In many countries, public expenditure, including transfers, plays a major role in reducing income inequality. The report reviews the various ways that budgeting can be used to this end. A first includes taking a broad approach to results-based budgeting, taking social and distributional goals into consideration. A second relies on integrating distributional impact analysis directly into the budget process. The report discusses the concrete experience of eight OECD countries in this area, analysing how they are integrating distributional impact assessment in spending and budgeting decisions. Finally, it discusses the tools, frameworks and data that are needed to take distributional considerations into account as part of evidence-informed policy making.

Cross-cutting global and regional challenges have triggered or reinforced efforts by government in the Middle East and North Africa to undertake public governance reforms. These reforms aim to build sustainable and resilient administrations that better meet development objectives and citizens’ expectations. To support these efforts, the report looks at developments in key areas of public governance in the Middle East and North Africa over the past decade. It discusses governments’ strategic commitments, governance arrangements, capacities and practices to implement public governance reforms to achieve four main objectives: (1) growing sustainably; (2) spending public resources efficiently; (3) delivering services effectively; and (4) promoting open and inclusive societies. The report provides general strategic orientations and identifies areas of opportunity that can be adapted to different contexts, needs and priorities.

Asia's phenomenal economic growth during last few decades is a remarkable success story in the fight against poverty. Between 2005 and 2012 alone, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Asia-Pacific was reduced by 1.1 billion-accounting for more than 90 per cent of the total poverty reduction achieved worldwide. However, these achievements have been overshadowed by the sharp rise in income and wealth inequality. The concentration of private wealth is of a greater concern. In several countries in Asia, the richest top 5% control close to 70% of the nation's total private wealth; the top 1% control more than 50%. This level of disparity has pervasive consequences for everyone. It stifles social mobility, undermines social cohesion, hurts long-term growth and reinforces inequality of opportunities. It encourages crime, sparks corruption and can lead to violent conflict. Left unchecked, growing inequality undermines the fight to end poverty and more people living with little hope. Such stark inequality is not inevitable – it is the consequence of political and economic choices. Deliberate policy choices have fostered the extremes of income, wealth seen across Asia today. It is against this context that book brings together a select group of academics across Asia to examine and bring forth positive stories about public policies introduced in last decade to address economic inequality. Scholarly written papers scrutinize the extent to which these policies have been successful. The book seeks to generate evidence across a range of contexts to demonstrate- what kind of governments programmes and policies have positive impact to reduce inequality and how these could be designed. These inspirational stories will fill the vital knowledge gap in Asia to foster peace and shared prosperity.

This issue focuses on recent experiences that holds lessons for when to tackle debt and when not to. Growth is picking up, and the IMF has been ratcheting up its forecasts. Government coffers are filling and, with more people at work, demand for public social support is receding. Research shows that the stimulatory effect of fiscal expansion is weak when the economy is close to capacity. Low-income economies may be at greatest risk. Traditionally, they borrowed from official creditors at below-market rates. Higher global rates could divert precious budget resources to debt servicing from crucial infrastructure projects and social services. Raising budget balances toward their medium-term targets can be achieved at little cost to economic activity. Growth-enhancing infrastructure investments and crucial social services such as health and education should be maintained. Well-designed fiscal policy can address inequality and stimulate growth.

In comparing one public school to another, discussions frequently include talk concerning the socioeconomics of a school or district, which then leads to talk about the advantages that one socioeconomic setting has over another. Educators tend to agree that low academic achievement frequently associated with a low socioeconomic status is a characteristic difficult to resolve for a population of school children. The Handbook of Research on Social Inequality and Education is a critical reference source that provides insights into social influences on school and educational settings. Featuring an array of topics including online learning, social mobility, and teacher preparation, this book is excellent for educational leaders, educational researchers, teachers, academicians, administrators, instructional designers, and teacher preparation programs.

What does it mean for education that our societies are increasingly diverse? How is global economic power shifting towards new countries? In what ways are working patterns changing? Trends Shaping Education 2013 brings together international evidence to address questions like these.

After a robust recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, Colombia's economic growth is returning to a low potential. Medium-term growth prospects depend on maintaining Colombia's strong macroeconomic framework and enacting reforms to create a business-friendly environment which can attract high levels of investment. Implementing fiscal consolidation and adhering to fiscal rules would prevent rising financing costs and safeguard debt sustainability. Reforms to raise tax revenues and improve spending efficiency are needed to create fiscal space for social and productive investment needs. Enhancing the investment climate requires reducing regulatory uncertainties and tackling corruption. Creating connected transport infrastructure, strengthening subnational government capacities and improving equalisation mechanisms in the fiscal transfer system would foster balanced development across the country. Addressing informality, gender gaps, and improving education quality would boost productivity and reduce social disparities. Investing in climate adaptation, renewable energy, and establishing stable regulatory frameworks are key for a climate-resilient economy and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. SPECIAL FEATURES: RAISING PRODUCTIVITY; REDUCING LABOUR INFORMALITY; REGIONAL CONVERGENCE

Two years ago, citizens in the Arab world—fired by their ideals and visions of a better life—ignited a social movement that inspired people around the globe. In Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen—the so-called Arab countries in transition—people embraced change, ushering in a new era. This issue of F&D looks at the difficulties of this transition, focusing on long-standing forces that shape the region’s economy and offering options for moving ahead to achieve strong, inclusive growth. • Masood Ahmed, Director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, maps out an agenda for modernizing and diversifying the region’s economies in “Toward Prosperity for All.” • In “Freedom and Bread Go Together,” Marwan Muasher addresses the intersection of economic progress and political change. • Vali Nasr, in a Point of View column, underscores the vital role small and medium-sized enterprises play in a successful democratic transition. Elsewhere in this issue, we look at how surging oil and gas production in the United States could shake up global energy markets; the effect of uncertainty on economic growth; and Mexico’s competitiveness rebound. F&D's People in Economics series profiles Christina Romer, former chair of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers and an architect of the U.S. stimulus package; and the latest installment in our Back to Basics series explains how structural policies help to both stabilize and strengthen economies.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue Addressing Food and Nutrition Security in Developed Countries that was published in IJERPH

Bringing together cutting-edge research from over 50 leading international scholars, this forward-looking Research Handbook offers theoretical and empirical insights into the student experience in higher education.