By . From 6-9 March 2018, the OECD is host to ‘Fearless Girl’, a casting of the diminutive and plucky bronze statue that’s been staring down the 3-ton ‘Charging Bull’ on Wall Street since International Women’s Day last March. Fearless Girl was conceived by asset manager State Street Global Advisors and its advertising agency McCann to ignite a conversation on women in corporate leadership—and to signal the launch of State Street’s index fund based on gender-diverse companies (trading symbol: SHE). More...
Financial inclusion and literacy in the South American Andes
By . Today, many development agendas include strategies designed to encourage financial inclusion. Despite efforts, many people in the world today are excluded from the formal financial sector, more so in developing countries. According to the Global Findex Database, around 56% of adults in the world saved a certain amount of money between 2013 and 2014, while only 27.4% saved in a formal institution. More...
2018: A Year of Integrity and Anti-Corruption
By . 2018 is shaping up to be a significant year for integrity and anti-corruption. Several global events, including those hosted by OECD, Transparency International (TI) and the Open Government Partnership (OGP), will allow governments, business and civil society to explore, showcase and shape the debate on integrity reform and innovation. More...
Normatively weak institutions can be functionally strong: A surprising lesson from China
For the past decades, policymakers and development practitioners have clung to the idea that “good governance” is the solution to poverty. If only poor countries could eradicate corruption, enforce laws, hold leaders accountable and achieve a checklist of best practices, their economic and social problems would be resolved. More...
The institutional key to step-up disaster risk management in Thailand
The increasing exposure of people to disaster worldwide was a key issue during last week’s World Water Forum in Brasilia. By 2050, almost 2 billion people in the world will be at risk of floods. At the same time, between 5 and 6 billion people might live in areas that will be water-scarce. More...
Small actions for big impact: Lessons from Canada
We cannot hope to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build the more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous — the better — world they envision without engaging people everywhere and inspiring them to take concrete action. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states that it is “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” But, so far “the people” do not seem to be aware of it. More...
Three reasons why local feminist movements offer solutions for gender equality and peace
The OECD policy paper Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations (October 2017) demands a “fundamental shift in perspective on gender.” It challenges the donor community to understand gender and conflict more holistically, more deeply and more politically with a strong focus on women as agents of change. More...
Stabilising Argentina’s Public Expenditure
The present government in Argentina inherited a particularly high level of public spending compared to the country’s own history. Consolidated public expenditure for the three levels of government − nation, province and municipalities − reached 42.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2015. More...
Jeunes : oser, innover, entreprendre !
Au Sénégal, les Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (PME) ou structures de production et transformation des produits agricoles se trouvent essentiellement dans la banlieue de la capitale (Guédiawaye à 15 km de Dakar) et dans les zones rurales autour de Kaolack, Ziguinchor, Kédougou, Thiès et Saint-Louis. More...
What youth need: A greater focus on job quality
For young people, successful entry into the world of work – that is, successful transition from education to employment – means more than simply finding a job. Successful transition occurs only when young people find decent work. More...