Useful sources about Africa

The World Prison Brief (WPB) is a unique database that provides free access to information about prison systems throughout the world. Country information is updated on a monthly basis, using data largely derived from governmental or other official sources. Each country page gives information on:

• total prison populations, and prison population rates per 100,000 of the national population
• the use of imprisonment for women, juveniles and foreign nationals
• the extent of pre-trial/remand imprisonment
• prison overcrowding, as indicated by occupancy levels
• news and official reports on prison conditions
• details of local organisations and other resources
• department or ministry responsible for prisons, with contact information 

The Global Findex database is the world’s most comprehensive data set on how adults save, borrow, make payments, and manage risk. Launched with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the database has been published every three years since 2011. The data are collected in partnership with Gallup, Inc., through nationally representative surveys of more than 150,000 adults in over 140 economies. The 2017 edition includes updated indicators on access to and use of formal and informal financial services. And it adds new data on the use of financial technology (fintech), including the use of mobile phones and the internet to conduct financial transactions.