Our Mission

Over a decade, the share of the world’s population living in close proximity to conflict has nearly doubled to 3%. A new World Bank report highlights a sharp increase in the exposure to conflict in the Middle East and North Africa, from 6% in 2007 to almost 20% in 2017, with a steep increase in 2011.Read More.

Globally, only 1 in 3 small, medium, and large businesses are owned by women. This rate varies across and within regions, from a low of 18% in South Asia to a high of 50% in Latin America & Caribbean.  In East Asia & Pacific, South Korea has the lowest rate of women business owners, with just 19% of firms, and the Federated States of Micronesia has the highest, with 87% of firms owned by women. Similarly, in the Middle East, it goes from a low of 7% in the Republic of Yemen to a high of 49% in Tunisia. Read More. 

At the turn of the millennium, 1 in 5 of the world's extreme poor lived in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCS). Since then, poverty has fallen steadily in economies not in FCS, but the number of poor people in FCS continues to grow. As a result, about half the world’s poor reside in FCS today. If current trends continue, by 2030, FCS will account for just 10% of the global population but as many as two-thirds of the world’s poor. Read More. 

With the current flu season predicted to be especially severe, as well the recent coronavirus outbreak, people are rightfully concerned about their health. From flu shots to face masks, many are taking extra measures to protect themselves from infection. But there is also a simple and effective way to help prevent the spread of infection diseases –handwashing. However, a lot of homes in low- and lower middle-income countries still lack basic handwashing facilities. Read More.