This series consists of the subject and activity files of Poverty and Social Policy Department (PSP) and Poverty, Gender, and Public Sector Management Department (PGP) Director Ishrat Husain. The records in this series were used as reference for Husain as well as support for the activities of PSP and PGP sector teams and groups. Records include: memoranda; correspondence; agenda; meeting minutes; working papers; and policy paper drafts for numerous working groups, task forces, and policy development committees focused on a particular topic or project.

The series additionally consists of PSP budget records consisting of: correspondence; memoranda; Draft Discussion Notes from Human Capital Development and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (HCO); and PSP business work plans for fiscal years 1997 to 1999. Additional records include correspondence and memoranda related to the mapping of PSP/PGP Groups into the HDN, ESSD, and PREM Networks. Other planning records include: PSP Week correspondence from May 1996; "Next Step Action Program" correspondence and memoranda from fiscal years 1996 to 1999; and correspondence, memoranda, reports, and handbooks related to designing performance and poverty monitoring indicators for PSP and World Bank operations poverty reduction monitoring efforts from 1993 to 1996.

The series also includes records related to PSP's predecessor Education and Social Policy Department (ESP) inherited by PSP/PGP Director Ishrat Husain. This includes correspondence and memoranda related to ESP's planning and compliance to poverty reduction policies outlined in IDA 9 and IDA 10 Agreements dated 1992 and 1993. Additional correspondence and memoranda address the following topics: performance indicators; subnational indicators; and social funds. It also includes records related to the "Program of Targeted Interventions (PTI)" pursued by ESP in 1993. Records detailing procedures of ESP and Human Resources Development and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (HRO) are also included for the years 1992 to 1995, but some PSP correspondences are interfiled after 1996. A speech transcript file consisting of speeches given by ESP and PSP staff, the HROVP, other World Bank unit staff and officials, and Ishrat Husain are also included for the years 1992 to 1996.