Risk, Shocks, and Human Development: On the Brink

Sudden negative events are part of life, but some are more disastrous than others. This book analyzes the consequences of sudden negative shocks in the short and long term well being of people and how the policies implemented before, during and in the immediate aftermath of the event could help prevent these long lasting effects.

RICARDO FUENTES-NIEVA is policy specialist at the Human Development Report Office of UNDP. Recently, he was on leave from his position to write a chapter for the World Development Report 2010 at the World Bank. Before joining UNDP, he was director of statistical analysis and advisor to the Under Secretary of Social Development in Mexico; prior to that, he worked for the Research Department of the Inter-American Development Bank. He graduated with honors from CIDE in Mexico City and earned a master's degree in Economics from Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain.

PAPA A. SECK is a Statistics specialist for the UNDP's Human Development Report Office. Since joining UNDP in 2006 he has worked on topics related to child mortality, children's health and education, vulnerability to climate change and most recently migration. Prior to joining UNDP, he taught undergraduate economics at Hunter College. He holds a master's degree, summa cum laude in Economics Special Honours Curriculum, from Hunter College of the City University of New York. He was awarded the Arthur Leon Hornicker Memorial Award for best CUNY thesis in 2005.