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World Bank-IMF annual meetings 2017 – civil society meetings and seminars highlights

3 October 2017

The 2017 World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) is taking place from 9 to 13 October. The programme of the CSPF is available here. For the official annual meetings programme and communiqué coverage see this page.

Below we will post notes, minutes and recordings of sessions attended by the Bretton Woods Project, so check back often as the week progresses. The notes are aimed at providing a general idea of conversation and discussion at the annual meetings and are not necessarily complete or a fully accurate representation of participants’ remarks.

Highlights of civil society meetings, and other meetings and seminars

Tuesday, 10 October

  • World Bank’s Approach to Education Financing – Global Campaign for Education with Oxfam, Action Aid, RESULTS Educational Fund, Global Initiative for Economic Social and Cultural Rights, EACH Rights (East African Centre for Human Rights) and Education International – find meeting notes here
  • Measuring impact – an overview of IFC’s new approach to measuring development impact – official event by the IFCfind notes here

Wednesday, 11 October

  • Funding Energy Access for the Poor: Can the World Bank Meet the Challenge? – The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation with Oxfam, Sierra Club and Bank Information Center (BIC) – find meeting notes here
  • Contradicting Commitments: Why Fiscal Space Matters for Women and Work – Fight Inequality Alliance with ActionAid, ICRW and Asia People’s Movement on Debt & Development – find meeting notes here
  • The Challenges of Financing Infrastructure in Developing Countries through PPPs – A Focus on Contracts and Laws – Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN) with Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad, Grupo Regional sobre financiamiento e Infraestructura, Eurodad, Latindad, Heinrich Boell Foundation, Bread for the World and Urgewald
  • The IMF and Gender Equality: A Discussion about Current Policy Approaches – Bretton Woods Project with Women in Informal Employment Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) and Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
  • Pass or Fail: Are Countries Doing Their Education Homework? – official event by the World Bankfind video here
  • Civil Society Townhall 2017 – official event by the World Bankfind video here

Thursday, 12 October

  • Reclaiming Policy Space for the Public: Presenting Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2017 – Center for Economic and Social Rights with Arab NGO Network for Development, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), Society for International Development and Public Services International
  • Opportunities for MDBs and Member Nations to Align Energy Finance with Global Climate Goals – Oil Change International with Climate Action Network International (CAN)
  • A Comparative Analysis of Financial Institution Safeguards – Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales with Ambiente y Sociedad, Fundar, Centro de Análisis and Fundación para el Desarrollo de Políticas Sustentables.
  • From Investment Promotion to the Next Sovereign Debt Crisis: What Safeguards against Future Crises? – Eurodad with African Forum and Network on Debt and Development, Debt Justice Norway, Erlassjahr.de, the Jubilee Debt Campaign (UK), and the Jubilee USA Network
  • Diagnosing Governance Challenges in the Extractive Sector: The Resource Governance Index and Beyond – Natural Resource Governance Institute – find meeting notes here
  • Can the IFIs Support Sustainable Growth, Reduce Inequality and Protect Labor Rights at the Same Time? – New Rules for Global Finance with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (NY Office), International Trade Union Confederation, Development Finance International and UN Human Rights Commission, Special Rapporteur
  • Supporting Working Parents: Tackling Childcare – official event by the IFCfind video here

Friday, 13 October

  • Great Expectations: Is the IMF Turning Words into Action on Inequality? – Oxfam with Development Finance International (DFI)
  • Forests, Climate and Land Rights: How Can Policy Lending Address the Major Challenges of Development? – Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad with Bank Information Center (BIC) and Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (DAR)
  • The New World Bank Environmental and Social Framework: Implementation Update – World Bank Operations Policy and Country Services (OPCS) – this event was cancelled last minute and turned into an invitation only lunch event.
  • The IMF and Social Protection – Independent Evaluation Office of the IMF
  • Unpacking the Fiscal Risks of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) – What Role for the WBG and the IMF? – Latindad with Eurodad, Bretton Woods Project, Jubilee Debt Campaign, Heinrich Boell Foundation, Urgewald and Bread for the World
  • Moving from Lessons Learned to Lessons Applied on Gender Based Violence – Joy for Children with Bank Information Center (BIC) and Bretton Woods Project
  • Closing the Transparency Gap: Disclosure of Project Information – Bank Information Center (BIC) with Transparency International and Open Contracting Partnership
  • Supporting Renewable Energy Development in the Western Balkans – Balkan Green Foundation with Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Sierra Club and Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development

Saturday, 14 October

  • Taking Women-owned Businesses to the Next Level – official event by the World Bankfind video here
  • Transforming Tax Systems in Developing Countries: Introducing the Medium-Term Revenue Strategy – official event by the IMFfind video here

Sunday, 15 October

  • Technical Challenges and Solutions for Taxing Wealth in Developing Countries – official event by the World Bank and IMF

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