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Let's Go to the Potty!: A Potty Training Book for Toddlers
by Allison JanduGet toddlers ready for preschool with an illustrated story that helps them use the potty with confidence!Provide your toddler with the gentle support and encouragement they need during potty training. Let's Go to the Potty is an engaging, story-driven guide for toddlers who are ready to break free from diapers. Playful pictures help them understand what potty training will look and feel like, and a short, rhyming potty song teaches them how to talk to you about their potty needs.Made for toddlers—Get toddlers involved in in the potty-training process with easy-to-understand, kid-friendly language and illustrations.On-the-job potty training—Your little one can enjoy this book while on the potty, helping them develop positive feelings about the potty and reinforce their learning.Support for all toddlers—This inclusive, gender-neutral approach to toddler potty books makes it easy for any toddler to see themselves in the story.Watch diapers fall by the wayside thanks to one of the best potty-training books for toddlers.
Step-by-Step Drawing Book for Kids: 20 Fun, Introductory Drawing Lessons
by Rockridge PressHelp kids ages 6 to 9 learn how to draw, one line at a time Did you know that any kid can learn how to draw an adorable kitty cat or a fearsome dragon? This step-by-step drawing book makes it simple for aspiring artists with handy tips, beginner advice, and, of course, lots of things they can practice drawing one line at a time!Go beyond other drawing books for kids with:Beginner lessons—This book introduces concepts like shapes, lines, space, forms, balance, and more alongside beginner-friendly images.20 adorable images—Kids will have the chance to draw all kinds of amazing things, from bumblebees and racehorses to sailboats and skyscrapers.Three levels of difficulty—Pictures start out simple and get more complicated as they go, helping kids grow their skills and gain confidence.Spark their creativity with this easy-to-follow guide to drawing for kids.
H2O (H2O #1)
by Virginia BerginIn the first book in a terrifying post-apocalyptic duology, it's in the rain…and just one drop will kill you. Perfect for fans of dystopian books!.27 is a number Ruby hates. It's a number that marks the percentage of the population that has survived. It's a number that means she's one of the "lucky" few still standing. And it's a number that says her father is probably dead.Against all odds, Ruby has survived the catastrophic onset of the killer rain. Two weeks after the radio started broadcasting the warning, "It's in the rain. It's fatal and there's no cure," the drinkable water is running out. Ruby's left with two options: persevere on her own or embark on a treacherous journey across the country to find her father—if he's even still alive.Don't miss the breathless conclusion to the H2O duology, The Storm.Perfect for those looking for:Post-apocalyptic survival fictionIntriguing and unique takes on a bestselling genreYoung adult dystopian fictionA strong female narrative
Play Therapy Activities: 101 Play-Based Exercises to Improve Behavior and Strengthen the Parent-Child Connection
by Melissa LaVigne LCSW, RPTHarness the power of play—101 creative ways for you and your child to bond, have fun, and so much more!What's the best way for children to relate to the world around them? Play! In this book, you'll find a collection of joyful activities that allow parents of children ages 3 to 9 to unlock the therapeutic benefits of play.From strengthening your bond to decreasing their screen dependency, Play Therapy Activities offers a variety of simple exercises that can help improve your child's behavior, impulse control, self-awareness, and more. New to the idea of play therapy? This parent-friendly guide offers a comprehensive overview of the practice, as well as advice for making sure you and your child get the most out of your experiences together.Play Therapy Activities provides:Open the play therapy toolbox—Discover how you can help your child hone certain skills and behaviors with arts and crafts, relaxation and breathing activities, and more.101 Fun activities—Whether it's dancing, creating stories, or playing outside, discover on- and off-the-page activities (and tips!) for any number of occasions and moods.Play therapy revealed—Find out how and why play therapy is so effective, as well as the ways in which these activities can supplement actual play therapy.Bring fun and skill-building games home with Play Therapy Activities.
