Repository of problems worth solving
World Solve is a public institutional repository for identifying real unresolved problems across science, society, health, governance, economics, and local systems. Each entry is intended to be citable, inspectable, and actionable.
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4194Total
4194Open
0Solved
9Humans
Understaffed courts and outdated processes mean cases can take over a decade to resolve, undermining access to justice. Digital case-management systems and virtual hearings could significantly speed up processing.
society-governance
asia
south-asia
cases
systems
judicial
backlogs
leave
millions
pending
south
asian
court
technology-computing
economics-resources
global-unspecified
digital
whether
Investor bias and limited networks mean women-led startups often struggle to raise capital compared to male-led ventures. Women-focused funding platforms and accelerator programs are helping to close this gap gradually.
economics-resources
asia
funding
female
entrepreneurs
receive
disproportionately
small
share
venture
investor
african
global-unspecified
remains
africa
access
technology-computing
lack
Economic growth has disproportionately benefited urban elites, leaving rural and lower-income populations behind. Progressive tax reform and targeted rural investment programs could help redistribute growth benefits.
economics-resources
asia
wealth
inequality
widening
several
rapidly
growing
asian
economies
growth
rural
urban
african
global-unspecified
access
remains
infrastructure
Rapid construction is consuming parks and open land, reducing residents' access to recreation and worsening urban heat. Green-corridor urban planning policies could preserve livability as cities expand.
science-space
asia
urban-planning
cities
public
green
space
shrinking
densely
built
asian
urban
rapid
climate-environment
african
global-unspecified
society-governance
systems
Rapid slum growth in wealthy cities means even booming economies have significant underserved populations lacking basic services. Incremental slum-upgrading programs targeting basic services first have proven effective.
social-civic-problems
asia
even
water
sanitation
access
gaps
persist
prosperous
parts
urban
global-unspecified
whether
have
philosophy-ethics
african
don
determine
Many rural communities have no way to verify if their drinking water is safe, leading to preventable illness. Low-cost portable water-testing kits distributed through community health workers could close this gap.
social-civic-problems
asia
water
rural
quality
testing
monitoring
infrastructure
remains
sparse
communities
global-unspecified
whether
access
philosophy-ethics
african
climate-environment
don
Founders outside major hubs often cannot easily expand into neighboring markets due to regulatory fragmentation. Harmonized regional startup-friendly regulations could enable faster cross-border scaling.
society-governance
asia
regional
scaling
startups
smaller
economies
face
limited
access
opportunities
african
global-unspecified
remains
local-regional
africa
countries
economics-resources
Uncorrected vision problems reduce learning outcomes in children and productivity in adults, yet eye care is often unavailable locally. Mobile vision-screening clinics and low-cost eyewear distribution networks could address this cheaply.
health-biology
asia
eyewear
vision
access
affordable
correction
remains
limited
rural
uncorrected
global-unspecified
african
low
whether
philosophy-ethics
Oral health is often neglected in public health systems, leading to preventable pain and infection that affects nutrition and productivity. Mobile dental clinics and community oral-health education programs could improve outcomes.
health-biology
asia
public-health
dental
care
access
remains
extremely
limited
rural
parts
health
global-unspecified
social-civic-problems
african
society-governance
public
whether
Smallholder-dominated supply chains struggle to meet the strict quality and safety standards required for lucrative export markets. Shared certification and quality-testing infrastructure could help small farmers access premium export markets.
economics-resources
asia
supply-chain
export
quality
standards
agricultural
competitiveness
limited
inconsistent
asian
producers
markets
african
global-unspecified
africa
access
climate-environment
War, accidents, and disease leave many without access to mobility devices that could restore independence and employment potential. 3D-printed prosthetics ventures could lower costs dramatically.
health-biology
asia
access
prosthetics
mobility
affordable
aids
remains
limited
disabled
populations
global-unspecified
low
african
whether
philosophy-ethics
Families facing crises often pull children from school first, disrupting education continuity for the most vulnerable. Emergency cash-transfer programs tied to school attendance could protect continuity during shocks.
social-civic-problems
asia
school
during
shocks
dropout
rates
spike
natural
disasters
economic
parts
global-unspecified
education
children
girls
african
access
As mobile money adoption accelerates, many new users lack understanding of digital fraud risks and responsible borrowing. Simple, localized financial-literacy content delivered via mobile apps could reduce financial harm.
technology-computing
asia
digital
financial
literacy
remains
low
among
newly
banked
populations
rural
global-unspecified
african
social-civic-problems
access
africa
Students and workers often face difficulty having degrees or certifications recognized when moving between Asian countries. Regional credential-recognition frameworks could ease labor mobility and study-abroad access.
social-civic-problems
asia
regional
integration
higher
education
credentials
remains
weak
students
workers
global-unspecified
african
access
local-regional
haven
africa
economics-resources
open
South & Central Asia, Asia
Many households still burn solid fuels indoors for cooking and heating, causing significant respiratory illness, especially among women and children. Clean cookstove distribution programs need continued scaling and subsidy support.
climate-environment
asia
south-central-asia
cooking
heating
air
quality
inside
homes
indoor
remains
major
health
global-unspecified
african
access
health-biology
pollution
Governments and businesses often absorb disaster costs directly due to lack of accessible catastrophe insurance products. Regional catastrophe bonds and pooled insurance mechanisms could spread and reduce this risk.
climate-environment
asia
insurance
regional
disaster
risk
markets
remain
underdeveloped
despite
high
climate
global-unspecified
african
philosophy-ethics
whether
haven
open
Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa
Most deaths are preventable but occur due to lack of skilled birth attendants, blood banks, and emergency transport in rural areas. Builders could create low-cost obstetric emergency referral networks using mobile alerts.
economics-resources
africa
sub-saharan-africa
maternal
mortality
remains
highest
any
region
emergency
deaths
preventable
rural
global-unspecified
african
access
public
urban
Fewer than 1.4 psychiatrists exist per 100,000 people in many countries, leaving depression and trauma largely untreated. Telepsychiatry platforms and trained lay counselors could extend coverage cheaply.
health-biology
africa
mental-health
mental
health
services
almost
absent
fewer
psychiatrists
exist
per
global-unspecified
remains
access
african
depression
Banks see agriculture as too risky, leaving over 60% of African farmers without formal financing for seeds or equipment. Mobile-based micro-lending and weather-index insurance startups can fill this gap.
economics-resources
africa
farmers
insurance
smallholder
lack
access
affordable
credit
banks
see
agriculture
african
global-unspecified
climate-environment
Import dependency and poor local production capacity make fertilizer unaffordable for most smallholders. Local phosphate and nitrogen production ventures could sharply cut costs.
economics-resources
africa
fertilizer
prices
among
highest
world
relative
income
local
production
global-unspecified
society-governance
african
remains
climate-environment
affordable
access