Briefings

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.

8 December 2017 | At Issue

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.

30 November 2017 | At Issue

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.

4 October 2017 | At Issue

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.

2 October 2017 | Briefings

Rights

Analysis

UN Independent Expert reports on World Bank and IMF human rights performance

UN Independent Expert publishes two reports on the World Bank and IMF human rights performance, finding the institutions must be more than a "fig leaf" for the status quo and step up their human rights commitments.

27 September 2017 | At Issue

Conditionality

Analysis

The IMF and Gender Equality: A Compendium of Feminist Macroeconomic Critiques

The Bretton Woods Project published an edited volume on the gendered impacts of some of the most commonly-prescribed macroeconomic policies of the IMF, covering tax, expenditure and labour policies.

27 September 2017 | Briefings

Conditionality

Analysis

The IMF, Gender Equality and Expenditure Policy

BWP briefing explores gender dimensions of IMF’s key fiscal policy advice on expenditure policy in developing countries, focusing in particular on austerity measures.

21 September 2017 | Briefings

Conditionality

Analysis

The IMF, Gender Equality and VAT

BWP briefing explores gender dimensions of IMF’s key fiscal policy advice on resource mobilisation in developing countries, in particular on Value-Added Tax.

12 April 2017 | Briefings

Social services

Analysis

World Bank undermines right to universal healthcare

The IFC’s push for the PPP model, as well as its preference for healthcare ‘provision’ and the results-based payment approach, collectively undermine the human right to universal healthcare and the achievement of the SDGs.

6 April 2017 | At Issue

Conditionality

Analysis

Egypt’s new IMF deal comes with a huge price tag for human rights

After 4 years of on-off negotiation and public opposition, the government of Egypt has signed a loan deal with the IMF whose impacts civil society fears will encroach upon human rights, social protection and social provision, like health and education, upon which the poorest depend.

9 February 2017 | At Issue

Social services

Analysis

GFF falls short on family planning

Investments by the World Bank-hosted Global Financing Facility (GFF) do not reflect the family planning priorities identified by developing countries and local communities. The GFF also continues to suffer from a lack of transparency and meaningful civil society participation, raising doubts about the new mechanism’s effectiveness.

31 January 2017 | At Issue

IFI governance

Analysis

Gender-Just Macroeconomics

BWP publishes booklet on gender-just macroeconomics, a guide to engaging the IMF and World Bank.

20 October 2016 | Briefings