We're Parents! The First-Time Dad's Guide to Baby's First Year: Everything You Need to Know to Survive and Thrive Together (First-Time Dads)
by Adrian KulpA practical guide for new dads, from your baby's birth to their first birthday Newborns don't come with a manual, but We're Parents! is the next best thing. Adrian Kulp (a four-time dad himself) offers fast, fun, and easy-to-digest advice that makes it simple for you to step up and do your part as a brand-new dad. Wondering how to burp your newborn? Not sure how to get them to try solids? Desperate to get them to sleep? This comprehensive guide breaks your baby's first year down into quarterly chunks, offering stage-specific advice, quick reference guides, tutorials, monthly stats and goals, and a healthy dose of humor to help you be a supportive partner and great dad to your little one. This standout among new dad books includes: Step-by-step how-tos—Find detailed guidance for common situations you'll encounter as a new dad, from soothing and swaddling your newborn to spotting food allergies and baby-proofing your home. Cheat sheet checklists—Get quarterly checklists of ways you can help around the house, with mom and the baby, and with events and medical appointments. Developmental milestones—Track your baby's development at a glance with charts that lay out the most important milestones in one place. Discover how to be the best father and husband you can be with the expert advice inside We're Parents!
Creative Production and Management in the Performing Arts: Modus Operandi (Routledge Advances in Theatre & Performance Studies)
by Vânia RodriguesThis volume takes stock of the ways in which the regimes of artistic creation and production intersect, lending special attention to emergent discourses and work models of producing and managing theatre, dance, and performance – through the lenses of creative producers.This book suggests that social protection failures, longstanding institutional shortcomings, and the dilemmas of social and environmental sustainability are pushing arts management and production modi operandi towards a review of its expansionist assumptions and managerial hyper-productivist processes. By documenting singular ‘counter-management’ experiences in Portugal, Belgium, France, and Brazil, this study makes a strong claim for a reassessment of the role of producers and art managers as reflective practitioners and as pivotal elements towards more sustainable artistic practices.This study will be of great interest to students and scholars in theatre and performance studies, policymakers, and cultural professionals.Chapter 2 and Conclusion of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons [Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND)] 4.0 license.
Gold Medal Policing: Operational Readiness and Performance Excellence (Routledge Series on Practical and Evidence-Based Policing)
by Judy M. McDonaldThis straightforward, easy-to-understand textbook inspires tools for improving job performance, productivity, and morale in law enforcement. The groundbreaking first edition of Gold Medal Policing, inspired by work with Olympic athletes, confirmed the importance of mental readiness in frontline policing excellence. Partnerships with policing and related fields positioned Gold Medal Policing principles across recruitment, multilevel training, web-based learning, and field assessment.The second edition consolidates two decades of peer-reviewed research and training, reflecting new trends, lessons, contemporary issues, and proven tools. Drawing on insights from frontline officers recognized for their excellence, including coach officers, it introduces an Operational Readiness Framework rooted in scientific principles. This framework systematically assesses physical, technical, and mental readiness, creating a detailed police-specific profile. A comprehensive literature review informs current police preparedness practices. Mental readiness is upheld to strict, measurable standards, akin to traditional physical and technical readiness. Best practices from exceptional officers are isolated, and operational benchmarks and strategies are established. The ultimate result is to empower officers to excel in the practice of their profession.Gold Medal Policing is indispensable for law enforcement leaders, scholars, students, and aspiring officers.Questions about the research? Contact the author Judy McDonald at judy.mcdonald@uottawa.ca
Fittingness and Environmental Ethics: Philosophical, Theological and Applied Perspectives (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)
by Michael S. Northcott van den Heuvel, Steven C.This volume focuses on ‘fittingness’ as an ethical-aesthetical idea, and in particular examines how the concept is beneficial for environmental ethics. It brings together an innovative set of contributions to argue that fittingness is a significant but under-investigated facet of human ethical deliberation with both ethical and aesthetic dimensions. In widely diverse matters – from architecture to table manners – individuals and communities make decisions based on ‘fittingness’, also expressed in related terms, such as appropriateness, prudence, temperance, and mutuality. In the realm of environmental ethics, fittingness denotes a relation between conscious embodied persons and their habitats and is of relevance to judgements about how humans shape, and take up with, the non-human environment, and hence to ethical decisions about the development and use of the environment and non-human creatures. As such, fittingness can be of great benefit in reframing human relationships to the non-human, stimulating a way of living in the world that is fitting to the preservation of its fruitfulness, goodness, beauty, and truth.
