Advocates of pluralist, competitive politics have regarded decentralization as a device for deepening democracy or for prying closed systems open and to give interest groups space in which to organize, compete and otherwise assert themselves. Some politicians in central governments see it as a means of delegating expensive tasks to others lower down. From a political economy perspective, this study examines the origins of the current wave of decentralizations in less-developed countries and its implications, especially its promise and limitations for rural development. It is based mainly on...

This book evaluates the quality of financial accountability and transparency in Bangladesh and makes recommendations for improvement. It compares the financial management standard and practices with respect to public funds. This book also examines what it takes to qualify Bangladesh for programmatic or sector lending in replacement of all individual project lending. Concerning private funds, it assesses the regulatory activities of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the two Stock Exchanges, Bangladesh Bank, NGO Affairs Bureau and the...

Broad-based growth is one of the four pillars of the Nicaraguan Government's Poverty Reduction Strategy. Living standards of the rural poor will continue to depend largely upon agriculture. This study takes stock of major developments in Nicaragua's agricultural sector and argues that broad-based growth can be promoted by strengthening agricultural competitiveness. Export growth is the key, requiring immediate action within a coherent strategy. The case of coffee is used to illustrate the proposed strategy. The study also identifies productivity constraints in rural factor markets, suggesting...

The purpose of this report is to provide diagnoses and policy recommendation in public expenditure management in Peru. The introductory chapter of the book provides a synthesis of Peru's public expenditure reform agenda from the Bank's perspective. Chapter II-IV examine the core functions of the public expenditure management. Chapters V-VIII explore selected themes such as the decentralization of public administration and the social sectors; civil service reform; governance and corruption; and mining and fiscal environmental issues. The report does not attempt to provide full coverage of all...

Young people are the basis for the future health and welfare of their communities. Understanding the critical role of young people to the security of sustainable development, 'Caribbean Youth Development' draws attention to both the important contributions youth have made to the Caribbean society and the critical challenges they face in assuming socially responsible and productive roles in the years to come. This report, organized into seven chapters, provides an overview of the risks Caribbean youth are facing as well as evidence of the protective and risk factors underlying the problems...

In 2000, over half of all Guatemalans--about 6.4 million people--lived in poverty, with about 16% living in extreme poverty. Guatemala rates among the worst in Latin America and the Caribbean for life expectancy, infant mortality and maternal mortality and while the education sector has made progress there are still important biases against the poor. Similarly, progress has also been made in the provision of basic utilities however, important gaps and disparities remain. 'Poverty in Guatemala' is part of a collaborative multi-year program of analytical work and technical assistance (the...

Ten years after the 1994 genocide in which an estimated 10 percent of the country's population perished Rwanda's devastated education system is now back on its feet. Classrooms have been repaired and new ones built; teachers who fled the mayhem have been reintegrated into the teaching force; arrears in teacher pay have been cleared up; a Genocide Fund has been created specifically to assist orphans; and, in higher education, the system has been diversified and new arrangements for student finance have been introduced. This success notwithstanding, the task of transforming the rapid recovery...

Bolivia has made significant progress in health status and equity in the last decade, due to the implementation of a series of health policies directed primarily at reducing maternal and infant mortality and controlling communicable diseases. These policies include the introduction of a focus on health outcomes in the context of decentralization, the implementation of public health insurance, the strengthening of vertically-financed public health programs and to a lesser extent, an increase in the size of the sector's workforce and greater participation of indigenous peoples. Health Sector...

'The Road to Sustained Growth in Jamaica' is part of the World Bank Country Study series. These reports are published with the approval of the subject government to communicate the results of the Bank's work on the economic and related conditions of member countries to governments and to the development community. Jamaica's economic history is a story of paradoxes and potential. It has an English-speaking and a reasonably well-educated labor force, is close to the world's largest market, the United States, and has an abundance of natural beauty that has spurred tourism. Many of its social and...

Decentralization in Madagascar is part of the World Bank Country Study series. These reports are published with the approval of the subject government to communicate the results of the Bank's work on the economic and related conditions of member countries to governments and to the development community. This study takes stock of Madagascar's first 10 years of decentralization. As with many other developing countries, Madagascar's decentralization process has seen reversals, uncertainties and lack of clarity. This explains why Madagascar remains a highly centralized country with only about 3...