It is no secret that in Latin America and the Caribbean, as in much of the world, women are less likely to be paid an equal wage or to be approved for a loan. This is shameful in and of itself. But it is difficult to know how much of the discrimination is due to structural factors and how much is simply a product of outright prejudice in male-dominated societies. In a recent … [Read more...] about How Gender Discrimination Stops Women from Getting Loans
Investing to Create Better Societies Without Sacrificing Returns
For a long time, investors eager to use their money to improve the world through socially and environmentally conscious investments worried that they would be sacrificing returns in the process. No longer. Investing that takes into account environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors often equals or even outperforms investments that ignore these factors. Today … [Read more...] about Investing to Create Better Societies Without Sacrificing Returns
Policies to Fight the Pandemic in Latin America
Latin America and the Caribbean—like the rest of the world—is facing a challenge like none in its modern history. The coronavirus, with no vaccine or cure to curb it yet, has swept every continent, infecting more than 3.1 million people and killing more than 220,000 as of late April. Without a determined health response, it could have killed as many as 3.2 million people in our … [Read more...] about Policies to Fight the Pandemic in Latin America
Ensuring that the Gains from Trade are Inclusive and Sustainable
Thirty years ago, as part of their development strategy, and after many years of protectionism, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean embarked on a process of ambitious trade liberalization. This was only one of many different reforms made in the framework of the Washington consensus. But it was without question the most important one. Tariffs were eliminated, … [Read more...] about Ensuring that the Gains from Trade are Inclusive and Sustainable
The Unique and Essential Mission of Multilateral Research Departments
"What keeps you up at night?" That was a question posed to a gathering of leaders from government institutions around Latin America and the Caribbean some 25 years ago. In asking that question, the Research Department at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) laid down a mission that it has zealously pursued ever since. It's not just asking government leaders what worries … [Read more...] about The Unique and Essential Mission of Multilateral Research Departments