Despite progress over the last two decades, girls still have on average lower levels of educational attainment than boys in many African countries, especially at the secondary and tertiary levels. Girls dropping out of school are more likely to marry or have children early, before they may be physically and emotionally ready to become wives and mothers. This may affect their own health. It may also affect that of their children since children of mothers younger than 18 face higher risks of dying by age five and being malnourished. They may also do poorly in school. Other risks for girls and women associated with a lack of education as well as child marriage include intimate partner violence and a lack of decision-making ability in the household. Through lower expected earnings in adulthood and higher fertility over their lifetime, a lack of education for girls as well as child marriage lead to higher rates of poverty for households. This is due to both losses in incomes and higher basic needs from larger household sizes. Low educational attainment for girls may also weaken solidarity in communities and reduce women’s participation in society. Lack of education is associated with a lower proclivity to altruistic behaviors, and it curtails women’s voice and agency in the household, at work and in institutions. This report documents the negative impacts of low educational attainment for girls, child marriage, and early childbearing for girls in Africa and some of their associated economic costs. The message is clear: educating girls is not only the right thing to do. It also makes economic and strategic sense for countries to fulfill their development potential. (World)
Public financing of privately provided child care can allow for access to these services in places where public provision and capacity are low. However, the mechanisms of subsidy delivery will affect who benefits, and the overall cost-effectiveness of such subsidies. This paper sets out an ex-ante simulation model for estimating the benefit incidence of expanded capacity and enrollments resulting from different child care subsidy mechanisms. It combines a supply-side provider level and a demand-side household model in one simulation. The paper considers investment vs. operational monthly grants to child care providers, combinations of investment and operational grants, and demand-side vouchers to households. The model is applied to empirical data from child care centers and households in Turkey. The results reveal that the choice of the subsidy delivery model has a strong bearing on the benefit incidence and cost-effectiveness of the subsidy. In the case of Turkey, where significant supply-side constraints exist in the market, a demand-side voucher system is shown to be the least cost-effective subsidy delivery model. A targeted demand-side voucher does not necessarily deliver the most “pro-poor results,” and combinations show different benefits and costs. The proposed simulation model can be applied in other country contexts, with the only data requirements being microdata on the costs and pricing structure of child care providers, as well as household data with variables on household welfare and child care utilization. (Turkiye)
The objective of this report is to address the knowledge gaps for the first and second priority challenges and thereby contribute to the evidence-based policymaking on the labor supply and gender equality agendas. Specifically, the report explores the key labor market gender challenges such as occupational segregation (looking at segregation of current occupations and educational specializations) and the parenthood penalty (looking at differences in labor force participation, employment, and earnings for women and men with no children, 1 child, 2 or more children), using the nationally-representative individual-level Labor Force Survey (LFS) data in 2006-2016. The novelty of this study is that an LFS-based analysis that applies a conventional methodology of occupational segregation indicators and earnings regressions and decompositions in chapters two through four is complemented by an original analysis of job seeker profiles in chapter five, scraped from the largest online job portal in Moldova in June 2018, to examine the role of gender in labor market aspirations and expectations of young job seekers. Even though the third priority challenge (entrepreneurship) is also linked to the labor market and there are substantial disparities in the success rate of setting up a business as well as in the size and nature of businesses that Moldovan women and men lead (World Bank, 2014a), this report does not address the issue of entrepreneurship in detail due to LFS data containing only a very small sample of non-agricultural employers (either women or men) and very few relevant variables on this topic. Another limitation of this report is that it does not study the impact of international labor migration and remittances on labor market outcomes of remaining household members and other social and economic indicators in Moldova. Besedina and Levin (2016) and Stratan et al. (2013) find that migration and remittances are associated with lower labor force participation rates of remaining household members (who are more likely to be female, compared to households without migrants)and higher incidence of part-time employment as remittance recipients rationally reduce their labor effort. To answer the question whether migration and remittances contribute to gender inequalities in the Moldovan labor market, including gender gaps in labor force participation, employment and earnings, other data and further research are needed. Finally, the report contributes to the literature about the supply side of the Moldovan labor market whereas it draws on the findings of other studies on the labor demand developments. According to World Bank (2016b, c), rapid economic growth in recent years in Moldova was not accompanied by job creation, net job losses have taken place in most sectors and across regions, and only some categories of workers (predominantly skilled older male workers in urban areas) were able to benefit from access to higher-paying jobs in productivity increasing firms. The report is intended for technically-inclined readers from government agencies, think tanks and researchers active in gender and labor market domains. The Executive summary summarizes the findings of the analysis in non-technical language for the general public and policy makers. Annex one provides technical details on which methodology and data are used for the analysis. (Moldova)
