World Bank Group

BUSINESS REFORMS

Doing Business 2017

Developing countries carried out more than 75% of the 283 business reforms in the past year, with Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for more than 25% of all reforms.Read More »

ENERGY

Making Power Affordable for Africa

Africa’s poor can now get access to affordable electricity keeping the utilities that supply power to be profitable.

Oil Pipeline on the North Slope of Alaska © Jonathan Nafzger/Shutterstock

COMMODITY MARKETS

World Bank Raises 2017 Oil Price Forecast

Energy prices are projected to jump almost 25% overall next year, a larger increase than anticipated in July.

What's New

RELEASE

Kristalina Georgieva Appointed Chief Executive Officer of IBRD/IDA

RELEASE

World Bank Announces New Advisor on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues

ARTICLE

Building Capacity Leads to Afghanistan’s First Kidney Transplant

ARTICLE

Helping Youth in Bangladesh STEP up to Better Jobs

ARTICLE

Facilitating Trade in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

RELEASE

India: $650 Million for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor Project

Blogs

Implementing the New Urban Agenda needs financially strong cities

Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez

Where do the world’s talents immigrate to?

Bassam Sebti

Uruguay: A giant leap to prevent tobacco-assisted suicide

Patricio Marquez

Korea: a model for development of the water and sanitation sector

Alexander Danilenko

IEG Independent Evaluation Group »

DATA

60% of economies do not have laws mandating gender nondiscrimination in hiring and equal remuneration. Such laws are more common in OECD high-income economies, followed by economies in Europe and Central Asia. Gender equality can make institutions more representative, improve social cohesion, and increase productivity.
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More Data »