Over the last decade, Latin America and the Caribbean has become increasingly digitalized, with the spread of internet use to roughly three-quarters of the population, a rapid proliferation of smartphones, and the emergence of numerous new digital companies worth over a billion dollars in areas such as commerce and finance. This digital revolution has had visible impacts on … [Read more...] about Digitalizing Public Services to Improve Lives in Latin America and the Caribbean
Microeconomics and Competitiveness
How the Lack of Childcare Exacerbates the Gender Gap
Women have been gaining ground in labor markets, transitioning into paid work and increasingly into leadership positions in Latin America and the Caribbean. But far more progress is needed to create opportunities in which women can realize their economic potential. While the region has bridged 72.6% of its gender gap, progress is currently stagnant. Over the last year, 16 out … [Read more...] about How the Lack of Childcare Exacerbates the Gender Gap
A Honey Exporter Reveals the Potential of Innovative Cooperatives
Latin America and the Caribbean has a huge opportunity in innovative and sustainable export-driven agriculture. But that path is more difficult for small-scale producers. Small farms, many of them family owned, don't have the funds to invest in the research and development, the equipment and infrastructure, and the information gathering needed to penetrate high value niche food … [Read more...] about A Honey Exporter Reveals the Potential of Innovative Cooperatives
What Can City Governments in Latin America Do to Improve Public Health?
The place where somebody lives matters for their physical well-being. Even within the same country, residents of different cities can have on average better or worse health, partly due to policies their city governments have adopted. Consider life expectancy in Latin America. The gap between the highest and lowest life expectancies in urban areas of Argentina, Chile, … [Read more...] about What Can City Governments in Latin America Do to Improve Public Health?
When Insurance for Small Businesses Provides Broad Social Gains
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, various studies have examined how large domestic and multinational firms respond to economic shocks, including health-related ones. But there has been less focus on how family-operated micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) modify their business decisions when faced with such disruptions. Similarly, relatively little … [Read more...] about When Insurance for Small Businesses Provides Broad Social Gains