Over the last 15 years, Latin America and the Caribbean has made substantial progress in expanding the reach of its infrastructure. Tens of millions of people were connected to clean water grids for the first time, and access to electricity became nearly universal, with low-income and peri-urban areas able to experience the novel pleasure of turning on the lights or running a … [Read more...] about From Structures to Services: A New Vision for Infrastructure
When Big Data and Machine Learning Spur Development Efforts
In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti, flooding coasts, destroying crops, killing livestock, washing away roads and bridges, and destroying around 200,000 homes. International organizations, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank, rushed to supply immediate assistance. However, long-term recovery in the most affected regions … [Read more...] about When Big Data and Machine Learning Spur Development Efforts
How the Fall in Remittances During the Pandemic Threatens Regional Wellbeing
Remittances, transfers from expatriate workers to family and friends in their home countries, are a driving force in the reduction of poverty, greater financial inclusion and economic growth. They are especially critical to many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. But as Covid-19 delivers devastation to much of the global economy, with GDP forecasts for 2020 … [Read more...] about How the Fall in Remittances During the Pandemic Threatens Regional Wellbeing
What Experiences with Natural Disasters Can Teach about Recovering from the Pandemic
Natural disasters are different from pandemics. They cause death, displacement, and destruction of physical capital, and unlike a pandemic, their effects are brief and confined to the areas affected. The literature shows that natural disasters impact growth in the short term. But how quickly do countries recover? The outcomes are surprising, and they show how important social … [Read more...] about What Experiences with Natural Disasters Can Teach about Recovering from the Pandemic
How Gender Discrimination Stops Women from Getting Loans
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