Pantawid Pamilya: Money for Nothing?
More than 4.4 million poor Filipino families receive regular cash grants from the government to help them make ends meet. But they aren’t getting money for nothing—there is a catch: families only get the cash if their children go to school and get regular health check-ups, and if the parents go to family development sessions every month.
Countries and Migrant Workers Pay High Price for the Benefits of Remittances
Every year, millions of people cross borders to work abroad. People migrate for various reasons, but for the majority of migrant workers, they are compelled by poverty and lack of job opportunities in their home countries.
Five Bond Market Trends to Watch Out for in 2015
As 2015 gathers pace, the world seems to be entering a more uncertain and unpredictable phase. With the end of quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve, we are entering an era of tighter global liquidity.
Ten Steps Toward Achieving Universal Health Coverage
When ADB recently hosted a conference on using information and communication technology (ICT) in universal health coverage, it was vital not to miss the opportunity to pin down practical steps that participants could commit to taking in their own workplace. The conference culminated in the iCTen Steps: practical next steps with both quick wins and some longer-term goals that can be adapted to specific country settings, regardless of where they are on the road to universal health coverage.
There’s Nothing Random About Fostering an Environment of Creativity
Creativity has little space where tasks are practiced as regimentation. “Business unusual” is a catchphrase about doing things differently, to bring about change, to innovate. Times are becoming more complex. For economic gain, nature can no longer be simply considered as something to be “conquered” by people to extract wealth
Kyrgyz Republic Banking on Mobile Phones to Bring Finance to Rural Areas
Mobile financial services have proven to be an ideal means to connect rural and remote populations to the financial sector. In several countries now—for example, Kenya, Uganda, Pakistan, or the Philippines—financial services are successfully delivered to the rural population using mobile phones and agents.
PRC's Dim Sum Bonds Need to Develop a New Flavor
The offshore renminbi bond market has boomed since the People’s Republic of China (PRC) authorities first allowed domestic banks to issue them in Hong Kong, China in June 2007. But appetite for the paper—popularly known as “dim sum bonds”—is starting to wane as access to onshore markets becomes easier. To stay relevant, the dim sum market must develop further.
Is Asia Ready for Social Impact Bonds?
Pushing the Boundaries for Women
Fifteen years ago I was working for a nongovernment organization (NGO) in Bangladesh documenting stories of training and economic empowerment of communities. A common recurring theme in virtually all the communities was the gender stereotyping in skills training programs.