This briefing raises critical questions on the latest developments in the IMF’s approach to gender.
Briefings
Environment
Analysis
World Bank's investment in Seven Energy in Nigeria once again calls Bank's due diligence into question
World Bank's due diligence processes highly suspect as it invests a quarter of a billion dollars in Nigerian Seven Energy, where several individuals associated with the company’s flagship contract are now either on the run or charged with money laundering.
Gender
Analysis
The World Bank's role in crafting a neoliberal hegemony with a feminist face
The World Bank’s recent gender equality approach constitutes an attempt at establishing a consensus over the regulation of the economy.
Finance
Analysis
The World Bank and the globalisation of housing finance
In prioritising capital market expansion, the needs of the lowest income groups are not being effectively addressed through World Bank interventions.
Social services
Analysis
Pro-poor or anti-poor? The World Bank and IMF’s approach to social protection
Stephen Kidd critiques Bretton Woods Institutions' approach to targeted social protection systems, arguing the poor lose out the most.
Conditionality
Analysis
World Bank report on fiscal adjustment in Brazil: questionable analysis; unfair policies
The World Bank’s report on public spending in Brazil raises serious questions about the methodology used and relevance of the report’s focus on fiscal consolidation in light of its own admission that the deterioration of Brazil’s fiscal situation is due principally to the recession.
Conditionality
Commentary
Tunisians take to the streets over IMF-imposed austerity
Despite claiming to no longer support austerity, the IMF has imposed damaging cutbacks on the people of Tunisia as part of its loan conditionality, leading to widespread discontent on Tunisian streets.
Rights
Analysis
The IMF in insecure fragile states: why being absent should no longer be an option
While there is scope to improve IMF operations in all fragile states, ahead of the forthcoming publication of the IMF IEO review of IMF work in fragile states, there is one fundamental change it must make to transform its effectiveness in fragile states: wherever it is possible, it must be present. No country should be left out.
Private Sector
Analysis
How the Bank’s push for microcredit failed the poor
Originally created to help the poor escape poverty and deprivation, the World Bank became the most important advocate for the commercialised microcredit model. Yet, critics argued it undermined the chances of sustainable and equitable development to create a poverty trap of historic proportions.
Social services
Analysis
A critical analysis of the World Bank's World Development Report on education
While the World Development Report (WDR) 2018 on education has some redeeming features, it is part of the Bank's longstanding very narrow view of education, and is silent on education financing.
Infrastructure
Analysis
De-risking or risk shifting: The World Bank's proposed strategy to bridge the 'infrastructure gap'
This briefing analyses the implications of the strategy proposed by the World Bank for infrastructure financing. It details the type of policies and institutions required to achieve sustainable development.
Rights
Analysis
The IMF, Gender Equality and Labour
BWP briefing explores IMF's labour market policies in the context of women in the informal economy and suggests they will not contribute to decreasing inequalities.
Featured briefings
16 October 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2024
16 October 2024
The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20
At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.
16 October 2024
Sustainable development requires sustainable finance: why local currency financing is part of the solution
Multilateral development banks can reduce their dependence on hard currency lending and make local currency financing a central element of their developmental mandate.