainage infrastructure will strengthen the construction sector and create jobs. The major potential environmental adverse effects are associated with the construction of the tunnel and complementary works in the Vega basin, but are not considered irreversible. Key considerations associated with the physical location and characteristics of the project area include health and safety issues (for workers and the population), disruptions to a highly congested part of the city, and specific groundwater quality characteristics, as well as the management of excavation and the hauling of soil and waste generated during the construction of the drainage tunnel. There will be specific mitigation measures to ensure the proper management of waste materials from excavations, and identify and assess alternatives of potential disposal sites. The environmental adverse impacts of the construction stage are considered more important than those of the operational stage although they are reversible with the application of relatively routine and standard mitigation measures.
See Less -
The National Sanitation Program, PROSANEAMIENTO of Ecuador, is the integration of programs through which the State Bank finances projects in the sectors of drinking water, sanitation and solid waste management.
... See More + The PROSANEAMIENTO program is aimed at reducing gaps in potable water services. Sewage and solid waste management still exist in Ecuador. The potential impacts of resettlement under the project will be the result of investments financed by the component 2. Land acquisitions and relocation of homes or other assets such as business, industry or agricultural land will be minimized as much as possible. The designs of the projects will be given this consideration. However, there is the possibility that certain infrastructures may require land acquisition. Usually these infrastructures do not cause major impacts, just small land expropriations and / or structures (usually enclosures) or temporary displacement of small affected business. Treatment plants may not necessarily result in impacts such as expropriation of homes affected. These types of impacts are covered by the policies of the World Bank involuntary resettlement and will require the development of a resettlement plan to: a) Minimize resettlement from the project or the impact generated by such resettlement; b) Help displaced people improve their standard of living, or at least maintain pre-resettlement conditions; and c) Consider all social and economic aspects of the resettlement maximize the benefits for the affected population.
See Less -
The Development Objective of the Vega Flood Prevention and Drainage Project of Argentina is to increase the resilience of the City of Buenos Aires to flooding, particularly in the Maldonado Vega and Cildáñez watersheds.
... See More + It will aid in the betterment of the populations quality of life, a reduction in related economic losses, and the efficient delivery of essential services such as energy, transportation, health and education, among other benefits. In addition, the development of a large scale drainage infrastructure will strengthen the construction sector and create jobs. The major potential environmental adverse effects are associated with the construction of the tunnel and complementary works in the Vega basin, but are not considered irreversible. Key considerations associated with the physical location and characteristics of the project area include health and safety issues (for workers and the population), disruptions to a highly congested part of the city, and specific groundwater quality characteristics, as well as the management of excavation and the hauling of soil and waste generated during the construction of the drainage tunnel. There will be specific mitigation measures to ensure the proper management of waste materials from excavations, and identify and assess alternatives of potential disposal sites. The environmental adverse impacts of the construction stage are considered more important than those of the operational stage although they are reversible with the application of relatively routine and standard mitigation measures.
See Less -
Animation schools in Cambodia are using the power of international trade to reach the poor. Computer animation has become increasingly sophisticated in recent decades.
... See More + It has moved from two-dimensional graphics to three-dimensional (3D). It has also become a highly tradable service. Exports of animation from South Korea were estimated to be worth almost United States (U.S.) 400 million dollars in 2012. While Cambodiaapos;s contribution to the industry is still small, demand is growing worldwide for good, low-cost animation. Industries beyond film and television are increasingly using animation to get their point across: institutions use animation in instructional or promotional films; governments use it in public service announcements; and it is used in more industrial settings, too, for example in architecture and in courtroom evidence. At least three institutions in Cambodia are developing studentsapos; technical skills related to 3D animation, each with different aims. The government should take care to support these and similar initiatives with policies that foster the development of the high-tech and creative services industries, such as a recent United Nations led effort to increase Cambodiansapos; access to broadband internet. The government should execute stable and predictable policies in the internet and communications technology (ICT) and telecom related industries- areas in which it has lagged.
See Less -
Cambodia is seeking to expand its exports by tapping into high-value, modern services. A nascent and promising business outsourcing industry is focusing on information technology (IT) services such as data entry, network maintenance, and software development.
... See More + In recent years, at least three institutions have emerged to train young Khmers in drawing characters used in adverting, cartoons, and films. These schools are seeking to tap into a multi-billion-dollar global industry and realize Cambodiaapos;s potential to participate in the high-tech services trade. Different institutions in Cambodia are developing studentsapos; technical skills related to three-dimensional (3D) animation, each with their particular goals and means. It is a Cambodian non-governmental organization that started in 1986 to bring together children from a refugee camp on the Thai border and teach them visual and performing arts. The institutionapos;s courses range from circus acrobatics to traditional music. The visual arts program includes a computer animation studio, 1000 hands that specialize in cartoon animation, with focus on educational and public service projects. Modern IT services offer Cambodia a great potential for diversifying services exports beyond the tourism industry. With effort to develop infrastructure and regulatory policies, and additional hard work from the animation artists, the early promise of seeing Cambodian cartoons on the big screen can well come true.
