Aging Without Security: Asia's Experiences on Introducing Social Pension
Social pensions in Asia provide vital support to the elderly, bridging gaps in social safety nets, yet they often fall short of meeting all basic needs.
Rising Tide Raises All Boats — Or Does It?
Economic growth is crucial for poverty reduction, but its impact varies across different settings, highlighting the need for inclusive growth strategies.
Bridging the “Identity Divide”: A Quiet Revolution in India
I do not have a birth certificate. Even though I was born in the capital city of the biggest province in India, my birth was never registered. Luckily, I went to school where they recorded my date of birth and my high school certificate gave me an identity. Now, I also have a passport and I can prove who I am.
The Age of ‘Big Data’
We are living in the time of Big Data. It comes from everywhere - from our cell phones, our computers, from fuel pumps, water sensors in meteorological stations, and countless other sources.
Crossing the Great Divide: Convincing Others of What Works to Address Poverty
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab just marked its tenth year anniversary on the MIT campus outside Boston with a one day event which drew over 1200 participants from all over the world.
Eradicating Absolute Poverty by 2030 - Are We Aiming Too Low?
The Post-2015 development agenda is leaning toward a goal of eradicating absolute poverty by 2030. The World Bank’s recently approved corporate strategy has the same goal. I believe, however, that this target is absolutely meaningless for our region, Asia and the Pacific.
Asia Pacific Post-2015 Priorities, MDG8 and Global Partnerships
Any contemporary story on development in Asia-Pacific begins with reflection on massive gains achieved in the fight against poverty. The incidence of people living on less than $1.25 a day fell from 54.5% in 1990 to 20.7% in 2010, with the number of extreme poor declining from 1.48 billion to 733 million. This precipitous decline in poverty incidence has been accompanied by tremendous gains in access to health and education.
New Health Hope for India's Urban Poor
The continued urban boom across Asia and the Pacific offers a host of exciting new opportunities for the region but it also presents huge challenges― not least in the critical field of health.
Closing the Gap – Policy Options for Tackling Inequality
Recently IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde noted: “In too many countries, the benefits of growth are being enjoyed by far too few people”. She was making the point that high levels of inequality are a global concern.
World TB Day – Reaching the Missing Millions
World Tuberculosis Day provides an important occasion to raise awareness about a disease that continues to affect millions of people around the globe.