US NGO, Bank Information Centre, published a report examining how well the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) incorporate participation and accountability into project design.

Of the projects reviewed, only a few had clear reference to a consultation process or a programme to ensure stakeholder participation. A third incorporated participation and accountability into their objectives, but fewer included transparent decision-making procedures or a robust evaluation system.

Overall, a majority of the reviewed projects were deemed ‘standard-mediocre’. Decentralisation, water and health projects were particularly poor. IDB projects did much worse than World Bank projects.