Books published by World Bank Publications

Provides practical operations-oriented guidance for forest sector engagement toward the goals of poverty reduction, conservation and economic development. Intended to guide World Bank lending activities and projects, this book offers information useful to a broad audience of practitioners, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

Contributes to the debate about the role of agriculture in poverty reduction by addressing such questions as: Does investing in agriculture enhance/harm overall economic growth, and if so, under what conditions? Do poor people tend to participate more/less in growth in agriculture than in growth in other sectors, and if so, when?

Features analytical narratives of the evolution over the past half-century of policy-imposed distortions to farmer incentives and food prices in 80 countries. This work focuses on Europe's transitional economies and Latin America.

Provides a convincing reform scenario for a low income country, with actions to be undertaken in the medium and long term to sustain the development of post-basic education in an environment of limited public resources and implementation capacity. Policy makers in other developing countries will find this report useful to gauge their own strategies for post basic education.

Looks at the role of secondary education and training in promoting health, civics and life skills among the African youth. This study focuses on examining which schooling programs are effective in equipping young people with life skills, which programs reduce drop-out and increase participation.

Budgeting and budgetary institutions play a critical role in resource allocation, government accountability, and improved fiscal and social outcomes. This volume highlights various concepts of performance budgeting, accrual accounting, activity based costing, and the use of information and communication technology in budgeting.

Brings the gender and development debate full circle - from a focus on empowering women to a gender framework that considers gender as a system that affects both women and men. This book draws on a realization that attaining the vision of gender equality will be difficult without changing the ways in which masculinities are defined and acted upon.

reviews international reform trends and best practice in sector policy, with specific reference to Latin America. It documents how regulatory reform, privatization, and cross-border integration are unfolding throughout the European Single Market, triggered by EU legislation.

Compares the EU and US securities regulations, and specifically the Market in Financial instruments Directive (MiFID) with the corresponding US regulations. This title focuses on the regulatory and supervisory framework, trading venues, and the provision of investment services.

This text evaluates the quality of financial accountability and transparency in Bangladesh and makes recommendations for improvement. It compares the financial management standard and practices with respect to public funds.

Islamic finance is emerging as a rapidly growing part of the financial sector in the Islamic world and is not restricted to Islamic countries, but is spreading wherever there is a sizable Muslim community. This title analyzes risk in Islamic financial institutions.

Considers when governments should give guarantees to private investors. After describing the history of guarantees, and the challenges the politics and psychology create for good decisions, this book sets out principles for allocating risk, techniques for valuing guarantees, and rules to encourage good decisions.

Studies the role of natural resources in development and economic diversification. This volume brings together a variety of analytical perspectives, ranging from econometric analyses of economic growth to historical studies of successful development experiences in countries with abundant natural resources.

Examines the key trade issues relevant to the ongoing multilateral trade negotiations and the evolution of the world trading system as a means to address barriers to growth in developing countries, focusing on the Doha Round.

Presents policy insights to decision-makers, academics and researchers on investment flows and patterns in Southeast Europe. This book explores some of the determinants of private investment, such as: the financing sources for investment, the contribution of FDI and the role of public investment.

Analyzes the various reasons for poor transport performance seen widely throughout Africa. This book presents a compelling case for a number of national and regional reforms that address the underlying causes of high transport prices and costs and service unpredictability seen in Africa.

Reviews the recent developments in capital markets and institutional investors in Russia, and examines the policy challenges ahead for the development of the sector. The analysis covers key impediments for further development and policy challenges for securities markets.

In most countries, parliament has the constitutional mandate to both oversee government and to hold government to account. This title is for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, development practitioners, students of development and those interested in curbing corruption and improving governance in developing and developed countries alike.

Integrates research into applications that extend from preschool brain development to the memory of adult educators. This book provides explanations and answers to questions such as: Why do children have to read fast before they can understand what they read? How do health, nutrition, and stimulation influence brain development?

This book seeks to articulate the World Bank's Rural Strategy on agriculture to the wider development community. It provides decision makers with the rationale for supporting agriculture by presenting the lessons learned on the policies, institutions, and priority investments that can sustain pro-poor agricultural growth.

Presents case studies that document how well or poorly health, nutrition, and population programs have reached disadvantaged groups in the countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These studies were undertaken in an effort to find better ways of ensuring that health, nutrition, and population programs benefit the neediest.

Sets out principles and provides advice on the procurement of HIV/AIDS medicines and related supplies for programs scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART) and associated health services. This technical guide examines the elements required to establish and ensure continuity of supplies, including medicines and other commodities.

With the exception of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean has been one of the regions of the world with the greatest inequality. This text explores why the region suffers from such persistent inequality, identifies how it hampers development, and suggests ways to achieve greater equity.

A description of Singapore's justice system. It highlights the process used for judiciary-led reforms and identifies salient aspects of the strategy, vision, leadership and action plans. It also provides eight strategies adopted to improve the system.

Many inhabitants of rural areas in developing countries do not have adequate and affordable access to transport infrastructure services. This book focuses on improving rural mobility by facilitating the provision of affordable means of transport and transport services.

This work advises Latin American and Caribbean governments to address the region's deficits in skills and technology, thereby boosting productivity which is essential to improving growth prospects. To close the ""productivity gap"", the report calls for a range of policy approaches and strategies.