Over the past five years, social protection has expanded dramatically around the world. In 2020, one in six people globally received government transfers. This expansion in coverage, particularly in upper- and middle-income countries, has produced a new set of beneficiaries: vulnerable, non-poor households. Scaling up the coverage of social protection programs has the … [Read more...] about Can Cash Transfers to Non-Poor Households Prevent Poverty?
Social Issues
Women and Urban Mobility: An Unfinished Agenda
Many factors lie behind observed gender gaps in labor market outcomes in Latin American and the Caribbean. But one remains largely invisible: transport and urban mobility. Women in the region have greater childcare responsibilities and do more unpaid work at home than their male partners. As a study we recently conducted in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires reveals, they … [Read more...] about Women and Urban Mobility: An Unfinished Agenda
Teaching Teachers to Boost Early Literacy
We all remember a favorite teacher from school, often a teacher who taught us to read and write and introduced us to the world of literacy. Literacy, after all, is part of the journey to knowledge in all subjects, and is crucial for our future health, political participation, and professional success. It is hardly surprising that we would remember with fondness those teachers … [Read more...] about Teaching Teachers to Boost Early Literacy
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
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?