Poverty Reduction and the World Bank: Progress in Fiscal 1996 and 1997

This report reviews progress in implementation of the World Bank's poverty reduction strategy, updating the more comprehensive report for fiscal 1995, Poverty Reduction and the World Bank: Progress and Challenges in the 1990s (World Bank, 1996). The first chapter lays out the Bank's poverty reduction strategy and highlights the basic elements of a future work program to reduce poverty. The second chapter describes the Bank's progress in supporting poverty reduction during fiscal 1996 and 1997, with recommendations for further improvements. The third chapter examines recent experiences with safety net programs, which are meant to complement the main strategy of broad-based growth and investment in human capital.