A look back at South Asia’s year in 10 blogs. These blogs spotlight stories of resilience and innovation, and explore issues critical to the region such as air pollution, climate change, women’s…

Adnan Siddiqi, Trishna Thapa |

Economic policies over past years and decades have had negative impacts on living standards, the private sector and the environment, driving a deep crisis that is hitting ordinary Pakistanis…

Tobias Haque |

South Asia continues to experience rising temperatures, with record-breaking heat waves that are longer, hotter, and more frequent. Heat not only causes deaths and lowers productivity, but also…

Ella Kim, Sebastian Forsch, Leon Glicksman |

An Enterprise Survey looked at the state of the private sector in Pakistan - and found interesting insights on the lack of R&D spending and linkages to low efficiency, women's…

Rafay Khan, Domenico Viganola |

Pakistan ranks the worst in South Asia on nutrition key indicators for under-five children. Over 40 percent of Pakistan’s under-five children are stunted, as compared to the South Asian average of…

Ziauddin Hyder, Lire Ersado |

COVID-19 has been a global catastrophe killing millions, damaging economies, and impairing human development. Yet, the pandemic has also been a catalyst for much needed health system reform,…

Aparnaa Somanathan, Trina Haque, Feng Zhao |

Investments in the early years have been proven to be among the most cost-effective ways of improving life outcomes and reducing inequality of opportunity. The recently-published Pakistan Human…

Amna Ansari, Amer Hasan |

Pakistan's growing working-age population can become healthier, more educated, more skilled, more productive. A recent study by the World Bank shows that Pakistan’s Human Capital Index (HCI)…

Lire Ersado, Koen Geven, Amer Hasan |

The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases is pressuring countries and health systems in the Caribbean at a rate of epidemic proportions.

Lilia Burunciuc, Timothy Antoine |

While PPPs provide an important tool for governments, they are sensitive to economic ups and downs. A new World Bank study shows a sound and practical Fiscal Commitment and Contingent Liabilities…

Marcel van den Broek, Hulya Pasaogullari, Mikel Tejada Ibañez, Elena Timusheva |