Maheshwor Shrestha

I am a Senior Economist at the World Bank, currently working in the Social Protection and Labor unit for the West Africa region. 

I lead analytical, policy, and operational engagements on safety nets, jobs, entrepreneurship, and migration. My professional experience spans East Asia, South Asia, and West Africa, with direct work in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Mongolia, Nepal, and Nigeria. I have also contributed to prominent global and regional flagship reports including The World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies and Migration: Africa's Untapped Potential.  

My research centers around human capital and development, with a focus on migration, labor, education, health, and social safety nets in developing countries. My work has been published in leading journals, including Econometrica, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Journal of Development Economics, and The World Bank Economic Review.  

I hold a Ph.D. in Economics from MIT and a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Mathematics from Dartmouth College.