This regional study encompasses three
Central American countries: Nicaragua, Guatemala and
Honduras. The focus of this report is Guatemala. The study
is motivated by several factors: First is the recognition
that sub-national regions are becoming increasingly
heterogeneous, and economically differentiated as part of
ongoing processes of development and diversification, with
some areas advancing, and others being left behind. Second

This is the sixth issue of the
"Thailand Social Monitor." It is written for Thai
policymakers, to provide them with the best evidence
currently available on poverty and public policy, and to
strengthen the foundation for anti-poverty strategies in
Thailand. This report approaches Poverty in Thailand from
four perspectives: 1) the changing profile of the poor, who
they are, where they live, their defining characteristics,

Russia and other countries in the
commonwealth of independent states that have implemented
voucher privatization programs have to account for the
puzzling behavior of insiders manager-owners-who, in
stripping assets from the firms they own, appear to be
stealing from one pocket to fill the other. This article
suggests that asset stripping and the absence of
restructuring result from interactions between insiders and

This report is intended as an input into
the Philippine Government's poverty eradication
strategy. The report aims to update our understanding of the
nature of poverty and the recent progress in poverty
reduction in the Philippines. It examines the extent to
which growth in the nineties has translated into poverty
reduction and analyzes how well publicly-provided social
services reach the poor and whether redistributive policies

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), in
collaboration with the World Bank, UNDP, UNCHS (HABITAT) and
the Western Provincial Council (WPC) in Sri Lanka, launched
a project in February 2000 to formulate a comprehensive
strategy framework and a perspective plan of action for
development of the city. The purpose was to identify key
areas and issues that need systemic and planned attention of
the Council and other major stakeholders and to develop

The paper's main objectives are to
provide a common thematic basis for urban transport inputs
into the making of country-specific assistance strategies,
and thereafter to guide urban transport project and sector
work included in the business plans agreed under these
strategies. It is a companion volume to the forthcoming ECA
Transport Strategy Paper, which covers all modes of
transport. It also represents a bridge between the

This report highlights the discussion,
processes, lessons learned in examining innovative options
for participation by all stakeholders in seeking new social
and economic contracts between civil society and urban
governments. The improvement in relationships is geared
towards providing better services for urban poor and
directly contributing to urban poverty alleviation. The
report attempts to capture the new wave of enthusiasm and

The report assesses the main factors
which constrain the sustainable development of the Gezira
Scheme (GS), to develop medium, to long term plans,
including short-term actions, to address those constrains.
The GS, is described as a large and complex enterprise,
because although it is one the world's largest
irrigation systems, it has become one of the least
efficient, irrespective of the fact that it uses thirty five

The note focuses on the external
benefits of rural electrification (RE), i.e., improved
access to communication, education, and economic
opportunities, in addition to extended health services. It
outlines key lessons to scaling up RE, namely macroeconomic
stability, continued government commitments, and
institutional capacity. However, it also suggests that grid
extension is not always cost-effective, rather,

In this exploration of urban and regional dynamics in Poland after the transition, the authors find that the degree of urbanization, and primacy remains low in Poland. The largest cities are not growing at the rate that would be expected if post-transition adjustments were operating freely. As a result, Poland is not fully realizing external economies from urban agglomeration. Internal migration decreased significantly in the 1990s, with rural-to-urban migration declining dramatically.

The Water Resources Sector Strategy
(WRSS) supports implementation of the Bank's 1993 Water
Resources Management Policy, using the experience updated
internationally, with water resources and management. This
country Water Resources Assistance Strategy (CWRAS)
identifies the Philippines principal water resource
challenges, the current situation, how the Bank is assisting
at present, and what it should in the future. In summary

Gender issues, particularly with respect
to women's status and rights, have for a considerable
period, been in the forefront of donors' dialogue on
social issues with Africa. While Africa countries have fully
acknowledged the seriousness of the issues and the urgent
need for action, the dialogue has been largely donor-driven
and issues and priorities been donor-set. Recognizing the
need for a new approach in this important area for