Herman Daly’s Economics for a Full World: His Life and Ideas
by Peter A. VictorAs the first biography of Professor Herman Daly, this book provides an in-depth account of one of the leading thinkers and most widely read writers on economics, environment and sustainability.Herman Daly’s economics for a full world, based on his steady-state economics, has been widely acknowledged through numerous prestigious international awards and prizes. Drawing on extensive interviews with Daly and in-depth analysis of his publications and debates, Peter Victor presents a unique insight into Daly’s life from childhood to the present day, describing his intellectual development, inspirations and influence. Much of the book is devoted to a comprehensive account of Daly’s foundational contributions to ecological economics. It describes how his insights and proposals have been received by economists and non-economists and the extraordinary relevance of Daly’s full world economics to solving the economic problems of today and tomorrow. Innovative and timely, this book will be of great interest to students, scholars, researchers, activists and policy makers concerned with economics, environment and sustainability.
Dreaming a way: The Films of Lewis Klahr (Focus Animation)
by Chris RobinsonSince his debut in the 1980s, Lewis Klahr has built a mesmerizing and influential body of work, establishing himself as one of the foremost collage animators—or, as he prefers, a “re-animator.” His films explore themes of identity (Altair), childhood (The Pharaoh’s Belt), sexuality (Pony Glass, Downs Are Feminine), memory (False Aging, Daylight Moon, Engram Sepals), Greek mythology (Lethe, Helen of T, 66), and capitalism (Circumstantial Pleasures). These philosophical explorations are often veiled behind the familiar veneer of mid-20th-century American pop culture—drawing inspiration from film noir, melodrama, crime films, popular music, and comic books.Working with an eclectic mix of found imagery—including magazine ads, home movies, contact sheets, pornography, and comic books—along with layered soundscapes, Klahr’s characters drift through fragmented times and spaces, searching for connection and an elusive sense of self.Despite the allure of vivid pop culture references, Klahr’s films resist easy interpretation. His elliptical, dream-like narratives challenge viewers, creating spaces where meaning remains fluid and unresolved. Yet this ambiguity is intentional—Klahr embraces the uncertainty between his work and its audience, inviting exploration over resolution.In Dreaming a Way (of) Life: The Films of Lewis Klahr, award-winning writer Chris Robinson (The Animation Pimp, Unsung Heroes of Animation, Earmarked for Collision) offers the first full-length study of this prolific and influential collage animator. Through insightful analysis, Robinson unveils the depth and complexity of Klahr’s artistic vision, guiding readers into the magic and mystery of his cinematic universe.Key Features: First in-depth study of the work of American collage artist, Lewis Klahr Mixed biography with philosophical influenced approach to the major themes of his work Introduction of important experimental and independent animation figure that shows readers animation beyond typical industry fare.
Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design (Routledge Environment and Sustainability Handbooks)
by Rachel Beth EgenhoeferThe Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Design considers the design, not only of artifacts, but of structures, systems, and interactions in the context of sustaining our shared planet. This revised edition introduces new and updated chapters, as well as a new section on pedagogy for sustainable design. With authors from around the world, design is positioned in context with recent crises such as global pandemics, racial reckoning, political unrest, and natural disasters. Just as design is an interdisciplinary field, the climate crisis is deeply tangled in racial justice, gender justice, global health, economics, trade, and more. Divided into six sections, it presents a holistic approach to understanding the many facets of sustainable design: Part 1: Systems and Design Part 2: Complexities of Sustainable Design Part 3: Community Engaged Design for Local and Global Diversity Part 4: Design for Sustainable Behaviors Part 5: Design Futures Part 6: Pedagogy in Design for Sustainability Arguing that design needs to restore, regenerate, and rejuvenate our planet and people, this handbook will be invaluable to researchers, students, and practitioners across all subdisciplines of design, architecture, business, energy management, visual arts, and environmental studies, among others.
