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UN

IFI governance

Analysis

Spring Meetings 2025 Wrap-up: Don’t look up! Bank and Fund leadership self-censors on climate change and gender issues, as US tariffs rock global economic outlook

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicates US will stay in the Bank and Fund, claiming “America First does not mean America alone,” as tariffs and rising debt vulnerabilities prompt gloomy forecast.

30 April 2025
World Bank Group & International Monetary Fund 2023 Spring Meetings Development Committee, Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - Washington DC. Photo: World Bank photo collection/Flickr

IFI governance

Analysis

Development Committee chair’s statement analysis Spring Meetings 2025: holding out on climate, but not without private finance

The Development Committee met on 24 April, with the chair issuing a statement, instead of a communiqué, reflecting the views of the majority of the group and providing clarity on priorities and moments of consensus within the chaos.

30 April 2025
Illustration showing the World Bank, the IMF and the EU and USA flags watering down the spirit of Monterrey from the walls of Seville old city.

Finance

Analysis

Civil society calls for FfD4 to revive 'spirit of Monterrey' and reassert UN's role in global economic governance

The role of Bretton Woods Institutions remains a key point of contention, amidst their stark governance deficits.

15 April 2025
Overturn Roe v Wade protest defending US abortion rights. Photo: Matt Hrkac/Wikimedia

Gender

Analysis

Civil society defends feminist demands amidst threats to women’s rights and fresh questions over the role of the BWIs

Anti-gender rhetoric, furthered by the new US administration, brings fresh questions over the approach of the World Bank and IMF to gender equality, given their controversial track record.

15 April 2025
Palace of Nations - UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Trabantos/ Shutterstock

Rights

News

UN Human Rights Council debt roundtable concludes debt crisis is a human rights crisis

UN Human Rights Council’s Seventh Intersessional Meeting calls for states to use FfD4 to agree reforms that enable states to deliver on their human rights obligations.

15 April 2025

Private Sector

Commentary

IFC standards review must respond to UN’s call for rights-based transition mineral value chains

Amid escalating transition minerals mining, the expected 2025 review of IFC’s Performance Standards must result in a new approach.

16 October 2024 | Guest comment

Finance

Analysis

Opportunity lost: World Bank's Roadmap fails to chart path to better development outcomes

Civil society renews calls for an independent external evaluation of Bank policies ahead of Spring Meetings’ focus on the operationalisation of the Roadmap and a ‘historic’ IDA21 replenishment.

9 April 2024

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
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Other news

Finance

News

FfD4 is a feminist issue

FfD4 civil society feminist workstream calls for gender and race equality, human rights and systemic change in the international financial architecture, while groups plan strategic convening in Morocco.

15 April 2025

Finance

News

UN's Fourth Financing for Development Conference takes place at key moment for international financial architecture reform

Civil society Financing for Development (FfD) Mechanism calls for FfD4 conference to deliver meaningful reform and a true path towards democratic multilateralism.

12 December 2024

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

Finance

News

IMF continues to disregard UN Human Rights Commission concerns about its surcharge policy

IMF managing director continues to refuse to answer letter from UN Human Rights Council concerning the negative impact of IMF surcharges as world celebrates 75th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5 April 2023

Finance

News

A different ‘evolution roadmap’: Havana conference calls for changes in world order hierarchy

As IMF and World Bank tinker at margins, 50 policymakers, diplomats and academics from over 26 countries issue Havana Declaration calling for an assertion of Southern power and the building of a new "planetary bloc".

5 April 2023

Finance

News

UN letter of allegation outlines concerns about the impact of IMF surcharge policy on human rights

Civil society urges IMF to reply to UN letter and finally take action to review its surcharge policy.

8 December 2022

IFI governance

Background

Global South feminist perspectives and proposals on accelerating climate finance for countries facing debt crises

Notes from a Civil Society Policy Forum event on 12 October titled, "Global South feminist perspectives and proposals on accelerating climate finance for countries facing debt crises."

12 October 2022 | Minutes

Rights

News

'Uber Files' and 'Back off BlackRock' campaign expose 'pink washing' as the heart of corporate women's economic empowerment agenda

Uber Leaks and cancelled BlackRock and UN Women partnership highlight contradiction of corporate ‘pink washing’ interests with IFI gender commitments.

4 October 2022
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