This year’s 16 days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (GBV) is an opportunity for us to reflect on what the World Bank has learned about preventing and responding to GBV and the…

Helene Carlsson Rex, Alys Willman, Michael Christian Mahrt |

Last-mile delivery of government-led services is a challenge, especially in fragile and conflict settings. In Somalia’s health sector, this challenge is addressed through community-based female…

Ruth Akisa Oriama, Jana Kunicova, Alma Nurshaikhova |

In Somalia’s health sector, government-led services are a challenge addressed through community-based female workers who deliver healthcare to every home across the country as part of the…

Bernard Olayo, Jana Kunicova, Ruth Akisa Oriama |

Up to 73 million people in Eastern and Southern Africa experience acute food insecurity, including famine. While it is critical to feed the hungry and lessen the cost of malnutrition, the…

Victoria Kwakwa, Juergen Voegele |

As we all know, data is a fundamental necessity for evidence-based decision-making. But we have a challenge − women’s status and voice are often not reflected in official statistics. Either…

Andy Kotikula |

Some of the Horn’s countries are among Africa’s poorest. The problems are daunting, but the region’s governments are taking bold steps to tackle them. They have launched the Horn of Africa…

Fatima Anjum Quraishi |

In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns shut markets and schools, digital technologies became vital for businesses to maintain their activities and for governments to provide…

Victoria Kwakwa |

One striking statistic puts in context the state of education in Africa today. According to the latest State of Global Education Update, nearly 9 in 10 children in Sub-Saharan Africa are unable to…

Victoria Kwakwa |

Tackling fragility and promoting integration in the Horn of Africa through ‘development diplomacy’

Vijay Pillai, Miguel de Corral |

What if, to send money from Washington to New York, you had to call your banker in Singapore? Until 2021, what sounds like a mere thought experiment was a very real problem for businesses in…

Asta Bareisaite, Sameer Goyal, Karol Karpinski |