New book details the gendered effects of austerity and argues that the human rights of people living in debt-distressed countries must take precedence over creditors’ financial interests.
Debt
Conditionality
News
Tunisian government resists proposed IMF austerity programme
Tunisian government is attempting to renegotiate IMF loan to avoid subsidy cuts on food and fuel.
Finance
Analysis
Debt sustainability assessment reform essential to address retrogression of international human rights
Recent reports outlining the extensive negative human rights impacts of debt and austerity further evidence the urgency of the need for the IMF and World Bank to go beyond financial sustainability in debt sustainability analysis.
Finance
Analysis
Assessing the Bretton Woods Institutions’ legacy
New collection of critical essays by authors from MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa do a retrospective of the BWIs involvement in the region, and the legacy of BWIs-supported unjust and extractionist world economic order.
IFI governance
News
Marrakech CSO working group launches statement ahead of 2023 Annual Meetings
Marrakech working group calls on the BWIs to cancel the debt, stop imposing austerity and ensure a just energy transition.
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.
IFI governance
Analysis
The IMF at the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The need for governance reform
As the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time the IMF’s shareholders use the opportunities provided by the anniversary and growing calls for reforms to the international financial architecture to redesign the IMF’s governance structures and programmes to ensure they are consistent with the commitments outlined in 1948 and with international human rights law.
Finance
Analysis
The global financial architecture and the international debt crisis: An urgent call for reform
Influence of unreformed international financial institutions and creditor interests in debt solutions in low- and middle-income countries plagued by delay and ineffective when undertaken.
Finance
News
Between a rock and a hard place: How can IMF provide support amidst debt restructure deadlock?
IMF’s lending into arrears policy can be a way to break out of the debt restructure deadlock and provide the much-needed financing for countries in debt distress.
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.
Featured briefings
3 July 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Summer 2024
3 July 2024
Is the World Bank rolling back commitments to citizen engagement, again?
Understanding the Bank’s chequered history with public, community and civil society participation is key for understanding what is at stake and what to do next.
3 June 2024
A way out for IMF reform
New paper analyses the IMF 16th Quota Review and identifies key governance reforms feasible in the current economic and geopolitical context.