Mobile phone and social media interventions for youth development outcomes
Young people are often ‘first adopters’ of new technologies, particularly broadcast technologies such as mobile phones. The upsurge in ICT usage has had a direct impact on increasing civic engagement...
View ArticleDo citizens reward good service? Voter responses to basic service provision...
This study tests the accountability hypothesis that dramatic improvements in key basic infrastructural service areas – water provision, sewerage, and refuse collection – lead to increased electoral...
View ArticleEthnic heterogeneity and public goods provision in Zambia: Evidence of a...
This article challenges the ‘‘diversity debit” hypothesis that ethnic diversity has a negative impact on social, economic, and political outcomes. It argues that rather than focus on why this is the...
View ArticlePeople and corruption: Africa survey 2015
This report surveys the public experiences and perceptions of corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa, in order to put the views of ordinary people at the centre of corruption debates. It finds that while...
View ArticleMedia, discussion and attitudes in fragile contexts
What is the relationship between media programming, political discussion and conflict-related attitudes? This paper tests the hypothesis that balanced and inclusive media-induced discussion can be a...
View ArticleWorld Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends
The digital revolution has brought easier communication and information, greater convenience, free digital products, and new forms of leisure. However, digital dividends have had much less impact on...
View ArticleGetting good at disruption in an uncertain world
What does ‘disruptive change’ mean to NGO leaders and highly experienced development practitioners in middle- and low- income countries? This working paper summarises insights into how NGOs in the...
View ArticleWhen does ICT-enabled citizen voice lead to government responsiveness?
This article reviews evidence on the use of 23 information and communications technology (ICT) platforms to project citizen voice to improve public service delivery. This study begins with a conceptual...
View ArticleHaiti – Can smartphones make schools better?
In Haiti, World Bank researchers worked with the Ministry of Education to evaluate a pilot program to use digital technology to help keep track of teachers in school and enable more effective...
View ArticleHuman rights
Human rights emerged as a new field in international development in the 1990s. By 1997, the UN Secretary-General had called on all UN development agencies to mainstream human rights (1997), while...
View ArticleCourts, clans and companies: Mobile money and dispute resolution in Somaliland
Mobile money has thrived in Somaliland, providing access to storing money in e-wallets and the ability to pay for goods and services in a largely cashless economy. Its widespread adoption raises a...
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