In South Asia’s poorest countries, empowering women is essential to reducing poverty

There are millions of such inspiring, independent women across South Asia—especially in the poorest countries, which are served by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).

Hartwig Schafer |
Digital Development, Education, Gender, Jobs & Development, Poverty, Social Protection

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

Stunting: The Face of Poverty

Globally, 165 million children under age 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition – also known as stunting, or low height for age. Much of this damage happens in pregnancy and the first two years of a…

Sri Mulyani Indrawati |
Health, Education, Agriculture and Food, Poverty

I will see you after the rainy season...

and this is no joke.  Some time ago, I travelled to rural Nepal to supervise joint DFID/World Bank work in improving access to remote communities. To reach the first village, Dailekh, we took a…

Peter O'Neill |
Poverty, Agriculture and Food, Transport