The development objective of Protection of Essential Health Services Project is to increase the utilization and quality of an essential package of health services in South Sudan, with a particular focus on the former states of Upper Nile and Jonglei. Some of the negative impacts include: (i) inequitable availability and access to service delivery in areas that are not highly vulnerable; (ii) poor hygiene, water and sanitation in health facilities negatively impacts safe delivery of health care services; (iii) Implementing partners (IPs) are not prepared nor equipped to respond to emergencies, including disease outbreaks; (iv) ghost workers and ghost health facilities included in the project fraudulently consuming budgetary resources through inflated staffing and facility costs; (v) expired and damaged drugs negatively affecting communities in the areas where the project is implemented; (vi) inequitable availability and access to service delivery in areas that are not highly vulnerable; and (vii) shortage of suitably qualified staff or presence of lowly skilled medical staff. Some of the mitigation measures include: (i) mapping of functional health facilities and selection of those to be supported, considering, local administrative boundaries, government and non-government (IO) controlled areas, population size, cultural characteristics of the population, and conflict dynamics; (ii) develop waste management plans for each health facility; (iii) train IPs in emergency preparedness and response, including infectious disease surveillance and response (IDSR); (iv) physical verification and mapping of health facilities by community mobilizers as well as an auditing firm; (v) conduct a diagnostic assessment to assess how the supply chain can be improved to ensure adequate delivery to health facilities located in Sudanese People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) areas as well as other hard-to-reach areas; (vi) strengthen community engagement and dialogue to reduce targeting of health institutions when conflict occurs; and (vii) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will continue to work closely with United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to utilize their channels for lobbying for access in conflict areas to allow programmatic assessments and interventions, monitoring and vital distribution of life saving drugs by UNICEF and its partner’ access. (South Sudan)
This report documents the challenge of achieving inclusive education in Africa. Primary school completion rates are 10 percentage points lower for girls with disabilities than for girls without disabilities. For boys, the disability gap in primary completion rates is 13 points. Gaps are also large for secondary education completion and children with disabilities are much more likely to never enroll in school at all. Across the board disability gaps have been steadily increasing over the last 20 years. Even when children with disabilities manage to remain in school, they perform on average less well on mathematics and reading tests. This is one of the reasons why only half of children with disabilities of primary school completion age can read and write, and only one in four complete secondary school. Multiple factors lead to disability gaps in education. According to teacher perceptions on the reasons why children drop out of school, lack of adequate infrastructure for children with disabilities is a major issue. In addition, among a dozen types of in-service training provided to teachers, training related to inclusive education is the least commonly provided. Finally, screening for disabilities in school remains very rare. In essence, children with disabilities are being left behind by efforts to improve education opportunities for all. Investing in the education of children with disabilities is required from a rights perspective , but it is also a smart investment. Indeed, apart from a wide range of other benefits from educational attainment, the labor market returns to education for individuals with disabilities are large and similar order to the returns observed for other individuals. (World)
The present output was carried out under the reimbursable advisory services (RAS) agreement concluded for the development of plans for the de-institutionalization of children deprived of parental care and their transfer to community-based care, between the world bank and the national authority for the protection of children’s rights and adoption (AMPDCA), on may 12, 2016. the agreement covers the technical assistance for the ANPDCA project development of the plan for the deinstitutionalization of children in residential care and their transition to community-based care – code SIPOCA 2, funded by the European social fund under the operational program for administrative capacity. Between May-October 2018, the world bank team collected and analyzed the data needed to prepare the sixth output under the agreement (output 6). This report is a continuation of the first five outputs, already submitted to the ANPDCA (in March, June and December 2017 and June, September 2018), this being the last output under this agreement. output 6 incorporates the ideas and comments formulated during eight regional consultation seminars (one per each region of the country), organized in July 2018 by the national authority for child protection and adoption (ANPDCA), attended by over 400 representatives of county and local authorities, as well as NGOs from this field. Output 6 are (i) Analysis of the survey of families of institutionalized children living in source communities, (ii) identification of children exposed to the risk of separation in at least 30 source communities, (iii) 30 plans for the development of preventative services in rural source communities, (iv) a plan for the monitoring and evaluation of closing Residential Centers, and (v) a dissemination report presenting the results of the RAS (Romania)
The Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographics Project of Benin has the objective to increase women and adolescent girls’ empowerment and their access to quality reproductive, child and maternal health services in selected areas of the participating countries, including theRecipients' territory, and to improve regional knowledge generation and sharing as well as regional capacity and coordination. This project is comprised of three components. (1) Improve Regional Demand for Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAHN) Services and Increase Empowerment for Women and Adolescents. (2) Ensuring availability and sustainability of family planning services, including supply chain of modern contraceptives will be a key factor in accelerating the demographic transition in Benin. (3) National capacity in Benin will be built to collect, analyze, translate and use data that can inform population policy, investments in human capital and gender interventions. (Western Africa)
The adoption of the Law on the Protection of Children and Adolescents in 2019 represents a significant turning point in the evolution of Iranian criminal policy toward minors. This article examines the conceptual foundations, legal innovations, and structural implications of the statute with particular emphasis on the emergence of the category of “children at risk.” Moving beyond traditional offender-centered approaches, the law introduces a preventive and protection-oriented framework that allows state intervention prior to the occurrence of criminal harm. Through doctrinal legal analysis and criminal policy evaluation, the study explores how the legislation restructures the relationship between criminal law, social welfare institutions, and family responsibility. The findings indicate that the 2019 law expands the scope of criminal protection by criminalizing neglect and endangerment, establishing mandatory reporting obligations, strengthening institutional coordination, and introducing child-sensitive procedural safeguards. These reforms shift Iranian criminal policy from reactive punishment toward proactive prevention, positioning children as rights-bearing individuals whose vulnerability justifies early intervention. The law also reflects an attempt to reconcile domestic legal traditions with contemporary international child protection standards while maintaining doctrinal continuity within the national legal system. Despite these advances, the article identifies several structural challenges affecting implementation, including conceptual ambiguity in defining risk, tensions between preventive intervention and legal certainty, institutional capacity limitations, and the need to balance child protection with family autonomy. The study argues that the effectiveness of the reform depends not only on legislative innovation but also on sustained institutional development, professional training, and interpretative coherence. Ultimately, the 2019 law constitutes a paradigm shift in Iranian criminal policy by embedding preventive protection at the center of legal responses to childhood vulnerability. It establishes the foundation for a rights-based and preventive model of criminal justice that seeks to reduce victimization, promote social reintegration, and strengthen long-term child welfare.
Zeinab Forouzeshnia, Ebrahim Rajabi Taj Amir, Amir Ahmadi
This study examined the impact of portfolio assessment on evaluating the English language skills of pupils with hearing impairment in Fako Division, Cameroon. Portfolio assessment, as an informal and learner-centred approach, was explored within the framework of inclusive education, where traditional assessment methods often fail to adequately reflect the abilities of learners with hearing loss. The research utilised a quasi-experimental design involving pupils with hearing impairment in selected inclusive primary schools. Data were gathered through English language tests, classroom observations, and interviews with parents, teachers, head teachers, and the divisional delegate. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analysis, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. The results indicated that pupils subjected to portfolio assessment performed significantly better in English language skills than those assessed through conventional methods. Statistical analysis (SPSS t-tests and regression) showed that pupils assessed via portfolios scored notably higher on post-tests (portfolio group mean=12.78 versus control=11.14; t(38)=2.919, p<.05). Regression analysis demonstrated that portfolio use was a strong predictor of language improvement (β=0.336, p<.001). Classroom observations and interview findings further revealed that portfolio assessment encouraged ongoing learning, increased learner engagement, self-reflection, and heightened teacher awareness of individual progress. The study concludes that portfolio assessment is an effective method for evaluating the English language skills of pupils with hearing impairment and recommends its systematic adoption within inclusive classroom practice.
