From devastating droughts in Southern Africa and West Africa to cyclones and flooding in East Africa, extreme weather is threatening crops and livestock and putting millions of Africans at risk for food insecurity. 237 million people suffer from chronic undernutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa, a number that rose in 2017, derailing gains that were made in previous years. The message from the headlines is loud and clear:
Deadline: 14-Jan-2020 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) 
IFC has been approached by an urban local body ( Municipal Corporation) in India to structure a wastewater treatment & recycling project under Public Private Partnership (PPP). The scope of the Project includes i) development of a tertiary treatment plant (TTP) of output capacity of about 125 MLD along with rehabilitation of two existing sewage treatment plants (STPs); ii) development of distribution network for supply to an industrial cluster; and iii) operation & maintenance (O&M) of the rehabilitated STPs, proposed TTP and the distribution network.
Mandatory for all lending operations after July 1, 2016, the new Framework emphasizes 
flexibility, quality, and greater value for public spending, while enabling adaptation to country contexts. It recognizes that countries are looking to be more efficient in their public spending so that they can invest more in basic public services such as education, health and infrastructure services and enrich development outcomes.
The reform is the result of extensive consultations in almost 100 countries and allows greater flexibility for each operation to identify the right procurement approach; an extended range of procurement practices and options; more tailored, context-specific approaches for fragile and conflict-afflicted states; and more hands-on support from Bank staff to help clients in capacity-building and institution-strengthening.
Deadline: 27-Jan-2020 at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time – Washington D.C.) 
The objective of this activity is to support the Government of Kerala, India, in strengthening their building regulatory frameworks through conducting a Building Regulatory Capacity Assessment in Kerala and facilitating dialogue with Government counterparts and relevant stakeholders. The assessments will create a baseline for current capacity and gaps in the building regulatory framework across three critical components of building regulatory frameworks. The outputs of these assessments will include in-depth capacity and gap analyses and reform implementation plans for each country, developed in consultation with the Government of Kerala, with recommendations for select aspects of land use, energy efficiency, building and fire code administration. The desired outcome of this engagement is to support critical discussions between public authorities and other relevant stakeholders and provide an analytical basis and recommendations for initiating building regulatory reforms.
Ah, to be a scientist or a doctor. Then, you could walk the streets with your head held 
high! Maybe not so much, if you’re an advertising executive. This, according to a new IPSOS global poll that looks at how different professions are trusted in 23 countries.
Overall, the latest news on trust differs profoundly across constituencies, countries, and the globe; hence, it’s almost impossible to conjure up one narrative about trust. For instance – to say with certainty that trust is up, or down, or just remaining fairly consistent over time, does not allow for enough nuance related to gender, country, and socioeconomic variables. There is also evidence of dramatic differences between decision makers and the general public.
Update: Phase 2 consultations are open until January 16, 2020. 
The World Bank Group has released its draft strategy for Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV). The objective of the strategy is to address the drivers of FCV in affected countries and their impact on vulnerable populations, with the ultimate goal of contributing to peace and prosperity. To ensure the strategy benefits from a wide range of inputs, the World Bank Group is undertaking global consultations to inform the strategy’s development.
Timeframe: April 2019 – January 2020
Over the past three years, the international community has made significant progress to 
fill in the knowledge gaps in the transport sector. Most recently, with the release of the Global Roadmap of Action toward Sustainable Mobility (GRA) by Sustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All), the transport sector now has at its disposal a catalogue of more than 180 policy measures that have been used by countries around the world to progress on sustainable mobility. Because this catalogue was developed as a collaborate enterprise involving the most 55 influential international organizations on the field, we feel confident that it represents the best and most-up-to date knowledge on mobility.
Of the more than
70.8 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide, around 41 million are people who have been displaced from their homes but remain in their home country and nearly 25.9 million are refugees who have fled their countries.
One surprising fact:
Guest post by M.R. Sharan
This is the thirteenth in this year’s series of posts by students on the job market.
Earlier this year, we interviewed Mr Manjhi, an elected representative in rural Bihar (India) from an extremely marginalized caste group. He described his struggles with his prejudiced superior – an elected representative from a high caste – who refused to release funds to build public goods in Mr Manjhi’s ward. In his desperation, Mr Manjhi appealed to the higher state via a new mechanism he had only recently heard of – a formal complaints system. Over the next month and more, Mr Manjhi was called for “hearings” featuring his high-caste superior and a dispute-resolution officer of the higher bureaucracy. After scrutinizing the evidence and hearing both sides, the officer awarded the complaint in favour of Mr Manjhi and directed his superior to release funds immediately. Mr Manjhi used the funds to deliver piped water to all his constituents.
If you can read this, then you are already doing better than 53% of children in low- and 
middle-income countries, who can’t read a simple text by age 10. Being able to read is fundamental for children to be able to learn other subjects like science and history. It also creates opportunities and opens more doors for them as they get older.
Netherlands for the World Bank 
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