Infrastructure has a critical role in narrowing gender gaps and accelerating the advancement of women and girls. If women are given a say in infrastructure design and investment, projects can become more effective enablers of their growth.

The Asia and Pacific region is aging rapidly, and that is affecting the region’s workforce, but increased longevity is adding an unexpected element to the picture

Data-driven decision making can be a powerful tool in the world of international development but it requires careful planning and management. 

Bhutan is using an innovative financing system to ensure its citizens have access to quality affordable health care.

Local officials can now find information from all sectors, such as health, education, women’s empowerment, child protection, and human rights and law, to help them address child and teen marriage in their area.

To level the playing field in Asia and the Pacific, women-owned companies need financial backing to support their importing and exporting needs.

The cost of disasters far outweighs the resources available for recovery. Microfinance could be one way to fill the funding gap.  

Work done within the home, including caring for children, is extremely important to society but undervalued and poorly tracked. 

With no single cause, and no magic solution, the congestion of Asia’s cities requires government resolve and know-how to fix.

Past financial crises have demonstrated how adequate financial safety net arrangements—globally, regionally, and nationally—are vital to safeguarding financial stability.

The over-use of acronyms turns the joy of reading into a tedious process of decoding. It also muddles the message of development communications.

Governments in the region need to invest more in prevention and response to the long-term impacts of disaster displacement.

Despite variations across countries on policy mix and timing, a pragmatic focus on sustained growth, poverty reduction, and inclusiveness characterize Asia’s economic rise 

To offset the declining benefits of manufacturing, governments must increase the productivity of the services sector. This will boost growth and offer employment opportunities.

In recent years, particularly in many developing countries, road developers have failed to give sufficient consideration to road safety features in the design and construction of highways. As a result, these roads have become more deadly.

The exponential growth of data and artificial intelligence is creating a tug-of-war between data for profit and data for the common good. In this struggle, it is fundamental that we protect our basic human data rights.

Singapore’s carbon tax is designed to maximize green investments while minimizing negative effects on the overall economy.

These charts illustrate how Sri Lanka’s elderly population is increasing while the number of working-age people to help support them is declining. Forward-thinking policies are needed to address the challenges arising from this imbalance.

Solar power is helping Asia get electricity to people, particularly in rural and remote areas, but it has fallen behind in its use as a clean energy cooking source.

Bangladesh’s capital has some of the worst traffic in the world but a new rail system that will be able to carry an estimated 60,000 people an hour is providing hope.

Girls and women today have far more opportunities and role models than their mothers and grandmothers, but there is much more to be done.

Developing a holistic national student assessment system can be a colossal undertaking but strategic measures can produce results.

Universal health coverage must be high quality to improve patients’ health outcomes

Asia’s economies have generally maintained sound macroeconomic policies that can help the region withstand this latest challenge and emerge even stronger.

The COVID-19 pandemic could be an opportunity to take a more holistic approach to health and well-being, invest in health systems and in resilient supply chains.

Pacific nations, led by the smallest and least well-off, moved decisively to restrict travel from a fast-growing list of COVID-19 affected countries.

COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of energy value chains but solar power could be an indigenous solution to keep the lights on during a crisis.

The Asia Pacific region is standing together to cooperate regionally to address the transnational threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need to support trade to not only move medical supplies but also to bolster economies

Many workers will be displaced and many businesses will close as a result of the slowdown caused by COVID-19. Providing support to those affected gives them a fighting chance.

亚洲经济体普遍采取了稳健的宏观经济政策，这有助于亚洲渡过此次难关，变得更加强大。

The pandemic provides an opportunity for regional financial cooperation on reforms to make Asian banks more resilient to crises.

The production processes and supply chains that feed into the production of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment must be secured.

კორონავირუსის პანდემიამ ვაჭრობის ხელშეწყობის აუცილებლობა დაგვანახა, არა მხოლოდ სამედიცინო ტვირთების მიმოცვლისთვის, არამედ ეკონომიკის გასაძლიერებლად.

These charts illustrate how Asian and global stock markets reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic, with market reaction closely following local outbreaks and then moving in unison with global markets amid other shocks.

The pandemic is producing more household waste and increased amounts of dangerous medical waste. We need to manage these changes for our immediate safety and for the long-term welfare of our communities.

The pandemic reinforces the need for reliable energy services to support healthcare. Clean, renewable power is a good place to start.

Bold action is required by policymakers and central bankers to keep the region’s economies afloat and contain the pandemic.

Директивным органам и центральным банкам необходимо предпринять смелые действия для поддержания экономики региона на плаву и сдерживания пандемии.

Governments in Asia and the Pacific must think about two things when restarting their economies: when to do it and how.

Hunger and malnutrition were an increasing problem worldwide before the pandemic. Restrictions imposed to curb disease spread have disrupted local and international food supply chains, making the problem even more urgent.

疫情之下，危机并存。亚洲的银行可借机合作，开展区域金融改革，增强自身抵御危机能力。

До начала пандемии голод и неправильное питание становились все более серьезной проблемой во всем мире. Ограничения, введенные для обуздания распространения болезни, разрушили местные и международные цепочки поставок продовольствия, что делает проблему еще более актуальной.

As the pandemic continues, the supply chains producing vital personal protective equipment are starting to fail, causing shortages. Countries and international organizations can fill these gaps by working together.

Countries can minimize the economic risk of epidemics by investing in the tools needed to predict disease emergence.

A forward-looking, regional approach is needed for countries in Central Asia to respond to the pandemic and prepare for future public health threats.

Странам Центральной Азии необходим перспективный региональный подход для реагирования на пандемию и подготовки к будущим угрозам для здоровья.

A gender-sensitive response is crucial to this global health emergency.

To reduce air pollution, national and city government policy makers, their development partners, academe, and the private sector need to work with young people. 

The historic spirit of cross-border trade in Central Asia is being revived in the energy sector.