The World Bank's April spring meetings saw its first involvement with LGBT rights creating controversy in the media and civil society.
Health
Social services
Background
Ensuring the Bank’s investment in and prioritisation of reproductive health up to 2015 and beyond
Sponsors: International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), White Ribbon Alliance, WBG (Health, Nutrition and Population Division)…
Social services
Commentary
Bad aid
A health public-private partnership is starving Lesotho's public health services of resources, affecting rural communities, where death rates are rising.
Private Sector
Commentary
Can development really be delivered by investing in private banks?
In a new blog the Bretton Woods Project highlights the Bank's increasing investment in financial intermediaries at the expense of education and health
Social services
News
World Bank’s Burma spending spree
The World Bank has announced big spending programmes in health, electricity and telecoms in Burma, however, critics point to its failure to protect human rights or consult properly with civil society.
Social services
News
World Bank health initiative “trampling on the dignity and needs of people”
World Bank report on health prevention criticised for ignoring evidence and theory.
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.
Social services
Background
Is the World Bank serious about engaging CSOs and communities
Minutes from a civil society event on civil society consultations in the health sector at the WB/IMF annual meetings.
Accountability
Analysis
World Bank "short-sighted and cross-eyed" on fossil fuels
As the World Bank released a new report on the impacts of climate change and is due to discuss its energy focus, it defended its engagement in fossil fuels, including the Kosovo coal power plant.
Social services
News
A healthy step forward? World Bank outlines vision for healthcare
Bank president Jim Yong Kim has publicly prioritised universal health coverage and education however, critics worry about increased support for private companies to deliver these services.
Featured briefings
6 April 2023
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2023
5 April 2023
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.
5 April 2023
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.