Navigating Language in Parliamentary Practice: Between Courtesy and Conflict in Japan (Routledge Research in Pragmatics)
by Lidia TanakaTanaka explores the language used in Japanese parliamentary interactions to shed light on the use of language as a tool by politicians to convince, negotiate, persuade, as well as deliver aggression and criticism. By looking at the speech of politicians in the parliament of Japan, Tanaka demonstrates the unbreakable link between language and politics.Despite the association of Japan as a society in which linguistic politeness is paramount, Tanaka highlights the many examples of impoliteness in parliament and illustrates the idea that Japanese parliamentarians use language strategically to accomplish their political agenda. Analysis of questions and answers in committee meetings demonstrate that regardless of which party they belong to, those in opposition use the most antagonistic strategies. The book also shows the ways in which politicians deliver face-attacks and demonstrates that impoliteness can be delivered without insults or open aggression, using extremely polite language, honorifics, or sarcasm and irony.Lastly, the book also reveals that face-attacks are sent by members of both the government and opposition. As a book that explores the commonly overlooked phenomenon of impoliteness in Japan in the context of parliamentary interactions, it is a valuable resource for researchers and academics in the field of pragmatics and discourse analysis as well as a viable resource for undergraduate and graduate students.
The History of the Merchant Taylors' Company
by Matthew DaviesOne of the 'Great Twelve' livery companies of the City of London, the Merchant Taylors' Company has been in existence for some seven hundred years. This new history will chart the remarkable story of the Company and its members from its origins until the 1950s, encompassing the lives and achievements of men such as Sir Thomas White (founder of St John's College, Oxford) and the celebrated chronicler, John Stow, as well as the roles played by the Company in the City and beyond in different periods. As well as looking in detail at the internal life of the Company, the book will also focus on a number of important themes in the wider history of London. These include trade and industry, apprenticeship, the impact of religious change, the foundation of schools and other charities, and the government and politics of the City. In doing so, the book will contribute to an understanding of the aims and activities of the livery companies over the centuries, their ability to adapt to changing circumstances and their relevance in a modern world far removed from that in which they were first established. The History of the Merchant Taylors' Company will appeal to a wide range of people interested in the history of London. It is fully illustrated with more than seventy-five black and white and thirty colour illustrations.
Instituting Worlds: Architecture and Islands
by Catharina Gabrielsson Marko JobstIslands have a long history of appealing to the architectural imagination and have served as sites for architectural expressions of cultural specificity, cultural conquest, and cultural hybridisation over millennia. From offshore financial centres to immigrant detention camps, tourist havens to military bases, the architectures of islands concretise the forces at play in our contemporary, crisis-ridden societies.Collecting writings by a wide range of established scholars together with exciting new voices in architecture and affiliated disciplines, this book shows the pertinence islands hold for critical spatial thinking and practice today. Covering war and colonialism, detention and tourism, the topics raised in this book range from issues of urban development to close readings of buildings – whether ruined, designed, projected, preserved, or absent. Combing case studies, critical historiography, and pieces of experimental writing, the chapters disclose the variety of ways in which architecture can be used as a lens for analysing, disclosing, and untangling island specificity.This volume offers a very timely, vibrant, and methodologically varied approach to the subject of architecture and islands. Its global reach, innovative outlook, and rich material will be of interest to scholars and students in architecture, landscape architecture, geography, and urban design and planning, alongside arts and literary studies.
Talent Assessment: A New Strategy for Talent Management
by Tony Davis Maggie Cutt Neil Flynn Peter MowlTalented and ambitious people will only stay with their current employer if they are offered positive development, motivation and nurturing to ensure they are given every chance of realizing their potential. Simple financial packages, although superficially attractive, often assuage a short term need but rarely cater for the long-term requirements of a talented person. Talent Assessment demonstrates how to manage the needs of the individual employees and those of the organization in parallel; how to identify the aspirational and development needs of potential top performers and how to manage them sensibly. This involves using techniques to assess their mindsets, behaviours and skills and then providing effective training, development and performance management interventions. IT is an increasingly important support and enabler of this kind of process and the authors provide guidance on the process and content required for a talent management database. There is also a chapter exploring the critical operation role of HR in talent management. The book is filled with practical examples and mini-case studies to help you apply the various techniques. It provides positive, practical guidelines to encourage you to implement a suitable talent management programme as well as introducing more advanced aspects of the subject, particularly in terms of assessing suitable candidates for this way of managing your organization's future.