See Less -
The Water and Landscape Integrated Management Program has the objective of applying the resources of the municipalities that integrate the micro regions of the Caparaó, and the hydrographic basins of the Jucu and Santa Maria rivers, which contemplate the main cities of the metropolitan region of Grande Vitória.
... See More + It may lead to the displacement of people and therefore a Resettlement Plan must be prepared to handle the physical displacement of people, the disruption of their income or the loss of their land. The preparation of a resettlement plan is marked by three distinct stages. Step 1 - Data Collection Step 2 - Planning and Development of Policy and Service, Step 3 - Plan of action. Involvement of local community and its leaders is necessary.
See Less -
Popular representations of development need to be taken seriously (though not uncritically) as sources of authoritative knowledge, not least because they are how most people in the global north (and elsewhere) encounter development issues.
... See More + To this end, this paper presents three clusters of films on development: those providing uniquely instructive insights, those unhelpfully eliding and simplifying complex processes, and those that, with the benefit of historical hindsight, usefully convey a sense of the prevailing assumptions that guided and interpreted the efficacy of interventions (whether of a military, diplomatic or humanitarian nature) at a particular time and place. The authors argue that the commercial and technical imperatives governing the production of contemporary films, and popular films in particular, generate a highly variable capacity to accurately render key issues in development, and thereby heighten their potential to both illuminate and obscure those issues.
See Less -
Policy Research Working Paper WPS6491 JUN 01, 2013
The Water and Landscape Integrated Management Program has the objective of applying the resources of the municipalities that integrate the micro regions of the Caparaó, and the hydrographic basins of the Jucu and Santa Maria rivers, which contemplate the main cities of the metropolitan region of Grande Vitória.
... See More + Negative impacts may include: dwellers bothering; interference with public systems; vegetation suppression; degradation of areas and loan deposits; accidents; generation of waste dumps; solid carriage to the rivers. Mitigation measures will include: construction planning and careless procedures and disclosure actions; adequate constructive methods and restitution of the effected vegetation; accidents prevention procedures and construction planning.
See Less -
The Water and Landscape Integrated Management Program has the objective of applying the resources of the municipalities that integrate the micro regions of the Caparaó, and the hydrographic basins of the Jucu and Santa Maria rivers, which contemplate the main cities of the metropolitan region of Grande Vitória.
... See More + Negative impacts may include: dwellers bothering; interference with public systems; vegetation suppression; degradation of areas and loan deposits; accidents; generation of waste dumps; solid carriage to the rivers. Mitigation measures will include: construction planning and careless procedures and disclosure actions; adequate constructive methods and restitution of the effected vegetation; accidents prevention procedures and construction planning.
See Less -
Financial education is important, yet there is a considerable knowledge gap in how best to deliver it. The literature on careful evaluations of financial literacy is small but growing, and has moved away from classroom based interventions to more innovative delivery mechanisms such as videos and DVDs.
... See More + Yet, the scope and reach of even the best produced DVDs is limited on the supply side, and attracting viewership can be significantly challenging on the demand side. As emotional connections are established between a show and its audience, the program provides a potentially powerful platform for communicating messages and influencing behavior. There is considerable evidence, especially in the health and education fields, on the success of media campaigns in improving social behavior. In this brief the authors evaluate financial education through a popular television soap opera in South Africa, scandal. The authors study the effectiveness of these messages through three quantitative surveys and three qualitative focus groups, with the former providing insight on the mechanism of measured impacts. This brief illustrates the benefits of complementing quantitative analysis with qualitative work to better understand mechanisms behind measured impacts.
See Less -
This book is the result of three conferences held in Uruguay, Paraguay, and El Salvador, to discuss the role of public television in Latin America.
... See More + The role of public media is making a major readjustment. Worldwide, there is reflection on what should take place in the pluralistic media system that a democratic society must build and nurture. The objective of this book is to identify those formulas that, beyond their theoretical conception, serve in practice -- because they are already operating in countries of the region -- as an example to make public television comply with the basic mission it shares with the rest of public media to inform, educate and entertain, and to do so because of the autonomy, economic sustainability and quality of its content. The book begins with a historical survey of public television beginning in London. Chapter 2 defines what public television is. Chapter 3 details the various types of programs found on public television. Chapters 4 and 5 explain who controls public TV, and how it is financed. Chapter 6 predicts what the future of public TV will hold, and Chapter 7 concludes with a global proposal for Latin American public media.
See Less -
Publication 75918 MAR 08, 2013
Arroyo, Luis; Becerra, Martin; Castillejo, Angel Garcia; Santamaria, Oscar
Somali piracy attacks surged between 2005 and 2011. Although maritime piracy is as old as seaborne trade, and currently pirates also prey on ships in the Straits of Malacca and the waters of Southeast Asia, the Caribbean seas, and the Gulf of Guinea, what is unique about Somali pirates is the high frequency of attacks.
