Community-driven development (CDD) is a global development approach that emphasizes the active involvement and participation of local communities in decision-making. Its participatory processes…

Varalakshmi Vemuru, Ozan Sevimli, Sana Zia, Audrey Sacks |

The Women, Business and the Law team brought together civil society and nongovernmental organizations, representatives of the private sector, and law practitioners from São Tomé and Príncipe and…

Héloïse Groussard, Luiza Ferraz di Ricco, Natália Mazoni Silva Martins |

In 1993, the Declaration of the Elimination of Violence Against Women recognized that violence against women violates women’s rights and fundamental freedoms, and called on states to work towards…

Hana Brixi, Louise Cord |

Traders in Tajikistan bring many economic benefits to the country, but they often face a number of challenges, especially women traders.

Nato Kurshitashvili, Heidi Stensland Warren , Mariyam Raziyeva |

Banking supervisors in Central Asia need to be prepared for a potentially sharp rise in NPLs. A recent World Bank policy paper assesses the NPL resolution framework in four Central Asian countries…

Emiko Todoroki, Ismael Ahmad Fontan, Fernando Dancausa, Maksym Iavorskyi |

Digital technologies are reshaping economies, but women and girls are underrepresented in ICT education and careers. Learn how to break down barriers and support girls in becoming the ICT…

Hana Brixi, Mary Porter Peschka, Christine Zhenwei Qiang |

Globally, women earn about 80% of what men earn on average. But the gap is larger in Central Asia: working women earn about 60% of what men earn in Tajikistan, 61% in Uzbekistan, 75% in the Kyrgyz…

Tatiana Proskuryakova, William Seitz |

Recently published Women, Business and the Law (WBL) brief “Legal Reforms to Protect Women at Home and at Work in São Tomé and Príncipe,” investigates how reform efforts resulted in the…

Natália Mazoni Silva Martins, Claudia Corminales |

The World Bank is committed to working with all our stakeholders to end gender-based violence (GBV). The time has come to break the silence surrounding GBV in Central Asia, increase awareness, and…

Tatiana Proskuryakova |

Businesses worldwide feel the repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but how exactly is the private sector faring in Central Asia—a region with deep trade and investment ties to Russia…

Mariana Iootty, Martin Melecky |