Handbook of Open Universities Around the World
by Santosh Panda Sanjaya MishraThe Handbook of Open Universities Around the World is the first collection to provide a comprehensive and critical overview of open universities internationally. Over 80 open universities have been established across five continents to provide a distance-orientated, class-inclusive, and high-quality education for learners left behind by existing formal systems for higher and continuing education and lifelong learning. This mission has been continually reshaped by major developments in open education, learning technologies, and online social networking, as well as by the evolution of specific concerns such as the massification of education, employability, financial trends, artificial intelligence, and development agendas on the regional, national, and global levels.This landmark volume analyzes and reflects on the planning, organization, management, pedagogic, skilling and employability, and accreditation dimensions of 47 open universities in relation to their national and institutional contexts, the internationalization of education, and the integration of advanced learning technologies. Featuring contributions by internationally recognized scholars, practitioners, and educational administrators, this authoritative resource provides insights into the business model—finances, operations, instructional systems, enrollment patterns, learner supports, quality assurance, professional development, and more—of today’s open universities. Through historical trajectories, institutional profiles, case studies, lessons learned, and best practices, this book provides rich analytical perspectives on the status and challenges of single-mode distance learning universities as an educational phenomenon while unpacking the premise of “openness” itself.This Handbook is primarily written for planners, managers, administrators, instructional designers, and teaching faculty at single-mode distance teaching universities who are seeking to sustain their institutions in a period of rapid change; government policymakers, training organizations, technology providers, and education think tanks who are in need of authentic and research-based information on technology-enabled learning modeled by open universities around the world; and graduate students, teaching faculty, and scholars who are affiliated with online and distance education, learning design and technology, higher education planning and management, adult education and lifelong learning, and education policy and future studies. Watch a stimulating discussion between the book's volume editors and Sir John Daniel and Professor Stephen Murgatroyd on YouTube!
Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement
by Victoria L. BernhardtWith the 5th Edition of Data Analysis for Continuous School Improvement, best-selling Victoria Bernhardt has written the go-to-resource for data analysis in your school! By incorporating collaborative structures to implement, monitor, and evaluate the vision and continuous improvement plan, this book provides a framework to show learning organizations how to create the results they really want for all teachers and all students.A culmination of over 30 years of doing the hard work in schools and districts both nationally and internationally, this 5th Edition shares new, evidence-based information and shows how to analyze, report, communicate, and use multiple measures of data, to create a shared vision and a continuous school improvement plan that gets implemented – a plan that doesn't just gather dust on an office shelf.The revised edition is updated throughout including new chapters on school processes, student achievement, and evaluation. As always, Dr. Bernhardt provides a wealth of tools, protocols, timelines, examples, and strategies that will help schools and districts become genuine learning organizations.
Obesity: Health and Economic Consequences of an Impending Global Challenge (Human Development Perspectives)
by Meera Shekar and Barry PopkinObesity is a global ticking time bomb with huge potential negative economic and health impacts, especially for the poor. As of 2016, an estimated 44 percent of adults (more than two billion) worldwide are overweight or obese, and over 70 percent of them live in low- or middle-income countries, dispelling the myth that obesity is a problem only in high-income countries. The global obesity epidemic presents a formidable challenge to human capital acquisition, national wealth accumulation, and the goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. Given the renewed global focus on human capital, its links to the obesity epidemic, and the growing evidence base for double- and triple-duty actions, there is both an urgent need for action and a great opportunity for engagement that will require both a whole-of-government and a whole-ofdevelopment-partner approach. Countries and global partners need to act urgently to address this ensuing epidemic, with emphasis on interventions that require corrective public action rather than one of individual responsibility.
