Savings transition in Asia: Unity in diversity

This seminar seeks to understand factors affecting saving rates in Asia.

Tongan remittances: Channels, costs, and the potential gains from switching

This seminar explores potential gains from switching to low-cost remittance providers in Tonga.

Under the water: Flood impacts and economic dynamics in northern Peru

Jose Cobian Alvarez presents his PhD research on the impact of floods on household welfare in northern Peru.

Information campaign on arsenic poisoning: Unintended consequences in marriage market

The seminar will discuss the unintended consequences of a public information campaign on water quality that was rolled out in the early 2000s on the marriage market in rural Bangladesh.

Postharvest losses from weather and climate change: Evidence from 1.2 million truckloads

Using data from California, this seminar will explore the effects of temperatures on tomatoes in transit.

Tracking mergers and acquisitions in Australia

Nu Nu Win presents her PhD research about using administrative microdata to track mergers and acquisitions in Australia

Measuring global economic activity using air pollution

This paper presents a novel method for assessing global economic activity by analyzing satellite data on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, offering a more accurate alternative to night light measures, especially in regions with unreliable national accounts. It highlights the unreliability of current GDP rankings, even in advanced economies, and introduces a methodological advancement that mitigates error-in-variables biases by leveraging the distinct measurement errors between NO2 and night lights.

Did program support for the poorest areas work? Evidence from rural Vietnam

The study investigates a poverty alleviation program in Vietnam’s poorest districts, finding no significant impact on household welfare but noting a shift from farm to nonfarm employment and increased nonfarm income, potentially due to improved credit access. While there’s no notable effect on children’s education, the program boosts healthcare utilization and offers more educational subsidies.

Digitising social protection systems: Insights from Indonesia

Indonesia acknowledges the pivotal role of social protection programs in poverty alleviation, emergency response, and inclusive development. The fiscal commitment to these programs ranks among the top three in the annual government expenditures, aimed at supporting the poor and vulnerable. Persistent issues in the disbursement process have necessitated a transformative approach. To address it, Indonesia has prioritised a digital reform of its social protection system. This study delves into how Indonesia successfully implemented digital solutions to reform the disbursement of social protection programs and outlines the future agenda.

Indonesia’s social protection digitisation journey showcases progress driven by government commitment, public-private and international collaborations, and a country-centric approach. This perspective is rooted in designing tailored digital solutions through pilot projects. Furthermore, the adoption of an evidence-based approach plays a crucial role in driving policy reform. Looking forward, through the embrace of technology and innovation, the government aims to enhance the social protection system by leveraging scope and access, promoting program integration, implementing disbursement interoperability, adopting a graduation strategy, and applying a beneficiary-centric design.

About the speaker

Hilman Palaon has extensive experience in Indonesia, particularly in advancing the financial inclusion agenda and digitising social protection programs during his tenure at TNP2K (the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction), the Vice President Office of The Republic of Indonesia. He also served as the VP of Financial Services and Inclusion at Gojek/GOTO in Indonesia.

Building public support for reducing fossil fuel subsidies: Evidence across 12 middle-income countries

This seminar will present survey evidence on opinions regarding fossil fuel subsidy reforms.