2020 year in review: Top 10 blogs from South Asia

These are some of the most pressing development priorities in South Asia and the topics for our most popular blogs in 2020.

Trishna Thapa |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management, Education, Gender, Health, Poverty, Social Protection, Trade, Water

Responding to gender-based violence in Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka

Niranjala’s husband started physically abusing her soon after they got married. It got worse after their first child. When she was about to file for a divorce, the pandemic struck.

Faris Hadad-Zervos |
Gender, Health, Poverty, Social Protection

Sexual harassment in South Asia: What recent data tells us

Whether it happens in public spaces or the workplace, sexual harassment is a form of gender-based violence, inflicting harm and stress on its victims and limiting their career or education…

Maria Beatriz Orlando, Rohini P. Pande, Uzma Quresh |
Gender, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Poverty, Social Protection

Protecting and investing in South Asia’s people is more important now than ever

The World Bank Group's 2020 Human Capital Index reminds us that much still needs to be to done to strengthen human development outcomes such as health and education.

Hartwig Schafer |
Education, Gender, Health, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Nutrition, Poverty, Social Protection

Lessons I’ve learned from 30 years at the World Bank

World Bank South Asia Vice President Hartwig Schafer reflects on his three decades at the World Bank and the lessons learned that make a difference.

Hartwig Schafer |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Competitiveness, Debt, Digital Development, Disaster Risk Management, Education, Energy, Environment, Extractive Industries, Financial Inclusion, Financial Sector, Forests, Fragility Conflict and Violence, Gender, Governance, Health, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Infrastructure & Public-Private Partnerships, Jobs & Development, Macroeconomics and Fiscal Management, Nutrition, Poverty, Regional Integration, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, Social Protection, Trade, Transport, Urban Development, Water

Now is the time to invest in South Asia’s future

The World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, IDA has been a reliable partner in South Asia for more than six decades and contributed to a sharp decline in poverty in the region. Yet, for…

Hartwig Schafer |
Climate Change, Education, Environment, Fragility Conflict and Violence, Gender, Governance, Health, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Jobs & Development, Poverty, Water

Maldivians, you can shape your development story!

We invite all Maldivians, including women and youth, to share what they think are the constraints and opportunities that lie ahead; major challenges faced in ensuring prosperity for all and…

Idah Z. Pswarayi-Riddihough |
Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Competitiveness, Disaster Risk Management, Education, Energy, Environment, Financial Sector, Gender, Governance, Health, Inequality and Shared Prosperity, Infrastructure & Public-Private Partnerships, Jobs & Development, Poverty, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, Social Protection, Trade, Water

IDA helps build a brighter future for South Asians

Hartwig Schafer |
Disaster Risk Management, Education, Fragility Conflict and Violence, Gender, Health, Jobs & Development, Poverty, Social Protection, Transport

Undernutrition in South Asia: Persistent and emerging challenges

Indian Bengali tribal mother is feeding her baby on her lap in a rural background. Credit: Abir Bhattacharya/ Shutterstock [[tweetable]]Childhood stunting—or being too short for one’s age—is one…

Ashi Kathuria |
Agriculture and Food, Education, Gender, Health, Jobs & Development

WEPOWER: Why South Asia needs more women in its energy sector

The World Bank team, WePOWER strategic and institutional partners, and high school female students from Nepal gathered at the closing session of the Women in Power Sector Network in South Asia (…

Tehreem Saifey Ford |
Energy, Gender