Denis Drechsler

Different Countries, Different Needs: The Role of Private Health Insurance in Developing Countries

This article discusses the role of private health insurance (PHI) in developing countries. Three broad regional clusters are identified that share similar characteristics and policy challenges for the effective integration of private insurance into national health care systems: (1) Latin America and Eastern Europe, where there are already developed insurance industries facing important market and policy failures; (2) the Middle East/North Africa region and East Asia, where there is a projected strong growth of PHI that needs to be accompanied by efficient regulation; and finally, (3) South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where PHI will only play a marginal role in the foreseeable future while the scaling up of small-scale, nonprofit insurance schemes appears to be of critical importance. Overall, this survey shows that the role of private insurance varies depending on the economic, social, and institutional settings in a country or region. Private health insurance schemes can be valuable tools to complement existing health-financing options only if they are carefully managed and adapted to local needs and preferences.

Measuring Gender (In)Equality: The OECD Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base

The Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Developments Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base (GID‐DB) is a new cross‐country research tool with comprehensive measures of gender equality. It improves upon existing sources because it is the only data base on gender that systematically incorporates indicators of social norms, traditions and family law. The GID‐DB thereby permits analysis of hypotheses that link cultural practices to gender equality, human development and economic growth. A cross‐country comparison of the data indicates that inequalities in social institutions are particularly pronounced in countries with low female literacy rates, but correlate less strongly with Gross Domestic Product per capita. Similarly, our econometric analysis suggests a clearly negative correlation between gender inequality of the OECD Development Center and womens labor‐force participation.*The views expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the authors *The views expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the authors

Private Health Insurance for the Poor in Developing Countries

The financing of health care is a major challenge for developing countries, especially since deficiencies in national health systems specifically harm the poor. Innovative financing mechanisms, such as private health insurance, offer benefits and risks. Their implementation requires caution on the part of policy makers who need to consider adequate regulation in order to optimise health outcomes.

The Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base

This policy insight introduces the Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base: a new tool to determine and analyse obstacles to womens economic development.

The Two Faces of Informal Employment in Romania

Informal employment is a widespread phenomenon in Romania and a key challenge for the country’s development. Policies should target two distinct groups: those who voluntarily opt out of the formal system and those with no alternative. Transforming people’s attitudes towards the state and strengthening their trust in public institutions is key.

International Labour Mobility Opportunity or Risk for Developing Countries

Migration can strengthen the development process in sending countries. Potential gains from migration are currently insufficiently utilised. More coherence between various policy domains – in particular related to migration, human resource development and the labour market – is a critical component of an improved migration management.

Wikigender: Initiating Dialogue on Gender Equality

Have you ever wondered how many women are in paid employment compared to men? We know they get unequal wages, but just how unequal is their pay? Meanwhile, who are the managers, and what is their gender makeup? Are women and men entering the higher levels of state in equal numbers?

Mobilité internationale de la main-d'oeuvre

Les migrations peuvent contribuer au processus de developpement des pays d’origine. Les gains potentiels lies aux migrations sont encore insuffisamment exploites. Une meilleure gestion des migrations passe par une coherence accrue entre differents domaines d’action – migrations, developpement des ressources humaines et marches du travail notamment.

Les deux visages de l'emploi informel en Roumanie

L’emploi informel – extremement frequent en Roumanie – freine son developpement. Les politiques doivent viser deux groupes distincts : ceux qui quittent deliberement le systeme formel et ceux qui n’ont pas d’autre alternative. L’Etat doit faire evoluer l’attitude des populations a son egard et renforcer leur confiance dans les institutions.

Wikigender : un outil novateur pour alimenter le débat sur l'égalité homme-femme

Avez-vous deja envisage de comparer le nombre d’hommes et de femmes qui occupent un emploi salarie ? Dans quelle mesure exactement les femmes sont-elles moins bien payees que les hommes ? Qui sont les dirigeants d’entreprises, quelle est la proportion de personnes de sexe feminin parmi eux ? La parite homme-femme est-elle une realite au sommet de l’Etat ?