Sector/Thematic Studies

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http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2110

Economic and Sectoral Work are original analytic reports authored by the World Bank and intended to influence programs and policy in client countries. They convey Bank-endorsed recommendations and represent the formal opinion of a World Bank unit on the topic. This set includes the sectoral and thematic studies which are not Core Diagnostic Studies. Other analytic and advisory activities (AAA), including technical assistance studies, are included in these sectoral/thematic collections.

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Learning from the Republic of Korea: Building Health System Resilience

(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2023-08-15) Wang, Huihui ; Hwang, Inuk ; Marquez, Patricio V.

The response of the government of the Republic of Korea to COVID-19 has been heralded as among the most successful. In the first two years of the pandemic, the government was able to keep the size of the outbreak relatively small and the death toll relatively low. Although the number of COVID-19 cases jumped significantly subsequently in 2022 and 2023 due to the spread of the more transmissible Omicron variant and a revamped testing regime that cast a broader net to detect infections, Korea had a much lower rate of total confirmed COVID-19 deaths per million population than other high income countries (676 in Korea, as compared to 3,379 in the United Kingdom, 3,331 in the United States, and 2,599 in France). The government achieved this relatively positive result without resorting to the highly restrictive measures that were adopted by most high-income countries, such as strictly controlling borders, shuttering businesses, or issuing severe lockdown or stay-at-home orders. Indeed, since the start of the outbreak in January 2020, the distinguishing features of the response in Korea include the government’s ability to mobilize swiftly, even in the early stages of the pandemic, to flatten the epidemic curve. This report dissects the COVID-19 countermeasures successfully adopted in Korea. The analysis draws out insights and lessons that may be relevant to other countries as they mount responses to ongoing crises and prepare for future public health emergencies.
Gender-Based Violence Country Profile: Saint Lucia

(Washington, DC, 2023-06-01) World Bank

The law in Saint Lucia provides for the same legal status and rights for women as for men, requires equal pay for equal work, and provides equal treatment of men and women for family property, nationality, and inheritance. Its economy is heavily dependent on tourism and services, both of which have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Economic vulnerabilities in St. Lucia are felt more keenly by women, with 42.3 percent of poor households being female headed (compared to a national rate of 25 percent) and larger than male headed households, and more women being found among the working poor, corroborating the challenges women face in the labor market. This profile looks at gender-based violence (GBV) in Saint Lucia, discussing the levels of gender-based violence (GBV), legal, institutional and policy environment for address GBV, social norms driving this violence, and the mechanisms to prevent and respond to GBV.
Gender-Based Violence Country Profile: Chile

(Washington, DC, 2023-06-01) World Bank

The economy of Chile, with a total population of approximately 19.493.185 by 2021, is undergoing an adjustment phase after a remarkable expansion in 2021, with real gross domestic product (GDP) growth dropping to 2.4 percent in 2022 due to normalized consumption and contractionary policies. This economic adjustment is predicted to continue during the first half of 2023, as consumption is expected to fall further amid weakened household liquidity and labor market. The Chilean economy is based on the exploitation of agricultural, fishing, forest, and mining resources. Chile has made several improvements in gender parity, but violence against women remains a significant problem in the country. As the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of gender-based violence, women’s labor force participation rate reduced by 10 percentage points as well as several other indicators have been affected negatively.
Gender-Based Violence Country Profile: Brazil

(Washington, DC, 2023-06-01) World Bank

In Brazil, violence against women and girls (VAWG), which is a manifestation of gender-based violence (GBV), is a major concern. Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence. The COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 added new layers of complexity to the already unsettling GBV situation in the country. Services that are part of the national network to end violence against women, including health, social assistance, public security, and justice services, were stalled during critical transmission peaks, and faced budget cuts, as resources were redirected to fund emergency response actions related to the pandemic.
Specific Operational Recommendations per Project to Address Violence Against Women and Girls in Central America Portfolio Prioritized Projects