The Fallout of War: The Regional Consequences of the Conflict in Syria
by The World BankThe people of the Mashreq have seen more than their share of deaths, economic losses, and instability over the past decade. As the decade-long conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic created new challenges and worsened the existing ones, economic activity declined, labor markets deteriorated, and poverty increased. These trends would overwhelm even the most advanced economies in the world. The Fallout of War: The Regional Consequences of the Conflict in Syria identifies the impact of the Syrian conflict on economic and social outcomes in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon. It combines a large number of data sources, statistical approaches, and a suite of economic models to isolate the specific impact of the Syrian conflict from that of global and regional factors, and it explicitly analyzes the mechanisms through which such an impact is manifested. The analysis suggests that a persistent short-termism in policy making has so far propagated the shock emanating from the Syrian conflict, which led to costly and ineffective service provision, lost economic opportunities, and underfunded programs. The report advocates for a fundamental shift from the short-term mitigation policies to a medium-term regional strategy to address pertinent structural problems. Moreover, as the countries in the Mashreq look toward recovery, a policy approach that takes into account the region's interconnectedness and seeks to build on it provides better prospects for the people. Such a regional approach that addresses cross-boundary issues—including migration, trade, and infrastructure—will require local, regional, and international commitments.
Global Economic Prospects, June 2020 (Global Economic Prospects)
by World BankThe COVID-19 pandemic has, with alarming speed, dealt a heavy blow to an already-weak global economy, which is expected to slide into its deepest recession since the second world war, despite unprecedented policy support. The global recession would be deeper if countries take longer to bring the pandemic under control, if financial stress triggers defaults, or if there are protracted effects on households and firms. Economic disruptions are likely to be more severe and protracted in emerging market and developing economies with larger domestic outbreaks and weaker medical care systems; greater exposure to international spillovers through trade, tourism, and commodity and financial markets; weaker macroeconomic frameworks; and more pervasive informality and poverty. Beyond the current steep economic contraction, the pandemic is likely to leave lasting scars on the global economy by undermining consumer and investor confidence, human capital, and global value chains. Being mostly a reflection of the recent plunge in global energy demand, low oil prices are unlikely to provide much of a boost to global growth in the near term. While policymakers' immediate priorities are to address the health crisis and moderate the short-term economic losses, the likely long-term consequences of the pandemic highlight the need to forcefully undertake comprehensive reform programs to improve the fundamental drivers of economic growth, once the crisis abates. Global Economic Prospects is a World Bank Group Flagship Report that examines global economic developments and prospects, with a special focus on emerging market and developing economies, on a semiannual basis (in January and June). The January edition includes in-depth analyses of topical policy challenges faced by these economies, while the June edition contains shorter analytical pieces.
Tackling the World's Fastest-Growing HIV Epidemic: More Efficient HIV Responses in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Human Development Perspectives)
by David Wilson Feng Zhao Clemens BenediktThe Eastern Europe and Central Asia region has the world’s fastestgrowing HIV epidemic. Although still concentrated, the epidemic has diversified, affecting several key populations in many countries. This change has increased the number of people in need, the ways the epidemic can spread, and the complexity of formulating an effective strategy to combat it. At the same time, international funding is insufficient to cover the growing need, and domestic plans to cover the funding gaps, in many cases, fall short. In this environment, the need to use data to make the best possible decisions about using available funds is essential. Tackling the World’s Fastest-Growing HIV Epidemic tells the story of how, in 11 countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, small groups of decision-makers and experts came together to carry out innovative, groundbreaking analyses for each country. It details the steps these nations have taken to strengthen their HIV programs based on the findings while highlighting critical issues for the road ahead. In so doing, the book also shows the potential of what can be done with a mathematical model and how it can support real-life improvements in policy and more efficacious budget allocations. It is the record of a unique undertaking to improve public health investments that offers lessons for many communities.
Global Economic Prospects, January 2020: Slow Growth, Policy Challenges (Global Economic Prospects)
by World BankGlobal growth is projected to be slightly faster in 2020 than the post-crisis low registered last year. While growth could be stronger if reduced trade tensions lead to a sustained reduction in uncertainty, the balance of risks to the outlook is to the downside. Growth in emerging market and developing economies is also expected to remain subdued, continuing a decade of disappointing outcomes. A steep and widespread productivity growth slowdown has been underway in these economies since the global financial crisis, despite the largest, fastest, and most broad-based accumulation of debt since the 1970s. In addition, many emerging market and developing economies, including low-income countries, face the challenge of phasing out price controls that impose heavy fiscal cost and dampen investment. These circumstances add urgency to the need to implement measures to rebuild macroeconomic policy space and to undertake reforms to rekindle productivity growth. These efforts need to be supplemented by policies to promote inclusive and sustainable long-term growth and accelerate poverty alleviation. Global Economic Prospects is a World Bank Group Flagship Report that examines global economic developments and prospects, with a special focus on emerging market and developing countries, on a semiannual basis (in January and June). The January edition includes in-depth analyses of topical policy challenges faced by these economies, whereas the June edition contains shorter analytical pieces.
