The World Bank Group

Weekly Update: ➡️ 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝟭𝟱 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟬% 𝗯𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻.  Many countries have reformed laws to support women at work, but Women, Business and the Law finds only half are effectively enforced, leaving barriers to pay, assets, childcare, and protections in place. ➡️ 𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜—𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱?  AI is reshaping labor markets, but workers in high-income countries are using it far more, making early investments in digital infrastructure, skills, and smart policies essential to ensure opportunity for all. ➡️ 𝗔 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝘇𝗯𝗲𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.  A modern grocery chain in Uzbekistan is delivering safer food at stable prices while strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, connecting farmers to larger markets, and boosting food security across a more inclusive retail sector. ➡️ 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆? Fertility rates are at historic lows, reshaping labor markets and long-term growth, with monetary policies playing a key role in economic development.

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts and learn more on the legal and policy factors shaping women’s access to economic opportunities. https://lnkd.in/gdR96Jjz

REPORT | Low- and middle-income countries are losing 51% of their future labor earnings due to gaps in health, education, and skills. The World Bank Group’s Building Human Capital Where It Matters finds that despite rising incomes and falling poverty, human capital outcomes have worsened across much of the developing world, with 86 of 129 countries seeing declines in nutrition, learning, or workforce skills since 2010. The report calls for broader investments in homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces and introduces the Human Capital Index Plus (HCI+), which tracks human capital from birth to 65 and measures how gaps translate into lost lifetime earnings. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: - 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀: Skill gaps tied to family circumstances emerge before age five—well before most children start school—and persist through adolescence. Income alone cannot offset poor home environments, which are linked to lower test scores, higher depression, and widespread violent discipline. - 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀: Children in wealthier neighborhoods earn twice as much as peers from poorer areas, even with similar family income and education. Beyond schools and clinics, factors like pollution, crime, and poor infrastructure directly impact health, learning, and skills. - 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀: In low- and middle-income countries, self-employed workers earn half as much per year of experience as wage workers. Yet 70% work in low-quality jobs with limited training, and gaps in labor force participation, with 50% of women and 20% of youth out of work or study, limit skill accumulation. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eVxpsdcD

Investing in jobs creates hope and opportunity while strengthening global stability. Our strategy is central to delivering results: ✅ investing in infrastructure (both physical and human) ✅ enabling a business-friendly environment ✅ and mobilizing private capital Read more in Ajay's op-ed: https://lnkd.in/extgWCMg

From Baby Shark to buses with spinning wheels, kids are watching billions of videos before they even touch a phone. Screens shape their brains, vocabulary, and attention. Simple habits like reading, play, and conversation can make a huge difference. Get more insights from Jaime Saavedra, Ezequiel Molina, and Cristóbal Cobo.

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 | Launched in July 2022 amid the pandemic and overlapping crises, IDA20 became the main vehicle to help countries respond, recover lost ground, and get back on track toward the 2030 development goals. The IDA20 Retrospective Report promotes accountability by showcasing results, strengthens the IDA model by capturing lessons learned, and deepens partnerships by highlighting priorities for the road ahead. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀: Amid a global polycrisis, IDA directed resources where they would make the most impact, empowering clients to address urgent needs like food security, and slashing the time required to approve projects by a third. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲: IDA empowers countries, businesses, communities, and people to drive change and pursue productive futures. It reaches hundreds of millions of people. Specifically, IDA20: 🔹 Supported over 122 million people, more than half of them women, with social safety nets; 🔹Helped add 11.7 GW of renewable energy capacity and provided over 55 million people with new or improved electricity access; 🔹Enabled 138 million people to benefit from enhanced internet broadband access; 🔹Helped nearly 200 million people in fragile countries access services for health, education, and jobs, including 70 million supported with employment and economic opportunities; 🔹And supported 60 countries in making disaster risk management a national priority. 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀: IDA tracks its commitments and targets through every replenishment cycle and reports to donors, clients, and the public. IDA achieved 88 percent of its expected commitments in IDA20. 𝗝𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆: IDA’s jobs and economic transformation agenda reached tens of millions of people through job-focused interventions, expanded financial inclusion for millions more, and advanced key reforms. This progress laid the groundwork for the next IDA cycle to support the wider World Bank Group’s strategic shift toward making job creation an explicit goal of development. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁:  Job growth also depends on boosting private investment in challenging contexts. IDA20 leveraged private capital across IDA financing, building on IDA’s innovative Private Sector Window. IDA21 will continue to leverage the One World Bank Group with IFC - International Finance Corporation and MIGA to strengthen foundational infrastructure and policies for private sector-led job growth.

EVENT | How does $97.4 billion in financing deliver real results for the world’s poorest countries? From social safety nets reaching 122+ million people to expanded internet access and vital support in fragile settings, the IDA20 Retrospective Report tells a powerful story of development impact amid unprecedented global challenges—and the priorities shaping IDA22. Hear directly from World Bank Group's leaders, development partners, and voices from IDA countries, sharing stories of transformational impact. Co-hosted by: African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) Speakers: Akihiko Nishio Hans Olav Kvalvaag Mfumukeko Libérat Kalpana Kochhar Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli Daiho Fujii Gallina A. Vincelette Wale Edun Paloma Anos Casero Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi Learn more: http://wrld.bg/SUBC50Yks53 #IDAworks

Drawing on the latest Women, Business and the Law data, World Bank Chief Economist Indermit Gill shows how gaps in women’s legal rights, enforcement, and economic opportunities are holding back growth. • Economies score just 67/100 on laws supporting women’s economic equality. • Barriers to work, finance, and childcare persist. • Closing these gaps would boost productivity, jobs, and resilience. Advancing women’s economic participation is one of the most underused drivers of growth. World Bank Group: Invest in People World Bank Development Economics