by Patricia Yanez-Pagans A study shows that female mayors attract twice as much in discretionary transfers from the federal government as their male counterparts and they are less likely to engage in corrupt activities. Only 22 per cent of all national parliamentarians worldwide were female as of August 2015, and only 11 women served as head of state The numbers … [Read more...] about Could more women in power promote development?
How effective are land property rights interventions on improving investments and agricultural productivity?
Recent studies show that de jure recognition of tenure through the provision of a registered title or certificate boosts productivity by 40%; and increases consumption or income of beneficiary households by 15%. Access to land and the ability to make productive use of that land is critical to poor people worldwide (Deininger, 2004): it can provide a foundation for economic and … [Read more...] about How effective are land property rights interventions on improving investments and agricultural productivity?
A homemade recipe for a completely sustainable sewage treatment process
by Gastón Gertner How to treat wastewater in an environmentally friendly and cost effective manner. This summer, I got to know Violeta Reynal and Ezequiel Bella in Villa La Angostura, on the shores of Nahuel Huapí Lake in Argentina. Thirty-something, married, and fed up with the chaos of Buenos Aires, they decided on a change of lifestyle after a year of … [Read more...] about A homemade recipe for a completely sustainable sewage treatment process
Are we effective at saving lives on the roads?
by Patricia Yañez-Pagans Ninety percent of deaths and injuries from road accidents happen in low- and middle-income countries, where direct and indirect costs are close to $100 billion a year. [su_quote] Friday evening, Juan was driving home. It was raining and he was tired. That week was rough: too much work, few free hours, and little sleep. But finally, it … [Read more...] about Are we effective at saving lives on the roads?
Cows and kilowatts: opportunities for development
by Jesús Tejeda A program in Ecuador is a classic example of how electrification in isolated rural and urban areas can raise living standards and boost economic growth. Each morning at 4 a.m. as the cocks begin to crow, women in the Prado communities of Ecuador's Pichincha province put on their woolen pants, wrap-around shawls, and bowler hats, and head into the hilly … [Read more...] about Cows and kilowatts: opportunities for development