World Development Perspectives最新文献

{"title":"Exploring health insurance as a financial buffer in Maternal and Child Health in the Democratic Republic of Congo","authors":"Alexis Nyamugira Biringanine ,&nbsp;Steffen Flessa","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the low health insurance coverage among pregnant women and new mothers in selected health zones of DRC, aiming to identify underlying factors and associated implications. The results from the sociodemographic analysis show that only 3% of our respondents reported having insurance coverage. This low coverage is primarily attributed to financial constraints, lack of information, and perceived low value relative to premium costs. The study revealed significant barriers to health insurance uptake, including inadequate health and insurance literacy. Without insurance, households often resort to coping strategies such as family support, informal borrowing, and reduced investment in children’s education. The study also highlights that enhanced health insurance literacy is positively associated with health insurance adoption and better health outcomes. Addressing low health insurance coverage requires targeted interventions to improve financial access and health literacy, and disseminate transparent information about insurance benefits. Implementing health insurance schemes could alleviate financial burdens, minimize reliance on informal networks, and improve health outcomes. Enhanced health insurance coverage, through effective communication and education, could substantially benefit socioeconomic conditions, particularly for mothers and children in the DRC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100677"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community perceptions of potable water quality and public health implications in flood-affected areas of Nowshera District, Pakistan","authors":"Muhammad Tufail ,&nbsp;Muhammad Jamal Nasir ,&nbsp;Atta-ur Rahman ,&nbsp;Syed Ihtisham Kakakhel ,&nbsp;Mehreen Ashraf ,&nbsp;Aqil Tariq","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Access to safe and affordable water is indispensable for human health. However, the challenges posed by climate change and its impacts seriously threaten water supply systems. Therefore, it is crucial to understand public perceptions of water quality and its impact on human health. The current research study aims to investigate community perceptions about the status of potable water quality and its effects on human health in flood-affected neighborhood councils (NCs) of the Nowshera district. Public perceptions were assessed via household surveys, community interviews, and focus group discussions with relevant officials and community members. Eleven NCs, representing 2% of households, were surveyed. Respondents were queried about their perception of water quality, satisfaction with municipal water services, climate change, changes in water quality after floods, and the impact of polluted water on human health. Data was meticulously recorded using the Kobo Collect tool for subsequent analysis. The results highlight that 97% of respondents in NC Mana Khel and 63% in Dagi Khel were not satisfied with the water quality after the flood. Similarly, in Khalil Abad, Mana Khel, and Allah-yar Khel, 100% of respondents, 96% in Behram Khan Khel, and 93% in Nawa Kalli reported significant changes in water quality after floods. The findings of this study can empower public health professionals and policymakers to effectively target public awareness initiatives and formulate policies related to potable water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100679"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Managing two locations: Relocation, resettlement and negotiated immobility of climate-displaced communities in Zimbabwe","authors":"Tomy Ncube ,&nbsp;Una Murray","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100676","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100676","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are often forgotten, with their views rarely sought or considered in discussions and decisions that directly impact their lives. This study adopts a mixed method approach to document lived experiences of IDPs in Zimbabwe. Using a case study methodology, and combining qualitative and quantitative methods, we contribute to the understanding of the socio-economic, cultural and institutional dynamics that shape the lives of Cyclone survivors in Tshino and Sawudweni villages-Tsholotsho, with findings offering insights into the challenges and resilience strategies of IDPs. Data was collected from sixty-seven household heads and six key informants; and thematically analysed. We find that there are gaps in achieving durable solutions for those relocated by the Government of Zimbabwe. These gaps are evidenced in the lack of sustainable livelihoods, restricted access to land use, and limited access to basic services and amenities associated with displacement. Our results demonstrate that the difficulties in securing long-term solutions arise from the lack of specific policies addressing the management of displacements and relocations. In response to post-relocation gaps, households demonstrate agency through managing two locations: their original marooned homes from 2017 where they keep their livestock and grow their crops, and the government relocated houses. Contrary to literature that paints immobility as ‘helpless’, our study challenges the notion of immobility as being ‘trapped’, instead presenting (im)mobility as an act of agency. Our findings present the underrepresented perspectives of IDPs in Zimbabwe, providing insights to inform both policy and practice in displacement contexts, noting the importance of promoting strategies to enhance livelihoods; and the need for participatory approaches and civic infrastructure to ensure accountability to affected populations. Implementing sector-specific policies for planned relocations and climate-induced displacement would benefit from prioritising livelihood or livelihood diversification approaches to help IDPs cope and thrive in their new circumstances.