Empowering Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises through Islamic Finance

ADB’s Asghar Ali Syed from the Office of the General Counsel shares how participation in ADB’s Islamic Finance Working Group can contribute to the task of helping Muslims residing in developing member countries gain access to finance. ADB, as the premier financial institution within Asia and the Pacific, should consider how Islamic finance can help develop the sector and ensure it can help lift people from the region out of poverty.

This video covers the full session of Insight Thursday, ADB’s in-house knowledge sharing series.

Integration of Social Insurance Information Systems in Korea

The Republic of Korea has four major social insurance programs. It implemented a two-step process that integrated the information systems of these four insurance programs. The process was met by various challenges but it has reaped benefits that made the programs more efficient and their services targetted and more convenient. This presentation describes the integration process and shares its results, which include direct cost saving reaching up to $36 million.

Parliamentary Engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development places accountable institutions and inclusive decision-making at the heart of achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Challenges like weak capacities, for instance, frequently hamper the effectiveness of parliaments to engage with the SDGs. In partnership with the Islamic Development Bank and other international financial institutions, UNDP is proposing a project that will empower parliaments to become the SDG actors envisaged in Agenda 2030.

Social Protection Policies in Asia: Challenges and Solutions

Social protection helps lift people out of poverty and enhances access to basic social services. It also builds human capital while increasing access to formal employment, incomes, and savings. In Asia, social protection programs in East Timor, Nepal, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Krygyz Republic, and South Korea share common challenges that hinder people from enjoying their benefits. These include difficulty in targeting beneficiaries, inconsistent policies, and lack of funding.This presentation proposes several recommendation to address these difficulties.

Primary Health Care and Urban Health

Primary healthcare forms an integral part of the country’s health system and its provision in densely populated urban areas can be challenging.

Learn about the the importance and avenues of primary healthcare and the challenges of providing universal health coverage in urban areas. The presentation features discussions of ADB interventions in Bangladesh and India, urban health frameworks, and the elements of healthy cities.

The Role of Government in Healthcare

How important are government interventions in healthcare? How can public-private partnerships help?

Why are government inventions in the health sector important? What are the types of government interventions in the health sector? Is public-private partnership necessary in providing healthcare? How does private health insurance work? This slide presentation provides the answers to these fundamental questions about national healthcare provision and public health systems.

Gender in Technical and Vocational Education and Training Programs

Empowering women and promoting gender equality, Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has a catalytic effect in the achievement of other SDGs. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) integrates gender mainstreaming in its technical and vocational education and training programs. In addition to providing overall TVET assistance to girls, ADB also supports their participation in non-traditional sectors.