Global Monitoring Report 2012

by World Bank and International Monetary Fund

What has been the impact of yet another food price spike on developing countries’ ability to make progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)? How many poor people have been prevented from lifting themselves out of poverty? How many people, and how many children, have seen their personal growth and development permanently harmed because their families could not afford to buy food? Finally, what can countries do to respond to higher and more volatile food prices? Global Monitoring Report 2012: Food Prices, Nutrition, and the Millennium Development Goals examines these questions. read more

World Development Indicators 2012

by World Bank

Looking for accurate, up-to-date data on development issues? 'World Development Indicators' is the World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. This indispensable statistical reference allows you to consult over 800 indicators for more than 150 economies and 14 country groups in more than 90 tables. read more

The Little Data Book 2012

by World Bank

This pocket-sized reference on key development data for over 200 countries provides profiles of each country with 54 development indicators about people, environment, economy, technology and infrastructure, trade, and finance. read more

Building Better Policies

Edited by Gladys Lopez-Acevedo and Philipp Krause

An emphasis on government performance has led a number of governments to create formal systems for monitoring and evaluating their performance--on a regular, planned, and systematic basis--with the objective of improving it. The focus of this book is on these government monitoring and evaluation (M and E) systems: what they comprise, how they are built and managed, and how they can be used to improve government performance. read more

The Little Data Book on Financial Inclusion 2012

by World Bank

The Little Data Book on Financial Inclusion 2012 is a pocket edition of the Global Financial Inclusion Index (“Global Findex”) database providing country-level indicators on the use of formal bank accounts, payments behavior, savings patterns, credit patterns, and insurance decisions. It provides data on financial inclusion by key demographic characteristics—gender, age, education, income, and rural or urban residence. The book includes summary pages for 147 economies and regional and income group averages. read more

Climate Change, Disaster Risk, and the Urban Poor

Edited by Judy L. Baker

Poor people living in slums are at particularly high risk from the impacts of climate change and natural hazards. This study analyzes the key challenges facing the urban poor given the risks associated with climate change and disasters, particularly with regard to the delivery of basic services, and identifies strategies and financing opportunities for addressing these risks. read more

Living through Crises

Edited by Rasmus Heltberg, Naomi Hossain, and Anna Reva

What did the global food, fuel, and financial crises of 2008-11 mean to people living in the developing world? How did people cope with the crisis and how effective were they at averting major impacts? These are the questions addressed by this book, which emerged out of qualitative crisis monitoring initiatives carried out by IDS and the World Bank. Written in accessible language, this book will help specialists and non-specialists alike understand how large economic crises impact people and communities and what is the role of public policy in protecting against risk. read more

Broadband Strategies Handbook

Edited by Tim Kelly and Carlo Maria Rossotto

The Broadband Strategies Handbook is a guide for policymakers, regulators, and other relevant stakeholders as they address issues related to broadband development. It aims to help readers, particularly those in developing countries, by identifying issues and challenges in broadband development, analyzing potential solutions to consider, and providing practical examples from countries that have addressed broadband-related matters. read more

Trade Competitiveness Diagnostic Toolkit

by Jose Guilherme Reis and Thomas Farole

This toolkit provides a framework, guidelines, and practical tools for conducting an analysis of a country's trade competitiveness in terms of growth and share performance, diversification, and quality. It aims to facilitate the identification of the main constraints to improved trade competitiveness and the policy responses to overcome these constraints. read more