IFC accountability mechanism formally links World Bank client to human rights abuses on palm oil project in Honduras, and highlights systemic problems with IFC procedures.
Analysis
Gender
Analysis
IMF & gender: a long way to go
This briefing analyses the recently published IMF discussion note Women, work and the economy and draws some positive conclusions from its recommendations, whilst pointing to additional measures that the IMF can take to promote gender equity.
Conditionality
Analysis
IMF conditionality and its discontents
A new study shows a significant worldwide pattern of protests targeting the IMF, reflecting the increase in IMF influence through loan programmes with austerity conditions attached and indirect pressure on governments.
Environment
Analysis
Kenya evictions: foreshadowing future World Bank forest work?
Indigenous peoples have been evicted from their forests by a conservation project in Kenya funded by the World Bank. The Bank is currently drafting a new forests action plan.
IFI governance
Analysis
World Bank strategy: untested innovation or more of the same?
The new World Bank Group strategy moves into the implementation stage with changes to country planning and internal structure, but critics say that little will change.
Finance
Analysis
The IFIs in 2013: year in review
The Bretton Woods Project review of the most important developments at the World Bank and IMF in 2013.
Private Sector
Analysis
ICSID and Latin America
Latin American states are actively exploring alternative mechanisms to the ICSID state-investor dispute mechanism which they claim has investor bias.
Finance
Analysis
The IMF’s debt restructuring dilemma
Burgeoning debt levels, and problems in Jordan and Philippines, indicate that debt crises are not behind us. While the IMF considers policy changes, an influential group of scholars has proposed a new Fund facility for handling sovereign debt restructuring.
Private Sector
Analysis
Croissants and TV guides: World Bank's new poverty reduction strategy?
IFC investments in a TV guide, hotels and online shopping highlight projects with weak development outcomes
Environment
Analysis
A mine of controversy: World Bank push for large scale extractives
New concerns have been raised on the World Bank’s involvement in the Simandou mine in Guinea, including on the use of biodiversity offsets, while civil society has repeated unaddressed concerns on the Mongolia Oyu Tolgoi mine. Further concerns have been raised on mines in Dominican Republic, Peru and South Africa.
Infrastructure
Analysis
World Bank courts controversial coal in India and Indonesia
Despite its increasingly strong rhetoric on tackling climate change the World Bank continues to fund contentious coal projects in India and Indonesia, including rejecting the findings of its accountability mechanism.
Accountability
Analysis
A fragile solution: World Bank’s new approach to fragile and conflict affected states
World Bank launches a new approach to fragile states, accompanied by resources, including IFC investment but it remains unclear what role it will play in implementing the reforms.
Featured briefings
6 April 2022
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2022
8 December 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Winter 2021
8 November 2021
IMF surveillance and climate change transition risks
New briefing by ActionAid USA and the Bretton Woods Project highlights research showing that IMF policy advice has undermined a just energy transition since the Paris Agreement was signed.