Women and Trade: The Role of Trade in Promoting Gender Equality
by World Bank;World Trade OrganizationTrade can dramatically improve women’s lives, creating new jobs, enhancing consumer choices, and increasing women’s bargaining power in society. It can also lead to job losses and a concentration of work in low-skilled employment. Given the complexity and specificity of the relationship between trade and gender, it is essential to assess the potential impact of trade policy on both women and men and to develop appropriate, evidence-based policies to ensure that trade helps to enhance opportunities for all. Research on gender equality and trade has been constrained by limited data and a lack of understanding of the connections among the economic roles that women play as workers, consumers, and decision makers. Building on new analyses and new sex-disaggregated data, Women and Trade: The Role of Trade in Promoting Gender Equality aims to advance the understanding of the relationship between trade and gender equality and to identify a series of opportunities through which trade can improve the lives of women.
Sourcebook on the Foundations of Social Protection Delivery Systems
by Kathy Lindert Tina George Karippacheril Inés Rodríguez Caillava Kenichi Nishikawa ChávezThe Sourcebook on the Foundations of Social Protection Delivery Systems synthesizes real-world experiences and lessons learned of social protection delivery systems from around the globe. It takes a broad view of social protection, covering various intended populations such as poor or low-income families, unemployed workers, persons with disabilities, and individuals facing social risks. It discusses many types of interventions that governments provide to individuals, families, or households, including categorical programs, poverty-targeted programs, labor benefits and services, disability benefits and services, and social services. The Sourcebook seeks to address concrete “how-to†? questions, including: • How do countries deliver social protection benefits and services? • How do they do so effectively and efficiently? • How do they ensure dynamic inclusion, especially for the most vulnerable and needy? • How do they promote better coordination and integration—not only among social protection programs but also among programs in other parts of government? • How can they meet the needs of their intended populations and provide a better client experience? The delivery systems framework elaborates on the key elements of that operating environment. The framework is anchored in core implementation phases along the delivery chain. Key actors, including people and institutions, interact all along that delivery chain. Those interactions are facilitated by communications, information systems, and technology. This framework can apply to the delivery of one or many programs and to the delivery of adaptive social protection. The Sourcebook structures itself around eight key principles that can frame the delivery systems mind-set: 1. There is no single blueprint for delivery systems, but there are commonalities, and those common elements constitute the core of the delivery systems framework. 2. Quality of implementation matters, and weaknesses in any of the core elements will negatively affect the entire system, reducing the impacts of the program(s) they support. 3. Delivery systems evolve over time, in a nonlinear fashion, and their starting points matter. 4. Efforts should be made to “keep it simple†? and to “do simple well,†? from the start. 5. The “first mile†?—people’s direct interface with administrative functions—is often the weakest link in the delivery chain; improving it may take systemic change but will greatly improve overall efficiencies and mitigate the risk of failures on the frontlines. 6. Social protection programs do not operate in a vacuum, and thus their delivery systems should not be developed in silos; synergies across institutions and information systems are possible and can improve program outcomes. 7. Social protection delivery systems can contribute more broadly to government’s ability to serve other sectors, such as health insurance subsidies, scholarships, social energy tariffs, housing benefits, and legal services. 8. The dual challenges of inclusion and coordination are pervasive and perennial and encourage the continuous improvement of delivery systems, through a dynamic, integrated, and human-centered approach.
The Economics of the Belt and Road Initiative: Opportunities and Risks of Transport Corridors
by World BankChina proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013 to improve connectivity and cooperation on a transcontinental scale. This study, by a team of World Bank Group economists led by Michele Ruta, analyzes the economics of the initiative. It assesses the connectivity gaps between economies along the initiative’s corridors, examines the costs and economic effects of the infrastructure improvements proposed under the initiative, and identifies complementary policy reforms and institutions that will support welfare maximization and mitigation of risks for participating economies.