World Development Perspectives最新文献

{"title":"Transboundary water cooperation and joint river basin management are pivotal for climate resilient development in South Asia","authors":"Md. Arfanuzzaman","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100681","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100681","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transboundary water cooperation and joint river basin management are critical for achieving climate-resilient development in South Asia. Home to major river systems such as the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra, the region’s water resources support nearly 1.9 billion people. However, climate change is altering monsoon patterns, increasing floods and droughts, and accelerating glacial melt, which affects water availability and threatens water-energy-food-environmental (WEFE) security, ecosystems, biodiversity, and livelihoods. This study underscores the importance of transboundary cooperation to address these risks, highlighting successful models of collaboration. Despite some initiatives, substantial gaps remain in integrated governance, climate-adaptive policy frameworks, equitable water sharing, basin-wide vulnerability reduction, empowering regional institutions, and data sharing among the South Asian basins. Barriers, such as geopolitical tensions, inadequate trust and confidence, unsustainable hydropower development, limited funding and stakeholder engagement hinder effective water resource management. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated climate-resilient strategies and basin wide approaches including flexible water-sharing agreements, improved disaster risk reduction systems, joint resource mobilization, capacity building, and enhanced community involvement. By fostering transboundary collaboration, South Asian nations can build resilience, reduce water conflicts, enhance WEFE security and well-being of millions who rely on these precious water resources, and promote sustainable development across shared river basins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100681"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143941961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A study of Local Non-Governmental organisations (NGOs) as humanitarian Responders in Bakassi internally displaced Persons’ Camp, Borno State, Nigeria","authors":"Babatope Matthew Ajiboye","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100685","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100685","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nigeria has had to deal with a series of challenges ranging from insurgency, herdsmen-farmers clashes, banditry, and other issues that have persistently been Nigeria’s weakness ever since the country returned to democratic dispensation in 1999. The most profound among them all happens to be the Boko Haram insurgency campaign in the northeastern region of the nation. As a result, Nigeria has assumed the headquarters of internally displaced persons camps in the southern hemisphere (Africa). Predictably, the number of non-governmental organizations’ (NGOs) offering interventions continues to rise due to the dire condition of persons affected by the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency campaign, most especially in Borno State. By situating it within the framework of humanitarian intervention, this article studies the NGOs humanitarian efforts in assisting displaced persons at the Bakassi IDP camp to navigate the rigors of the unanticipated hardship created by the Boko Haram insurgency. This article utilizes a combination of qualitative research methods (semi-in-depth ethnographic observation and interview) to explore how NGOs operated in terms of humanitarian intervention for internally displaced persons at the Bakassi IDP camp. Findings from this study indicate that international donors’ efforts at providing succor for IDPs were undermined as a large chunk of the fund has been mismanaged or diverted to satisfy the rent-seeking desires of the many local NGOs scheme’s handlers. This article concludes that NGOs’ IDP interventions have not been dissimilar to a bizarre advanced fee fraud, as the schemes remain a conduit for scamming international donors by pretending to render humanitarian services for IDPs. It, however, recommends that state, federal, and international donors have crucial roles to play in order to curb local NGOs from deviating from the humanitarian aid they are to offer IDPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100685"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143923377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tropical deforestation and the state: Settlement schemes in the Mau forest of Kenya (1991–2001)","authors":"Stefania Albertazzi,&nbsp;Valerio Bini","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100675","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100675","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Combining interpretive perspectives from political ecology and political science, the article aims to explore the connection between tropical deforestation and the state in sub-Saharan Africa, based on the case study of the Mau forest in Kenya during 1991–2001.</div><div>With a high level of detail and resorting to data from documentary analysis, interviews, archives and remote sensing, the article will explain how the loss of forest in the Mau protected area originated in a foreign environmental conservation program, which was later embedded into the political dynamics of the ruling government, through the clientelist distribution of land in settlement schemes.</div><div>Questioning the assumptions that see deforestation in the sub-Saharan African region peculiarly driven by small-scale livelihood activities (agriculture, logging), the case study explores state leadership in deforestation, as implemented in close connection with the private sector. The article shows the specific political logic of this type of deforestation, which could be immediately translated into electoral advantages for the ruling government.