In September 2006 the IFC published its first issue of a new publication entitled Lessons of Experience. However, the IFC's lessons drawn from the external compliance monitoring group in the Chad-Cameroon project read more like a tool to market the concept of external monitors to IFC clients than lessons meant to design a more effective role for the external monitor in improving implementation of social and environmental commitments.
Human rights
Infrastructure
News
High-risk water infrastructure at any cost
After a decline in the late 90s, World Bank lending for water projects has been rapidly increasing over recent years, reaching $1.8 billion in FY05, and is set to continue.
Social services
Background
The World Bank and disability
The Bank’s formal commitment to disability work began in June 2002 with the founding of the disability and development team within the social protection unit of the human development vice-presidency. The team’s primary focus is on cooperating at the international level on including the disabled in development.
Rights
News
Uruguay pulp mills: “no risk”
IFC-commissioned impact assessment has found few environmental and social risks posed by the pulp and paper mills being built by Finland’s Botnia and Spain’s ENCE in the Uruguayan town of Fray Bentos.
Accountability
Commentary
Time to listen to Lesotho! - The World Bank and its new anti-corruption agenda
Comment piece by Hennie Van Vuuren on corruption and bribery in the Bank-supported Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme
Accountability
News
BTC: destruction, abuse and betrayal
In July, as the oil in the IFC-supported Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline finally began flowing a year behind schedule, civil society groups from affected countries and elsewhere presented evidence of destruction, abuse and betrayal.
Accountability
News
Justice or conditionality by another name? World Bank at the Human Rights Council
In a statement at the first session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2006, Joseph Ingram, special representative of the World Bank to the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation stated that the advancement of human rights is "critical" to the Bank's own poverty reduction mission, including the "global fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance.
Rights
News
The IFC at fifty: All that glitters is too much gold
As the International Finance Corporation (IFC) marks its golden anniversary, the institution claims to serve "as a catalyst for innovative, market-based solutions for reducing poverty and addressing environmental and social challenges". The reality fails to justify such a glittering perspective. Problem gold mine projects in Ghana, Peru and Kyrgyzstan and serious weaknesses in its recent human rights impact assessment programme undermine the future credibility of an institution that is increasin
Environment
News
Bank environmental commitment under fire
Details of the World Bank's current sustainability disasters in light of the dismantling of ESSD
Accountability
News
Justice or conditionality by another name?
In a statement at the first session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in June 2006, the World Bank stated that the advancement of human rights is "critical" to its poverty reduction mission, including the "global fight against corruption and the promotion of good governance". It has been greeted with scepticism from civil society.