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100676"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143834920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimisation of international financial institutions: A comparative analysis of Ukraine and South Korea’s roles in enhancing global economic stability","authors":"Eunkyung Yi ,&nbsp;Bongchul Kim ,&nbsp;Mehmet Fatih Oztarsu ,&nbsp;Yevheniia Khaustova ,&nbsp;Hanna Yatsenko","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100674","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study aims to analyse ways to optimise the activities of international financial institutions to increase their efficiency and impact on the stability of the global economy. The study analysed the main aspects of increasing transparency, strengthening cooperation with national governments and improving crisis management mechanisms. The research methodology included a detailed analysis of official reports from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Bank for International Settlements, as well as statistics from the governments of South Korea and Ukraine. The study examined the reports of international organisations and official government documents, which allowed for a comprehensive approach to the study of the activities of international financial institutions. The main aspects of optimising the activities of international financial institutions in the form of increased transparency, strengthening cooperation with national governments, institutional reforms and improving crisis management mechanisms were analysed. An analysis of South Korean and Ukrainian cooperation with international financial institutions was carried out to demonstrate the differences in the use of international financial support for the stabilisation and development of their economies. While South Korea was able to successfully overcome the consequences of the Asian financial crisis thanks to the support of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, Ukraine is constantly facing challenges that require effective use of international support. The importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises as a crucial element for ensuring economic growth and social stability was stressed. The study shows that optimising the activities of international financial institutions can significantly increase their efficiency, contribute to global economic stability, mitigate the effects of the economic crisis and promote sustainable development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100674"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143654658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What factors are inducing or impeding the adoption of agricultural mechanization? Revisiting farm scale, overhead capital and spatial divergence","authors":"Yared Deribe Tefera ,&nbsp;Bisrat G. Awoke ,&nbsp;Thomas Daum","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100671","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100671","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural mechanization plays a key role in agricultural development and enhancing rural livelihoods, but adoption remains limited in much of Sub-Saharan Africa. This study analyses the farm power transition and inducing factors across diverse production systems. Our investigation differently explicates the mechanization index (proportion of activities mechanized) inclusive of the available technologies extending beyond the dichotomous adoption choices. It further examines adoption and mechanization intensity of the relatively most applied engine-powered individual mechanization practices. Devising a multistage sampling technique, the analysis relies on a cross-sectional survey and data from 818 households in Oromia, Southern Nation Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP), Amhara, and Tigray regions in Ethiopia. We applied a two-part fractional response and double hurdle models to determine factors ascribed to the adoption decision (farm power transition) and mechanization intensity. The functional forms of adoption of the bundle and individual machinery inputs are robust to various specification tests. The parameter estimates disclose that household labor, farm scale, and livestock assets have a positive association with adoption. Restricted access to overhead and institutional capital is impeding the adoption of mechanization. To make mechanization more inclusive, the study underscores the need for leveraging the farm power transition through the reinforcement of the spread of alternative hiring services, rural infrastructures, and demand-based land pooling schemes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100671"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding livelihood strategies and coping mechanisms adopted during COVID-19: A study on Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh","authors":"Minakshi Keeni","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100672","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100672","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has disrupted the lives of people worldwide, severely impacting marginalized communities. Among marginalized communities, Rohingya refugees face numerous challenges, including limited access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities. Therefore, this study seeks to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the various livelihood choices pursued by Rohingya refugees and the related coping mechanisms adopted. Additionally, the study also looks into the effectiveness of the various types of aid provided to the refugees. This study draws on quantitative data collected through face-to-face interviews conducted in September 2022. Using a cross-sectional dataset covering 339 households from Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, we performed a regression analysis to find out the adoption of coping mechanisms based on livelihood choices. Results revealed that refugees who were self-employed were the most impacted by the pandemic, additionally, a rise in the shift of livelihoods of refugees from employment to self-employment during the pandemic was also recorded. Regarding the coping mechanisms adopted by the self-employed, the most popular coping mechanisms were the sale of breeding animals and the withdrawal of children from school. Additionally, the majority of self-employed refugees prioritized the change or recovery of their livelihoods. Hence, it is recommended that aid agencies and the host government provide additional non-monetary assistance to Rohingya refugees who have recently shifted their livelihood activities from employed to self-employed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100672"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578474","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Financing the basic income support in South Africa under fiscal constraints” [World Dev. Perspect. 