The Bretton Woods Project is a civil society watchdog of the IMF and World Bank. We advocate for a multilateral system that is democratic, inclusive, transparent, accountable, and responsive to people, especially the poorest and most vulnerable.

Latest from the Bretton Woods Project

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva participates in the Joint Climate Seminar during the 2023 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund in Marrakech, Morocco on October 11, 2023. Credit: IMF Photo/Kim Haughton

Conditionality

Analysis

World Bank and IMF promoting private finance and fiscal consolidation despite mounting evidence of harmful impacts

Civil society research documents clear harms from privatisation and fiscal consolidation on public services and human rights, as Bank and Fund push for their deepening.

13 December 2023

Finance

Analysis

UN Secretary General's New Agenda for Peace calls for urgent financial architecture and policy reform

UN Secretary General’s New Agenda for Peace report identifies growing threats to global peace and stability, and proposes urgent reforms to the unjust economic system. World Bank and IMF resist policy and governance reform.

13 December 2023

Knowledge

Background

Bretton Woods Project Annual Report 2023

In 2023, BWP continued its work as a watchdog of the World Bank and the IMF, supporting and amplifying the voices of critical civil society groups to capitalise on calls for substantive change, with a focus on four advocacy areas: Gender equality and macroeconomics, the environment, governance reform and accountability, and financialisation and human rights.

21 February 2024 | Annual report (BWP)

IFI governance

News

Civil society calls for a meaningful Quota Reform that accurately reflects the changes in the global economy to ensure a fair representation of all member countries

Civil society calls upon the IMF to implement a meaningful quota reform by June 2025 and prioritise realignment of shares to reflect more accurately the changes in the global economy and address representation issues

18 December 2023 | Letters
Pile of books from the Tibet Green Library. Credit: Bart Heird

Knowledge

Background

Recommended Resources on the World Bank and the IMF 2023

As every year, BWP published its collection of reports, briefings, CSO letters and other resources with a critical angle published in the past year on the World Bank and the IMF.

19 February 2024

Gender

Background

(CLOSED) Gender Equality and Macroeconomics (GEM) Project Lead

BWP is seeking a Gender Equality and Macroeconomics (GEM) Project Lead to manage BWP’s ongoing GEM Project and lead BWP’s work on gender equality and women’s rights.

11 January 2024 | Recruitment

Other news

Finance

News

Significant IDA21 replenishment required as need for concessional finance grows

Rich countries need to agree to an ambitious IDA21 replenishment to address compounding economic and liquidity crises, causing high levels of debt distress in low-income countries.

13 December 2023

Environment

News

IFC trade finance continues to invest in fossil fuels, with no board oversight

New research by Urgewald finds that the World Bank Group invested an estimated $3.7 billion in oil and gas developments in 2022 via trade financing.

13 December 2023

Finance

News

Civil society urges governments to agree on a UN tax body as a high priority

African Group’s proposal for a UN Tax Convention moves forward as CSOs keep pressure on rich countries not to block it.

13 December 2023

Environment

Background

Laure-Alizée Le Lannou joins the Bretton Woods Project as new Environment Project Officer

Laure-Alizée Le Lannou will support the Project’s work on environmental and climate advocacy targeting the World Bank as well as research on IMF Special Drawing Rights.

13 December 2023

Finance

News

New book addresses shortcomings of traditional approaches to debt and economics 

New book details the gendered effects of austerity and argues that the human rights of people living in debt-distressed countries must take precedence over creditors’ financial interests.

13 December 2023

IFI governance

Background

An Evolution Roadmap responsive to development crises? Towards an external evaluation of the World Bank’s cascade

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum on 11 October 2023 titled, "An Evolution Roadmap responsive to development crises? Towards an external evaluation of the World Bank’s cascade."

11 November 2023 | Minutes