Challenges and Trajectories of Fiscal Policy and PFM Reform in CEE/CIS

The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of fiscal policies and PFM reforms in 7 countries in the Western Balkans and 12 countries in the CIS, including major macroeconomic and poverty trends, fiscal policy, the size and role of the public sector, public expenditure management and its linkage to policy development, the organization of budget processes on the central and local levels, the role of various actors and tools in PFM, including civil society and the international donor community. The period of 2003-2007 was characterized by an extraordinary high rate of economic growth, both worldwide and in the CEE/CIS region. This created macroeconomic room for meeting numerous development challenges: reducing poverty and inequality, improving the quality and coverage of public services, upgrading infrastructure, and advancing various reforms, including those related to PFM. However, the economic situation deteriorated dramatically in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis, with deep recession hitting most of the countries in 2009 and bleak perspectives for subsequent years. It remains to be seen whether the crisis situation will force governments to speed up necessary reforms. In the PFM area major tasks concern lengthening fiscal planning horizon and gradual movement toward performance oriented budgeting the measure which can allow better expenditure targeting and decrease volatility in expenditure allocation), increasing budget transparency and creating real room for civil society involvement into a budget process. However, the reforms must also involve a broadly defined governance sphere, i.e. improving transparency and accountability of government, modernization of civil service, decentralization, including building a genuine system of local and regional self-government, and other similar measures to improve quality of public services and social policy interventions.public finance management, fiscal policy, Central and Eastern Europe, Western Balkans, Commonwealth of Independent States, social policies, social services, children and families

Planning Forum Volume 16

Table of Contents: The Naked Practitioner: Participatory Community Development in Peri-Urban Mexico /by Dr. Patricia Wilson (p. 5) -- Skopje, Macedonia, 1965 to 2014: In Search of a Modern European Capital /by Dr. Cynthia A. Lintz and Lauren Bulka (p. 19) -- Preparing Planners for Economic Decline and Population Loss: An Assessment of North American Planning Curricula /by Maxwell Hartt (p. 33) -- Development and Displacement: Single Family Home Demolitions in Central East Austin, 2007 to 2014 /by Sara McTarnaghan (p. 47) -- Imagining Austin: Political Economy and the Austin Comprehensive Plan /by Adam Ogusky (p. 67) -- Piñata Power: Reflections on Race, Love, and Planning /by Elizabeth Walsh (p. 83) -- A Reflection on Exploratory Research in Pointe-Saint-Charles /by Aditi Ohri (p. 91) -- The Neighborhood and the Park: Drumul Taberei, Bucharest /by Maria Alexandrescu (p. 97) -- A Case for Regional Planning in Energy Access Delivery /by Vivek Shastry (p. 101) -- Marketing Magic: The Tourism Ministry’s Pueblos Mágicos Program and Historical Preservation in Mexico /by Gibrán Lule-Hurtado (p. 107) -- The Spectacularization of Urban Development on the Las Vegas Strip /by Kurt Kraler (p. 115) -- Author Biographies (p. 121) -- Acknowledgments (p. 123)Community and Regional Plannin

Stitched Up: Poverty Wages for Garment Workers in Eastern Europe and Turkey

This document is part of a digital collection provided by the Martin P. Catherwood Library, ILR School, Cornell University, pertaining to the effects of globalization on the workplace worldwide. Special emphasis is placed on labor rights, working conditions, labor market changes, and union organizing.CCC_2014_Report_Stitched_Up.pdf: 2134 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

How the Global Fund Can Improve Roma Health: An Assessment of HIV and TB Programs in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia

Assesses the impact of projects supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Roma communities and the role of Roma civil society in design and implementation. Makes recommendations for increasing civil society's involvement

A Technological Scenario for a Healthier, More Equitable and Sustainable Europe in 2040: Citizen Perceptions and Policy Implications

This is the final version. Available from MDPI via the DOI in this record.This article aims at exploring, understanding and comparing European citizens’ insights and perceptions towards “My life between realities”, a positive future scenario which depicts a narrative of reaching healthier, more equitable and sustainable societies by 2040 with the support of technology and technological solutions. It responds to the need for gathering and incorporating more citizen insights into future policy developments and strategic actions to tackle the global challenge of unsustainable development. Citizens of five European countries—the Czech Republic, Germany, North Macedonia, Spain and the United Kingdom—have been consulted through focus groups. The exercise has uncovered citizens’ preferences and attitudes towards four main lifestyle areas; namely, green spaces, energy efficient housing, active mobility and (food) consumption. The technological attributes of the scenario led to citizens expressing diametrically opposed and critical perceptions and attitudes. Given the prospects of technology in driving sustainable development, based on these insights, policy recommendations for the better integration and acceptance of technological advances by the public are discussed herein.European Commissio

Gender Equality and Human Rights

The achievement of substantive equality is understood as having four dimensions: redressing disadvantage; countering stigma, prejudice, humiliation and violence; transforming social and institutional structures; and facilitating political participation and social inclusion. The paper shows that, although not articulated in this way, these dimensions are clearly visible in the application by the various interpretive bodies of the principles of equality to the enjoyment of treaty rights. At the same time, it shows that there are important ways in which these bodies could go further, both in articulating the goals of substantive equality and in applying them when assessing compliance by States with international obligations of equality. The substantive equality approach, in its four-dimensional form, provides an evaluative tool with which to assess policy in relation to the right to gender equality. The paper elaborates on the four-dimensional approach to equality and how it can be used to evaluate the impact of social and economic policies on women to determine how to make the economy 'work for women' and advance gender equality. The paper suggests that there is a growing consensus at the international level on an understanding of substantive equality that reflects the four dimensional framework. This paper was produced for UN Women's flagship report "Progress of the World's Women 2015-2016" and is released as part of the UN Women discussion paper series