37 (2025) 100657]","authors":"Margaret Chitiga-Mabugu ,&nbsp;Martin Henseler ,&nbsp;Helene Maisonnave ,&nbsp;Ramos E. Mabugu","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100669","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100669","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100669"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Financial inclusion and institutional quality: Catalysts for economic growth in Asia-Pacific countries","authors":"Dananjani Basnayake ,&nbsp;Athula Naranpanawa ,&nbsp;Saroja Selvanathan ,&nbsp;Jayatilleke S. Bandara","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100670","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100670","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With 24% of unbanked people living in developing countries, policymakers nowadays pay attention to enhancing financial inclusion in poor segments of those countries. Advancing financial inclusion is a crucial challenge but holds prominence, given the minimal use of formal finance in <strong>Asia–Pacific countries</strong>. Moreover, institutions are pivotal in driving both financial and economic development. However, the effect of institutional quality on the financial sector has recently become a debatable topic with inconsistent empirical evidence. This paper examines the impact of financial inclusion on economic growth and how institutional quality affects the nexus between financial inclusion and economic growth in 37 Asia–Pacific countries from 2004 to 2021. The financial inclusion index and the institutional quality index are constructed using principal component analysis. Fixed-effect regression is used to find the effect of financial inclusion on economic growth and the impact of institutional quality on the nexus between financial inclusion and economic growth. The paper further examines the robustness of baseline results by adding more control variables, employing the system generalised method of moment, two-stage least square method, and panel quantile regression. The study findings show that the Asia–Pacific countries with inclusive finance promote economic growth, which is more pronounced with strong institutional quality contributing to the <em>Theory of Finance and Growth</em> and <em>Institutional Theory.</em> This study contributes to the new empirical evidence that financial inclusion improves economic growth in the Asia–Pacific countries while it is stronger with the presence of institutional quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100670"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143593513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modern agrotechnology, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction nexus: Mediation of farm performance; empirical evidence on BAU-STR dryer","authors":"Lavlu Mozumdar ,&nbsp;Samantha Lindgren ,&nbsp;Nazia Nishat","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100673","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100673","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Modern agrotechnology can play a crucial role in fostering growth and development in developing countries, where smallholder farmers face persistent poverty, and female farmers often occupy a disadvantaged societal position with limited access to such technology. This study explores the impacts of modern agrotechnology—particularly the BAU-STR dryer—on farm performance, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to validate the research model, using data collected from 176 Bangladeshi smallholder female farmers through face-to-face interviews based on a structured interview schedule. The empirical results from the SEM analysis reveal that (i) modern agrotechnology’s use, specifically the BAU-STR dryer, significantly and positively impacts farm performance, but it is not statistically directly related to women’s empowerment and poverty reduction; (ii) farm performance significantly positively influences both women’s empowerment and poverty reduction; (iii) women’s empowerment has a direct and positive effect on poverty reduction; (iv) farm performance mediates the impact of modern agrotechnology on women’s empowerment and poverty reduction. Policies should focus on encouraging and enabling female farmers to access modern agrotechnology, such as BAU-STR dryers. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the importance of modern agrotechnology and its interconnected impacts on farm performance, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction in developing countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100673"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143593459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Camel leasing as a resilience-building practice: Insights from Somali pastoralist households and dairy farms","authors":"Emily Decker ,&nbsp;Rebecca M. Flueckiger ,&nbsp;Micah Frumkin ,&nbsp;Rebecca H. Jeudin ,&nbsp;Christelle Celestin ,&nbsp;Abdul Kareem Osman Essa ,&nbsp;Ezgi E. Yilmaz","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100668","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100668","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Following severe drought in Somalia in 2016 and 2017, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Somalia Growth, Enterprise, Employment and Livelihoods (GEEL) project encouraged camel leasing as a mutually beneficial practice between camel-herding pastoralists and camel milk dairies to build resilience to shocks. Camel leasing describes a formal agreement in which dairies lease lactating camels from pastoralists in exchange for monthly payment and care for the camel. The benefits of livestock leasing have not yet been explored in existing literature. We examine the case of camel leasing as a market-based resilience-building practice in the Woqooyi Galbeed region of Somaliland using a longitudinal mixed-methods approach. Our study finds that within the sample, leasing pastoralists were better able to save money, invest in assets, and send children to school compared to non-leasing pastoralists. Leasing dairies used leasing as a business strategy to increase milk production, raise profits, and invest in more assets. These economic gains were associated with contributions to community resilience, including new job opportunities and investment in communal assets. Leasing also had implications for Somali women and girls, associated with higher girls’ school enrollment rates, greater control over household income, and the creation of women’s savings and loan associations. However, leasing has negatively impacted female milk market traders who have been pushed out of the market due to greater competition from dairies. This study highlights the experiences of Somali camel-herding communities, presents the first data on livestock leasing for resilience, and provides learnings for future resilience-building innovations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"37 ","pages":"Article 100668"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143464740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}