Creating a Digital Path for the Unbanked
In the Philippines, cloud-based technology is being used to address the financial exclusion that helps fuel poverty and inequality.
Creating Fiscal Space for Social Protection Programs in Asia
Countries in developing Asia can extend basic and robust levels of social protection to the “missing middle,” but whether there’s enough political to do so is another matter.
Decarbonization Will Not Succeed Unless it is Equitable
The transition to global net zero to address climate change must be both ambitious and fair. Otherwise, it will not achieve its goals nor will it obtain the vital public support required over the long-term.
Developing Countries Should Find Their Own Path for Skills Development and Training
Less developed countries need not emulate wealthier ones when establishing their technical and vocational training systems.
Digital Solutions for Financial Inclusion
Worldwide, there are 1.7 billion people who are outside of the formal banking and financial system. They struggle with high fees and risky systems to undertake even simple financial transactions. Digital innovations offer new ways to bring them out of financial darkness.
Disaster Resilience: Sendai Framework to Kick-Start Post-2015 Agenda
Last week, representatives from 187 UN member states agreed on a new international framework to foster greater disaster resilience across the globe, the first of four global agreements on the post-2015 development agenda.
Discrimination Driving Gender Wage Gap in Indonesia
The conventional view of wage gaps between men and women is that they have been steadily narrowing over recent decades and this trend will inevitably continue as women achieve higher education levels and enter areas of the workforce which have been dominated by males in the past. Unfortunately recent evidence from Indonesia suggests that pay parity between the sexes remains some way off.
Does Education Equal Wealth?
At an E-Camp: Social Accountability for Better Education Services held in the Philippines on 3-5 December, 2014, students from various countries in the Asia and Pacific region asked, “Is education still a way out of poverty?”
Doubling Down on Dual Career Couples
Since dual career couples support each other, this involves professional compromises. However, such couples’ understanding of ‘success’ is multidimensional and goes beyond the high income and high status of one individual.
Ebola: The Weakest Link Jeopardizes Everyone
More than a year ago, I was in Liberia as part of a team looking into its health system and health financing reforms. The country was still recovering from long years of civil strife. But Liberia was eager to be one of a growing number of countries which were aspiring to and pursuing universal health coverage (UHC).