</div><div>The conclusions reached are relevant since the region has seen net growth of forest loss in the past decades and as they offer a contribution to the debate around the ramifications between the state and private entities in deforestation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100675"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143923376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are women more or less likely to vote than men? Evidence from rural Bangladesh","authors":"Rubaiya Murshed","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100683","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100683","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The established notion that men and women vote differently is well-documented, yet it remains unclear whether women are less likely to vote than men or, potentially, the reverse. Evidence on this topic is particularly scarce in Global South contexts. This paper addresses this gap by examining gender differences in voting behavior within rural Bangladesh. It also investigates the factors motivating women’s electoral participation, offering insights into the underlying reasons for any observed gender disparities. Rural Bangladesh remains understudied with regard to gendered electoral participation, despite significant structural transformations in its economy that may have reshaped gender dynamics across economic, social, and political spheres. Given its potential relevance as a model for similar contexts, this research provides a timely exploration of electoral gender dynamics in a setting of democratic fragility. Using nationally (rurally) representative Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS) data and employing logit, Poisson, and propensity score matching models, the findings reveal a counterintuitive trend: women are more likely to vote than men and this is observed regardless of whether individuals are formal-educated or have never pursued formal education, and this trend is also more pronounced among younger cohorts. Additionally, married women exhibit a higher likelihood of voting, while formally educated women are less likely to participate. We contextualize these results within rural Bangladesh and propose several hypotheses to explain the observed gender differences in voting behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100683"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143918106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trade openness and women’s empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa: the role of governance","authors":"Thierry Messie Pondie ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Juakaly Wayisovia ,&nbsp;Augustin Mumbere Sibayirwandeke","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100684","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100684","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite numerous studies on women’s empowerment, there are still gaps regarding certain determinants in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study fills this gap by focusing on trade openness and women’s empowerment, with governance as a moderating variable. We analyse our model on a panel of 41 Sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2000 to 2022 using World Development Indicator. Using estimation techniques such as OLS, GLS, Lewbel 2SLS and Kinky Least Square to control for endogeneity and heterogeneity, we find a positive and significant effect of trade openness on women’s empowerment. In addition, governance positively moderates the effect of trade opening on women’s empowerment. In view of these results, it would be important for governments to involve women more in the entrepreneurial system through trade between countries in order to empower them.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100684"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143918105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of environmental practices on productive efficiency of industrial firms in Cameroon","authors":"Evrard Arnaud Ekani Bidzanga ,&nbsp;Sophie Michelle Eke Balla","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the impact of the adoption of environmental practices on the productive efficiency of industrial firms in Cameroon. It uses the stochastic frontier model and propensity score matching to analyze data from 169 Cameroonian industrial firms from the 2015 Research Center for International Development (RCID) survey.</div><div>Our results analysis shows that; the level of productive efficiency of industrial firms is low. In addition, the adoption of environmental practices has a negative and significant impact on the productive efficiency of firms. Given these insights, our analysis suggests that the government must put in place informational, technical, and financial support mechanisms to reduce the costs facing businesses and redefine the «Win-Win» logic of these practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100680"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143896161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When closure fails: Uncovering the environmental impact of gold rewashing on abandoned mine sites in Southwestern Nigeria","authors":"Olushola Daniel Eniowo","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100682","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100682","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gold “Rewashers” are groups of illegal miners who infiltrate closed alluvial gold mine sites to scoop out and wash chunks of mud with the hope of extracting any residual gold deposits in the site. This paper examines the implications of the rewashing operations by these miners on the environment. To achieve this, soil and water samples were collected from selected sites where the operations were being conducted. Physicochemical analyses were then conducted on the samples to determine the level of contamination from the operations. For the soil samples, ordinary (control) samples were collected about 50 m away from the washing sites while samples of the washed soil were also collected to examine the impact of the operations on the soil samples. There is a significant increase of the presence of cyanide and some heavy metals (Cr and Pb) in the washed soils compared with the ordinary soils across all sites investigated. The concentrations of cyanide (mg/kg) in washed soils are significantly higher than in ordinary soils across all sites: site 1 (from 0.7533 to 1.1160), site 2 (from 0.7033 to 1.5188), site 3 (from 1.0363 to 2.0000). The difference in concentration levels between washed and ordinary soils for the two soil samples collected in each site for Cr (mg/kg) are Site 1 (+0.29/+0.1305); Site 2 (+1.321/+0.891); Site 3 (+1.617/+1.541) and for Pb (mg/kg) Site 1 (+0.229/+0.1645); Site 2 (+0.7505/+0.7065); Site 3 (+0.7315/+0.696). There was a general drop in the average pH values of the washed soils as compared with the ordinary soils across all sites: site 1 (from 6.150 to 5.885); site 2 (from 6.455 to 5.518); and at site 3 (from 5.890 soil to 5.010). Such reductions suggest increased soil acidity, potentially due to the leaching of alkaline minerals during the washing process. The findings of the water tests also revealed elevated turbidity in the water samples from the sites with potential health risks and ecological stress. Similarly, the water samples show low level of dissolved oxygen (DO) with potential stress on aquatic life. Qualitative data were also collected from