While MENA has made strides in improving women and girls’ health, much more needs to be done. Understanding the impact of conflict on women and girls is critical for designing both preventive…

Fadia Saadah, Sameera Al Tuwaijri |

Africa is not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty. While many countries were successful in reducing poverty during the years before the pandemic,…

Camilla Holmemo, Christian Bodewig, Robert S. Chase, Suleiman Namara |

Being born a woman in Benin doesn’t come with the same opportunities as being born a man. Being born a rural woman limits one’s prospects even further. The Country Gender Assessment presents a…

Miriam Muller, Felicien D. Accrombessy |

COVID-19 is revealing inequities between and within countries. As it is likely to become endemic, we have to learn to do better and to invest in the evidence needed for learning.

Johannes Hoogeveen, Bilal Malaeb, Lokendra Phadera |

According to two rounds of a pulse survey, 74% of countries reported disruptions to communicable disease treatment, 73% reported disruptions to immunization, and 38% reported disruptions to non-…

Denizhan Duran, Rekha Menon |

The COVID-19 pandemic created a huge crisis, but also an opportunity for MENA countries to build more adaptive, resilient, inclusive social protection systems. There are many lessons to draw from…

Ferid Belhaj |

From public transit quality to land use patterns, there are many factors that may impact people's ability to access essential services like healthcare or education. A new World Bank study…

Aiga Stokenberga, Karla Dominguez Gonzalez |

To ensure that refugees are included in COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery, UNHCR and the World Bank continue to work diligently with host countries.

Filippo Grandi, Axel van Trotsenburg |

Mobile government (mGov) offers developing countries several benefits for their citizens including financial inclusion, wider access to services and improved government social accountability.

Khuram Farooq, Peter Kustor |

Africa is the future and the future is African. More than a thought, this highlights Africa's tremendous potential to advance its development. With the youngest population globally, African…

Moulaye Ibrahim Bamba, Michael Geiger |