The Countries of Southeastern Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania) have re-committed themselves to scale up action on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the sub-region. These three countries share several social conditions that have led to an alarming increase in HIV infection. These conditions include increasing unemployment and poverty, rapid social changes, a decrease in the accessibility and quality of services and educational opportunities, psychological stress from post-conflict situations, increased substance abuse and sex work, and increased trafficking in women for sexual...
The Countries of Southeastern Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania) have re-committed themselves to scale up action on the prevention and treatment ...
This study represents a first attempt of providing a comprehensive quantification of educational outcomes in the Caribbean region. Its main objectives are: (a) to define a set of operationally relevant education indicators (b) to provide a database of comparable education indicators in Caribbean countries where data is available, namely Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago and (c) to propose methods on how the common set of indicators can be used for analyses of the education...
This study represents a first attempt of providing a comprehensive quantification of educational outcomes in the Caribbean region. Its main objectives...
Over the last few decades the quality of many international water bodies has deteriorated, resulting in economic losses from declines in the fishing industry and in tourism, as well as a loss of biodiversity and health impacts from contaminated water. This deterioration has been caused by many factors including nutrient run-off from agriculture, insufficiently treated sewage, drainage of wetlands, coastal erosion, introduction of exotic species, eutrophication and inadequate resource management. One of the most significant sources of degradation has been form excessive discharge of nitrogen...
Over the last few decades the quality of many international water bodies has deteriorated, resulting in economic losses from declines in the fishing i...
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly seen as integral to the development process. This working paper reviews: (a) some of the evidence for the link between telecommunications and the internet and economic growth; (b) the likely impact of the new ICTs on income inequality; and (c) anecdotal evidence regarding the role of the Internet in improving government services and governance. This study looks at methods to maximize access to the new ICTs, and to improve their development impact in both the generation of income and the provision of quality services.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly seen as integral to the development process. This working paper reviews: (a) some o...
'The Money Exchange Dealers of Kabul' is an exploratory piece of research on how the informal financial sector operates in conflict-afflicted countries. This paper presents the findings, analyses and conclusions of a study on the operational characteristics of an informal funds transfer system found in Afghanistan, generally referred to as hawala. It describes the system's geographic characteristics, convenience, effectiveness, cost, and its relationship with the formal financial system. It studies the domestic transfer of development funds by international aid institutions and...
'The Money Exchange Dealers of Kabul' is an exploratory piece of research on how the informal financial sector operates in conflict-afflicted countrie...
In many developing countries, both governments and investors have expressed disappointment with the performance of recently privatized electricity distribution companies. Some investors claim that the design of the new regulatory system is fundamentally flawed and recommend that independent regulatory commissions be replaced or supplemented by more explicit 'regulation by contract' that would reduce the discretion of new commissions. This paper examines whether regulation by contract or a combination of regulation by contract and regulatory independence would provide a better regulatory...
In many developing countries, both governments and investors have expressed disappointment with the performance of recently privatized electricity dis...
'Review of Electricity Supply and Demand in Southeast Europe' is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. This paper reviews the power sector demand-supply balance in Southeastern Europe, covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia and Montenegro (including Kosovo), and identifies the magnitude of generation investments needed in this evolving market. It proposes mechanisms to reduce investment...
'Review of Electricity Supply and Demand in Southeast Europe' is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicat...
The idea of social capital has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence in both the theoretical and applied social science literature over the last decade. While lively debate has accompanied that journey, thereby helping to advance our thinking and clarifying areas of agreement and disagreement, much still remains to be done. One approach that could help bring further advances for both scholars and practitioners is providing a set of empirical tools for measuring social capital. The purpose of this paper is to introduce such a tool with a focus on applications in developing countries. The...
The idea of social capital has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence in both the theoretical and applied social science literature over the last dec...
Improvement in the management of public finances in developing countries has been an increasingly important focus of World Bank and IMF assistance to member countries. A key element of such assistance is the development of effective treasury systems, which form the backbone for recording and processing all financial transactions related to government budgets. The establishment of an effective, integrated treasury system helps manage public monies with greater financial control, improved monitoring, better planning, better fiscal reporting, and better data for budget formulation, while also...
Improvement in the management of public finances in developing countries has been an increasingly important focus of World Bank and IMF assistance to ...
HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in Central Asia: Country Profiles is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate the results of the Bank's ongoing research and to stimulate public discussion. The countries of Central Asia are still at the earliest stage of an HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, the region is experiencing steep growth of new HIV cases; related epidemics of injected drug use, sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), and tuberculosis; a high percentage of youth in the total population; and low levels of knowledge about the epidemics. HIV/AIDS and...
HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in Central Asia: Country Profiles is part of the World Bank Working Paper series. These papers are published to communicate ...
