This course explores the role of microfinance in economic development. It will discuss how poor people in poor countries use financial services such as credit and savings; the history and practice of delivering such services; what is known about their contribution to development; and how stories and...

CGD vice president and senior fellow Todd Moss explains the benefits to democracy and development of direct cash disbursement of Ghana's forthcoming oil revenue.

This course will review the determinants of rural poverty and examine the historical pathways that have led the rural poor out of poverty. A policy perspective will be taken on all three levels of analytical interest: the macro level, the sectoral level, and the household level.

Nandini Oomman, director of CGD's HIV/AIDS Monitor, calls on President-elect Obama to push PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief)to release official data on obligations to prime partners, subpartners, and program areas to improve transparency and accountability.

Senior policy analyst Sheila Herrling calls on the National Security Officer to elevate global development and enhance the impact of U.S. foreign assistance. One step: add the USAID Administrator to the National Security Council

CGD vice president Ruth Levine suggests specific actions for the Obama administration to take for the impact of the White House Council on Women and Girls to extend beyond U.S. borders.

Senior fellow Kinberly Elliott recommends extending duty-free, quota-free access to U.S. markets for the most vulnerable countries.