On October 30, 1998 Hurricane Mitch caused hundreds of rock and debris-filled landsides, brought about by the erosion of riverbanks in the most vulnerable neighborhoods on the outskirts of the cities of Tegucigalpa and Comayagüela. The most devastating landslide originated below the hilltop of what is today called the Cerro El Berrinche. It was an event of biblical … [Read more...] about Community Participation: The Key to Confronting Natural Disasters in Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador
Empowering mothers while enhancing early childhood development
In developing countries, empowering women and enhancing early childhood development are often pursued as separate policy initiatives. This is partly because female empowerment and child development can be perceived as potentially at odds with each other, as some believe a greater participation of women in the labor force stands in the way of child development, since children … [Read more...] about Empowering mothers while enhancing early childhood development
The Race Is On: Sprinting Towards Transparency in Development
There is no doubt that in the Digital Era, the world is moving progressively towards the ideal of perfect information. Technology opens up endless possibilities for information sharing, and as information consumers we naturally crave more and more of it as rapidly as possible. A key focus of the IDB Group’s Institutional Strategy recognizes an important aspect of this trend. … [Read more...] about The Race Is On: Sprinting Towards Transparency in Development
Evidence-based purchasing in times of COVID-19: Lessons from Argentina
During this unprecedented global health crisis, a rapid and effective government response is crucial to minimize the negative impact of COVID-19. Clearly, having a solid health system and qualified personnel in charge is key. But efficient and transparent electronic-public purchasing policies are also important. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) works with national … [Read more...] about Evidence-based purchasing in times of COVID-19: Lessons from Argentina
Too Good to Be True: Air Quality Improvements due to Coronavirus Restrictions Are Not Widespread or Persistent
In the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, there were signs that virus-related restrictions such as lockdowns and social distancing measures, meant to slow the spread of the virus, had a silver lining: air quality improvements. Air quality initially did improve in many cities of Latin America and the Caribbean, as measured both by air quality monitoring stations and … [Read more...] about Too Good to Be True: Air Quality Improvements due to Coronavirus Restrictions Are Not Widespread or Persistent