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You Can’t Change What You Can’t See: Taking America’s Financial Health Pulse
Last week, a new FDIC survey revealed that the number of unbanked U.S. households has reached the lowest point since the survey started in 2009. Meanwhile, advances in fintech and a strong overall economy suggest that the financial prospects of most Americans should be looking up. But as Center for Financial Services Innovation president Jennifer Tescher points out, the story is not that simple. In reality, she says, a massive number of Americans are struggling financially. She explores this and other troubling findings in the U.S. Financial Health Pulse, a landmark new study that aims to show the true picture of Americans’ financial lives.
- Categories
- Finance
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International aid saves 700 million lives but gains at risk: report
“The lives saved amount to twice the population of the United States,” said Gayle Smith, the ONE Campaign’s chief executive. “We’ve shown that we can do this, and to slow down – or step back – at this critical juncture would be to leave progress on the table.”
- Categories
- Health Care
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Diving into the Gap: What Separates Savers from Non-Savers?
In three years, the gap between the poorest 40 percent and the richest 60 percent nearly doubled across many developing countries. Meanwhile, the gap between primary and secondary school graduates has also doubled – and these inequalities in income and education are more significant than ever in dividing savers and non-savers. Scott Graham at FINCA International analyzes the latest FINDEX numbers to explore how we can reconcile a decline in savings, while poverty is largely falling throughout the world.
- Categories
- Finance
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A Generational Challenge: What We’ve Learned About Addressing Youth Unemployment
Youth unemployment is a pressing issue in developed countries, but in emerging economies, the situation is even more dire. Unemployment rates of 20 percent or higher are common, with some countries reaching as high as 50 percent. Effective solutions will require an urgent, concentrated and collaborative effort, say Emily Coppel of BRAC USA and Patricia Langan of Save the Children. They outline three key lessons for addressing this challenge, previewing a Sept. 24 forum where some of the top development organizations, research institutes and donors will discuss a path forward.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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The small study in Rwanda that could change the way the US does foreign aid
Development aid typically takes the form of in-kind goods and services: vaccines, medicine, education, housing, food parcels, etc. But giving out goods and services can be tricky and costly, from a logistical perspective, and runs the risk of giving people things they don’t want or need.
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Viewpoint: Prescription only access to antibiotics could exacerbate health inequalities in LMICs
On the surface, prescription only access to antibiotics—a policy which is common in high income countries but rare in low and middle income countries (LMICs)—seems a reasonable approach to combat AMR. However, we’d argue that this approach is both infeasible and inequitable in many LMIC settings.
- Categories
- Health Care
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Study shows forest conservation is a powerful tool to improve nutrition in developing nations
More than two billion people in the developing world suffer from a lack of micronutrients—like vitamin A, sodium, iron and calcium. The result for children can be brain damage, stunted growth, and even death.
In response, food and farming programs have begun to consider how to do more than just increase production of staple crops, like rice and corn, to fight malnutrition.- Categories
- Agriculture, Environment
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Report: ‘Millennial generation’ most interested in investing to make a positive global impact
Two out of five investors (43 per cent) aged under 40 report having made an impact investment during their lifetime, the study says.
- Categories
- Investing
- Tags
- ESG, impact investing, research, youth