All articles

The long shadow of apartheid: How forced relocation to homelands still affects South Africa

This article explores the extent to which apartheid negatively impacted educational attainment, and shows that this occurred primarily through changing early childhood environments

Education

Bladimir Carrillo Carlos Charris Wilman Iglesias

Published

05.01.24

Social structure and financial ties in East Africa

Variation in social structure shapes the formation of financial ties and the spillover effects of public policy in East Africa

Institutions & Political Economy

Jacob Moscona Awa Ambra Seck

Published

04.01.24

How the wage-setting power of firms shapes Peru’s economy

Labour market power hinders development by suppressing wage employment and also fostering a dependence on self-employment that undermines the effectiveness of policies aiming to boost wages and wage employment

Firms

Francesco Amodio Pamela Medina Monica Morlacco

Published

02.01.24

Improving early child development outcomes in low-income settings

Improving early child development outcomes in low-income settings requires affordable, sustainable, and easily scalable solutions. The “First Steps” programme in Rwanda has substantial positive effects on child development and offers a blueprint for ...

Education

Patricia Justino Marinella Leone Pierfrancesco Rolla

Published

20.12.23

Support for democracy and the future of democratic institutions

It is only democracies that perform well on the dimensions that the public cares about – economic growth, control of corruption, peace and political stability and public good provision – that build support for democratic institutions

Institutions & Political Economy

Daron Acemoğlu Nicolas Ajzenman Cevat Giray Aksoy Martin Fiszbein Carlos Molina

Published

19.12.23

Relationship-focused buyers improved bottom lines for Bangladeshi garment manufacturers

The sourcing strategies of global buyers can have profound implications for suppliers in low-income countries. Using novel data, research in the garment sector reveals how global buyers differ in their approach to sourcing and why that matters for su...

Firms

Julia Cajal Grossi Rocco Macchiavello Guillermo Noguera

Published

18.12.23

Empowering women in Tunisia through cash grants and financial training

A cash grant and training programme had a range of benefits for women in Tunisia, but only improved participation in income-generating activities for women who attended training without their partner

Social Protection

Jules Gazeaud Nausheen Khan Eric Mvukiyehe Olivier Sterck

Published

15.12.23

Unpredictable oil discoveries fail to deliver local development benefits

Production delays, sudden windfalls, and political reactions after discoveries create major challenges for local governments in Brazil

Public Economics

Erik Katovich

Published

13.12.23

Education during commodity booms in low-income countries: Lessons from history

Commodity specialisation in Colombia during the late 19th and 20th centuries had negative impacts on the demand for education during a surge in global demand for coffee

Education

Irina España-Eljaiek María José Fuentes-Vásquez

Published

11.12.23