(Washington, DC, 2023-06) World Bank

This report aims to review Latin America and Caribbean (LC2) projects both in preparation and implementation phases to identify key entry points to address Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). This review sought to identify VAWG prevention and response actions beyond Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Sexual Harassment (SH), which are part of the risk mitigation strategy that is included in a project’s social risk assessment. In some cases, activities that will support mitigation of SEA/SH risks are also included. This report is divided into two sections. The first discusses the methodology that was followed for the LC2 portfolio review, and the second describes the sector and the VAWG prevention and response actions recommended for the priority projects selected.
GovTech Maturity Index, 2022 Update - West and Central Africa Regional Brief

(Washington, DC, 2023-04-12) World Bank

According to the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2022 update for the West and Central Africa (AFW) region, six countries are in group A or B (in 2020, there were only two countries in group B and no countries in group A). The remaining 16 countries are in group C or D exhibiting medium to low focus on GovTech initiatives in general. Despite progress in core government systems and digital infrastructure, there is room for improvement in all GovTech focus areas, and further investments are needed to address service delivery and citizen engagement challenges, while improving the digital infrastructure, skills, and other enablers. Based on the 2022 digital governance and GovTech projects database, 135 investment projects have been completed in 21 countries by the World Bank global practices since 1995. There are 72 active and 24 pipeline projects supporting various GovTech solutions as of December 2022. Total commitments are about 18.1 billion dollars, 5.3 billion dollars of which is on GovTech solutions, and GovTech investments are expected to grow in the AFW region.
GovTech Maturity Index, 2022 Update — Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Brief

(Washington, DC, 2023-04-11) World Bank

According to the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2022 update for the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region, 18 countries in groups A and B are exhibiting significant focus on GovTech initiatives to enhance the delivery of public services and strengthen core government systems and enablers. The remaining 14 countries with medium to low focus are in groups C and D. Within the last two years, significant progress has been made in the pursuit of a whole-of-government approach, coupled with the establishment of dedicated GovTech entities to oversee it. Nevertheless, the regional average GTMI score of 0.547 is marginally lower than the global average of 0.552, which reflects some country-specific gaps in all GovTech dimensions that signify considerable opportunities for improvements in public sector digital transformation as presented in the report.
GovTech Maturity Index, 2022 Update — East and Southern Africa Regional Brief

(Washington, DC, 2023-04-11) World Bank

According to the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2022 update for the East and Southern Africa (AFE) region, eight countries are in group A or B, and the remaining 18 countries are in group C or D, exhibiting medium to low focus on GovTech initiatives in general. GovTech initiatives were primarily associated with enhancing the delivery of public services and strengthening core government systems. However, all four focus areas lag the technology frontier and can be improved through investments in platforms that encourage citizen engagement, as well as strategies, laws, and programs that create an enabling environment for digital transformation to thrive. Additional investments in government systems and public services are also required.
GovTech Maturity Index, 2022 Update — Middle East and North Africa Regional Brief

(Washington, DC, 2023-04-11) World Bank

According to the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2022 update for the Middle East and North Africa (MNA) region, 13 countries are in groups A and B, exhibiting substantial focus on GovTech initiatives; the remaining seven countries with medium to low focus are in groups C and D. The initiatives were primarily associated with enhancing the delivery of public services, strengthening core government systems, and improving the GovTech ecosystem. A relatively limited emphasis was placed on improving citizen engagement within the past two years. The regional average GTMI score of 0.591 is higher than the global average of 0.552, which reflects progress in half of the countries moving one level up in the GTMI groups. While the region’s overall position has improved, there are opportunities for further progress in the public sector digital transformation and investments in critical analog complements, as presented in the report.
GovTech Maturity Index, 2022 Update — Europe and Central Asia Regional Brief

(Washington, DC, 2023-04-11) World Bank

According to the GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI) 2022 update for the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region, 26 countries are in groups A and B demonstrating significant focus on GovTech initiatives and the remaining four countries are in groups C and D. The GovTech initiatives are significantly related to enhancing the delivery of public services and strengthening shared digital platforms and core systems, and there is also some focus on improving digital citizen engagement and enablers. The regional average GTMI score of 0.689 is higher than the global average of 0.552, reflecting the progress made in the last two years. However, there are some country-specific gaps that represent significant opportunities for improvement in public sector digital transformation, as indicated in the report.