December 22, 2020
All Foreign Policy Spending Should Take Gender Into Account
This brief originally appeared on the International Center for Research on Women's website.
Publications
December 21, 2020
E-commerce and Mobile Money for Poverty Reduction in China: Lessons for African Countries
Global e-commerce sales surged to US$25.6 trillion in 2018, up 8 percent from 2017. Leading the way are China (US$1.5 trillion), the United States (US$600 billion), and the United Kingdom (US$135 billion) holding the top three spots respectively. Yet Africa, with 17 percent of the world’s population, still lags behind both in e-commerce sales and the use of mobile money for online purchases. Why is this a problem?
December 21, 2020
What is the Role of Aid in Middle-Income Countries?
We develop screens and principles designed to maximise the impact of aid, especially in richer recipients. All else equal, a dollar spent in the poorest countries will have a larger impact on well-being than a dollar spent in richer countries, so ODA should be concentrated in those countries.
December 17, 2020
The Education Impacts of Cash Transfers for Children with Multiple Indicators of Vulnerability
This study draws on a randomly assigned pilot of a community implemented cash transfer program targeted to households with low socioeconomic status in Tanzania to examine the educational impacts of cash transfers for children facing different challenges. We find that on average, being assigned to receive cash transfers significantly boosts children’s school participation and primary completion rates. But we provide suggestive evidence that these gains are unequally distributed across children.
December 16, 2020
Measuring the Development Impact of the IFC and Development Finance
Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) including the International Finance Corporation (IFC) tend to look at their development impact using project-level indicators of outputs and employment impacts.
December 16, 2020
From Displacement to Development: How Peru Can Transform Venezuelan Displacement into Shared Growth
This case study is part of the “Let Them Work” initiative by Refugees International (RI) and the Center for Global Development (CGD). It outlines the barriers Venezuelans face in Peru to economic inclusion, the impacts of these barriers, and the steps that the Government of Peru, international organizations, donors, and the private sector could take to overcome them.
December 16, 2020
The Effect of COVID-19 on the Economic Inclusion of Venezuelans in Peru
This policy paper, part of the “Let Them Work” initiative, outlines how the Government of Peru, donors, international organizations, and NGOs can address and overcome these barriers and promote economic inclusion.
December 15, 2020
ODA in Turmoil: Why Aid Definitions and Targets Will Come Under Pressure in the Pandemic Age, and What Might be Done About It?
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, official development assistance (ODA) remains an essential, though often criticised, form of external financing for developing countries.
December 15, 2020
On the Political Economy Determinants of Tax Reforms: Evidence from Developing Countries
This paper analyzes the role of political variables in the implementation of structural tax reforms in 45 emerging market and low-income economies during 2000-2015.
December 14, 2020
Malaria Case Management After the Affordable Medicines Facility for Malaria (AMFm): Availability, Quality, and Market Share for ACTs in Kenya’s Private Pharmacies
Between 2011 and 2016, the Affordable Medicines Facility-Malaria (AMFm) subsidy program substantially increased access to WHO prequalified artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) through Africa’s private sector pharmacies and drug-sellers. While the program was rigorously and extensively evaluated, little is known about private-sector case management of malaria in the period since its discontinuation.
December 10, 2020
Domestic Revenue Mobilization in Low Income Countries: Where To From Here?
Spending needs for financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries are large and cannot be covered by external flows alone. This has made it imperative for these countries to raise more resources domestically over time—an urgency accentuated by the fiscal impact of COVID-19, possibly with a long-lasting impact on revenue-generating capacity.
December 10, 2020
The Future of Private Finance for Development in Poor Countries
This paper reviews data on private development finance flows in poor countries, identifies the lessons and questions that should shape future efforts to mobilize more finance, and develops proposals to strengthen performance.
December 10, 2020
Global Mobility and the Threat of Pandemics: Evidence from Three Centuries
Countries restrict the overall extent of international travel and migration to balance the expected costs and benefits of mobility. Given the ever-present threat of new, future pandemics, how should permanent restrictions on mobility respond?
December 10, 2020
Rising Debt Burdens, The Impact on Public Spending, and the Coronavirus Crisis
Even before the coronavirus crisis, since 2011 debt payments have grown rapidly for lower income countries. In this paper we analyse debt payments for 63 countries with figures available from the IMF and World Bank.
December 9, 2020
Strengthening Approaches to Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding at the UN and IFIs: Key Ideas and Recommendations
All three of the recent UN secretary-general reports on peacebuilding and sustaining peace (2018, 2019, and 2020) take note of the need to enhance collaboration between the UN—not only its development system but also its peace and security and humanitarian arms—with international financial institutions (IFIs), namely the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
December 8, 2020
Some Thoughts on Country Platforms
Here are five questions that the G20 IFA Working Group might want to answer if it is to harness the energy of the enthusiasts and quell the skepticism of the cynics.
December 7, 2020
The COVID-19 Vaccine: Do We Know Enough to End the Pandemic?
The SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented public health challenge, spurring a global race to develop and distribute viable vaccines. By mid-2021, there will likely be multiple licensed vaccines. Although there is an urgent need for these vaccines to be made available, several critical features of any COVID-19 vaccine must be considered to ensure optimal delivery and impact.
December 7, 2020
COVID-19 and Violence against Women and Children: A Third Research Round Up for the 16 Days of Activism
This year, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence comes at a time when there is unprecedented global attention on violence against women and children (VAW/C). The theme of “Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect!” puts a focus on the need for increased financing to support survivors and prevent future violence, as well as the importance of data collection, rigorous analysis and research to guide effective financing and policy decision making.
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