Background : Globally, one in five infants under 6 months is at risk of death, illness and poor development. They may be identified as being malnourished, growing poorly, or underweight and may have been born too early or too small. The MAMI Care Pathway Package is an integrated care pathway approach, with a package of adaptable resources to guide inter-disciplinary continuity of care for these at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers within health systems. This approach supports implementation of WHO health and nutrition guidelines that recommend outpatient care. However, the MAMI Care Pathway approach has not been robustly tested within national health systems that has impeded national policy transtion from inpatient-only care for this age-group. To address this evidence gap, the MAMI RISE (Research, Innovate, Scale, Establish) Research Project was developed to test the MAMI Care Pathway in a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in outpatient clinics in Ethiopia. This five-year project (2019-2025) was delivered in a co-creative partnership between LSHTM, Emergency Nutrition Network, Jimma University and GOAL Ethiopia funded by the Eleanor Crook Foundation. Within this research project, I investigated what factors influence implementation of an integrated care pathway in outpatient clinics in Ethiopia through three studies. Methods: I undertook a scoping review of global policies to appraise global policy guidance relevant to the care of at-risk infants under 6 months and their mothers in Ethiopia (Study 1); a pre-trial feasibility study to identify factors that may influence implementation of the MAMI Care Pathway in outpatient health facilities (Study 2); and a realist-informed process evaluation to evaluate how the MAMI Care Pathway worked, for whom and under what circumstances during the RCT (Study 3). The scoping review of global policies involved a literature search of publicly available data according to PRISMA-ScR guidance. The feasibility study involved interviews with health workers and senior policymakers in Ethiopia to explore both health service and policy fit. The process evaluation involved interviews with mothers, fathers, health and research staff in intervention and control sites, and secondary RCT data from research team meetings and incident logs. Results: The scoping review of global policies found rich but fragmented policy guidance that mask interdiscipline policy synergies and important guidance gaps. Evidenced growth markers of infant mortality risk are largely absent from WHO health-oriented guidance. Continuity of care for mothers and infants lacked depth and detail. Using the MAMI Care Pathway to support WHO recommendation uptake is constrained by institutional procedures that limit consideration of nonUN guidance. Transitioning to a living guideline system is necessary and urgent. Applying the WHOINTEGRATE framework to handle complexity within guidance could improve policy fit for implementation of integrated care. The feasibility study found the intervention was perceived by staff as feasible to implement in outpatient services with additional structural support and likely acceptable to mothers. High staff acceptability was influenced by perceived demand, need, implementation realities and integration potential with Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) protocols. Identified service constraints included low availability of maternal nutrition and health services and limited breastfeeding and mental health counselling competencies. Policymakers identified good coherence of the MAMI Care Pathway with national policy provisions and intent but emphasised their need for implementation evidence to appraise policy implications of RCT findings. Overall, the process evaluation found the MAMI Care Pathway approach was acceptable, feasible, valued and impactful during a pragmatic, responsive RCT in outpatient services. Positive and varied RCT outcomes were explainable, given case complexities, setting differences, and implementation conditions. Synergism between intervention components, people and health-research systems maximised what was possible. Shared vision gave purpose and drove impact. Adaptive changes meant implementation varied between clinics, settings and over time. Both mothers and health workers had improved access to resources and experienced motivational outcomes that empowered them to cooperatively act. The study also identified that routine service gaps have negative consequences for infants, mothers and families. It is likely that greater scope and intensity of intervention is needed for some cases. Embedded staff generated rich transferable knowledge that strengthens integration potential. Evidencing approaches should transition to locally led implementation research embedded in health services. In summary, the scoping review of global policies identified strong potential but important limitations with global policy content and processes that risk limiting implementation of integrated care. The feasibility study confirmed consistency of the MAMI Care Pathway approach with national policy guidance and IMCI based outpatient protocols. The process evaluation confirmed intervention fit with outpatient services in Ethiopia and strong integration potential. Implications: This body of research provides contextualised evidence for the interpretation of an RCT of the MAMI Care Pathway approach in Ethiopia. Findings have informed national policy development on malnutrition management in Ethiopia. This research provides transferable learning on evidencing and implementing integrated, equitable and just systems of health for localised, scalable, and sustainable care. Co-creative research partnerships that plan for scale maximise national policy fit and system readiness. Implementation research should accompany trials of complex health interventions. The generative knowledge of local stakeholders is essential to evidencing how to deliver effective sustainable care. Programming approaches for at risk infants and mothers must extend beyond nutrition interventions, health interventions must embed action on infant growth and maternal wellbeing. Integrated care is feasible with structural and professional support for staff. Multi-level research, programming and policy action and interaction is necessary for synergistic effects. Inter-disciplinary and inter-system brokerage and stronger global accountability mechanisms to secure better international policy order are needed to achieve this. My findings demonstrate how implementation of integrated care requires policies and programmes that empower local stakeholders to develop, adapt and deliver interventions for at risk infants under 6 months and their mothers. This approach will require a re-focus of international support on catalytic long-term investments in systems of person-centred care, and the pursuit of sustainable scale through contextually grounded, locally led implementation research and learning exchange.
