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...

Brazil ranks among the largest countries in the world, in terms of its people, its landmass, and its economy. It is endowed with a highly entrepreneurial people, rich cultural heritage, precious natural resources, well-developed socio-political institutions and a sophisticated economy. Over the last decades, Brazil has made vast progress, in particular in its social indicators and it economic institutions. Brazil Equitable, Competitive, Sustainable provides a range of policy information prepared by the World Bank's Brazil Team with partners during 2002. It aims to contribute to the discussion...

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...

Construction of infrastructure, a pre-requisite for sustained socioeconomic growth, often requires acquisition of land and, therefore, physical relocation and economic displacement of people. If such impacts, collectively characterized as involuntary resettlement, are not identified and adequately mitigated, some already vulnerable populations are likely to be further impoverished, thereby undermining development objectives. 'Involuntary Resettlement Sourcebook' clarifies many policy and technical issues that confront resettlement policymakers and practitioners. It provides guidance on...

The Doha Development Agenda of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the WTO opened many contentious and important questions. 'Global Economic Prospects 2004' analyzes the most critical multilateral trade issues and suggests policy options that would raise living standards in developing countries and reduce global poverty. The fourteenth annual edition of 'Global Economic Prospects': explores the short-, medium-, and long-term outlook for the global economy, including driving forces, commodity prices, and capital flows, and their implications for major regions. reviews recent trends in exports...

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...

Many developing countries face daunting water resources challenges as the needs for water supply, irrigation, and hydroelectricity grow; as water becomes more scarce, quality declines, and environmental and social concerns increase; and as the threats posed by goods and droughts are exacerbated by climate change. As a consequence, there is a high and increasing demand for World Bank engagement. Lending for water resources and development accounted for about 16 percent of all World Bank lending over the past decade. Within the World Bank, business strategies for specific water-using sectors,...

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 World Bank's Forests Strategy, adopted in October 2002, charts a path for the Bank's proactive engagement in the sector to help attain the goal of poverty reduction without jeopardizing the environmental values intrinsic to sustainability. This strategy replaces the Bank's 1991 Forestry Strategy, and was developed on the basis of the findings of an independent review of the 1991 strategy and a two-year consultative process with development partners and stakeholders around the world. The revised strategy, Sustaining Forests, is built on three guiding pillars: harnessing the potential of...

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 a 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...