... See More + Somali pirates almost exclusively attack vessels to hold cargos and crews hostage and negotiate their release in exchange for ransom. Piracy has not only imposed a hidden tax on world trade generally, it has severely affected the economic activities of neighboring countries. The actual and potential links between pirates and Islamist insurgents are another source of global concern. This report evaluates the nexus between pirates and terrorist organizations. This report shows that it is in the international communityapos;s common interest to find a resolution to Somali piracy, and more generally to help the government of Somalia to rebuild the country. Its findings reinforce the case for action. The costs imposed by Somali pirates on the global economy are so high that international mobilization to eradicate piracy off the horn of Africa not only has global security benefits, it also makes ample economic sense. This report affirms that, beyond its firepower and financial resources, the international community can and should assist Somalia with generating knowledge-knowledge of how local power dynamics shape the rules for resource-sharing, how they drive clan and sub-clan relationships, and ultimately how they determine national political stability-to find solutions to the piracy problem. The report exemplifies the value of using rigorous analytical tools to address some of the pressing problems of Africa.
See Less -
It is typically assumed that being hard-working or clever is a trait of the person, in the sense that it is always there, in a fixed manner. However, in an experiment with almost 600 boys in India, cues to oneapos;s place in the traditional caste order turn out to influence the expression of these traits.
... See More + The experiment assigned students to different treatments with respect to the salience of caste and had them solve mazes under incentives. It turned out that making caste salient can reduce output by about 25 percent, which is equivalent to twice the effect on output of being one year younger. The channels through which this occurs differ by caste status. For the upper castes, the decline in performance under piece rates can only be explained by a shift in preferences regarding the provision of effort. When the ascriptive caste order is cued, upper-caste individuals may think, quot;I donapos;t need to excel.quot; In contrast, for the lower castes, which were traditionally quot;untouchables,quot; publicly revealing caste identity impairs the ability to learn and may lead individuals to think, quot;I canapos;t (or donapos;t dare to) excel.quot; This paper provides a measure of the impact that ascriptive, hierarchized identities can have on preferences and performance after a society -- in its public pronouncements and legislation -- has adopted norms of equality in a formal sense. The findings are important because they suggest that when contexts cue identities founded on the superseded rules of a hierarchical institution, the effects on human capital formation and development can be first-order. Contexts that make traditional identities salient are an underemphasized source of impediments to institutional change.
See Less -
Policy Research Working Paper WPS6223 OCT 01, 2012
The purpose of this review is to assess the progress of Peduli in its initial stages and to determine the extent to which it is ready to deliver in terms of the four key dimensions outlined within the terms of reference.
... See More + In addition to its stated objective of working through civil society organizations (CSOs) to support the empowerment of marginal groups, Peduli is also learning by doing exercise for the World Bank (WB). While the WB is highly experienced in the administration of large grants and the processing of loans to national governments, it has very little experience in providing grants to CSOs of the type fundamental to a program such as Peduli. Given the innovative nature of the program, a further purpose of the review is to assist the program in understanding the extent to which its grant - making processes are compatible with the transfer of resources to CSOs, with appropriate due diligence, without creating unnecessary administrative burdens. At the commencement of the review mission, the review and Peduli teams worked together to refine the scope of the review and to determine a suitable approach and methodology. The findings of the review will be used to inform the development and implementation of the second phase of the program and to make a practical contribution to its future.
See Less -
Working Paper 93335 OCT 01, 2012
Holden, Donna Leigh; Fitri, Edwar; Ganie-Rochman, Meuthia; Irmayani, Rima; Nuriana, Early DewiEnglish
This issue of Results of the Expert Roundtables on Innovative Performance Measurement Tools aims to provide a snapshot of the programapos;s performance in a number of key areas such design, strategic planning, operation and results.
... See More +See Less -
This document is the final Phase 1 Report for this mission. An early version of this report was drafted and delivered it documented an early assessment that the equipment and software could be used to demonstrate the concept of the mission and those details are also included/ updated in this document.
... See More + The World Bank is currently engaged in Afghanistan to support the countrys irrigation infrastructure and the teams currently involved in supervising the project employ innovative means to collect field data to aid in their ongoing monitoring. Revival of Afghanistans irrigation systems is key in the fight against poverty. Monitoring of the investment will ultimately aid the long term management of these systems. Given the current security situation, creating a reliable and sustainable means to automate field data collection and transmission to central systems for analysis and monitoring will greatly reduce the need for mission travel to potentially risky areas. The Bank is interested in using modern geospatial methods to improve current monitoring capacity, through remote asset monitoring and verification of Afghanistans irrigation infrastructure. Whilst trustworthy verification is desired, simplicity within the process will make it sustainable. This will be accomplished through linking geospatial technology (GIS - Geographic Information Systems and GPS - Global Position Systems) with common technologies such as digital cameras. The consultant is a GIS Specialist hired to test, implement and provide training on the system for field teams in Afghanistan. Implement a geospatial data capture methodology for irrigation assets utilizing ruggedized, GPS-equipped cameras to produce monitoring datasets for a GIS. The purpose of this project is to Improve monitoring capacity to support the investment in Afghanistans irrigation project and further secure the fight against poverty.lt;BRgt;lt;BRgt;
See Less -