the sites through interviews conducted with the miners and direct observation of the mining methods to identify how the operations pose danger to the environment. Lessons were drawn from these occurrences to examine how mine planners can better protect the environment by efficiently planning for mine closure and reclamation. The paper also justifies the need for effective formalisation effort that capture the needs of the impoverished locals who take succor in this occupation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100682"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143883184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Households’ resilience capacity in the Cameroon fishing communities: case of the internally displaced and Immigrants fishermen","authors":"Muhamadu Awal Kindzeka Wirajing ,&nbsp;Roger Tsafack Nanfosso","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The fishery sector in Cameroon serves as a vital economic pillar, providing livelihoods for thousands, including immigrants and displaced populations seeking refuge and economic stability. This study investigates the resilience capacity of fishing households across eight of Cameroon’s ten regions, examining how the sector influences their ability to withstand and adapt to shocks. Drawing on a sample of 511 fishermen and fish farmers from 25 localities, the analysis employs the Household Resilience Index (HRI) and the Resilience Measurement Technical Working Group (RMTWG) framework to assess adaptive, absorptive, and transformative capacities, offering a comprehensive understanding of resilience within fishing-dependent communities. Key findings reveal that income from fish sales significantly strengthens household resilience, particularly in marine environments, where fishing serves as the primary source of livelihood. However, in inland areas, while fishing income enhances adaptive and transformative capacities, it weakens absorptive capacity, as fishing is often a secondary economic activity for many households. Additionally, education, fishing permits, mobile money adoption, and network access play a crucial role in reinforcing resilience. The study highlights a negative relationship between fishing experience and resilience, noting the decline in resilience with age unless supplemented by alternative investments. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for sustainable fishery management, including enforcing fishing laws, regulating gear, and encouraging income diversification for inland households during off-seasons. These measures aim to enhance resilience while ensuring the sector’s long-term sustainability. The findings underscore the fishery sector’s critical role in improving household livelihoods and resilience, particularly in Cameroon’s maritime zones, and call for strategic interventions to address existing disparities and challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100678"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143883185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring health insurance as a financial buffer in Maternal and Child Health in the Democratic Republic of Congo","authors":"Alexis Nyamugira Biringanine ,&nbsp;Steffen Flessa","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100677","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100677","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the low health insurance coverage among pregnant women and new mothers in selected health zones of DRC, aiming to identify underlying factors and associated implications. The results from the sociodemographic analysis show that only 3% of our respondents reported having insurance coverage. This low coverage is primarily attributed to financial constraints, lack of information, and perceived low value relative to premium costs. The study revealed significant barriers to health insurance uptake, including inadequate health and insurance literacy. Without insurance, households often resort to coping strategies such as family support, informal borrowing, and reduced investment in children’s education. The study also highlights that enhanced health insurance literacy is positively associated with health insurance adoption and better health outcomes. Addressing low health insurance coverage requires targeted interventions to improve financial access and health literacy, and disseminate transparent information about insurance benefits. Implementing health insurance schemes could alleviate financial burdens, minimize reliance on informal networks, and improve health outcomes. Enhanced health insurance coverage, through effective communication and education, could substantially benefit socioeconomic conditions, particularly for mothers and children in the DRC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100677"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community perceptions of potable water quality and public health implications in flood-affected areas of Nowshera District, Pakistan","authors":"Muhammad Tufail ,&nbsp;Muhammad Jamal Nasir ,&nbsp;Atta-ur Rahman ,&nbsp;Syed Ihtisham Kakakhel ,&nbsp;Mehreen Ashraf ,&nbsp;Aqil Tariq","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Access to safe and affordable water is indispensable for human health. However, the challenges posed by climate change and its impacts seriously threaten water supply systems. Therefore, it is crucial to understand public perceptions of water quality and its impact on human health. The current research study aims to investigate community perceptions about the status of potable water quality and its effects on human health in flood-affected neighborhood councils (NCs) of the Nowshera district. Public perceptions were assessed via household surveys, community interviews, and focus group discussions with relevant officials and community members. Eleven NCs, representing 2% of households, were surveyed. Respondents were queried about their perception of water quality, satisfaction with municipal water services, climate change, changes in water quality after floods, and the impact of polluted water on human health. Data was meticulously recorded using the Kobo Collect tool for subsequent analysis. The results highlight that 97% of respondents in NC Mana Khel and 63% in Dagi Khel were not satisfied with the water quality after the flood. Similarly, in Khalil Abad, Mana Khel, and Allah-yar Khel, 100% of respondents, 96% in Behram Khan Khel, and 93% in Nawa Kalli reported significant changes in water quality after floods. The findings of this study can empower public health professionals and policymakers to effectively target public awareness initiatives and formulate policies related to potable water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"38 ","pages":"Article 100679"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}