Notes from a meeting on the World Bank safeguards review during the World Bank spring meetings.
Safeguards
IFI governance
Background
UK civil society meeting with UK World Bank Executive Director Gwen Hines
Notes of a meeting with World Bank executive director Gwen Hines in October 2014.
Private Sector
Analysis
New report shows IFC FI investments cause human rights abuses around the world
New evidence from Oxfam, the Bretton Woods Project and other NGOs reveals the impact of IFC investments in financial intermediaries on global human rights.
Finance
Analysis
Eroding accountability? The World Bank’s lending mechanisms under review
The World Bank safeguards review leaves out key Bank lending mechanisms despite potential significant impacts, leading to questions around accountability.
Rights
News
UN experts critique World Bank draft safeguards
UN experts have questioned the World Bank’s draft safeguards’ lack of references to human rights, meanwhile the consultation process continues to raise concerns by NGOs.
Rights
News
CSOs stage walk-out over World Bank’s safeguards
Protesters demonstrated their frustration with the new draft safeguards framework by walking out of a World Bank consultation, as an extension is announced to the second phase of the consultation process.
Rights
Commentary
Dangers of dilution: World Bank’s new weak environmental and social framework
World Bank’s new draft environmental and social framework is criticised as a step backwards that could lower the standards for the international development community.
Rights
News
Draft World Bank safeguards “a step backwards”
Further concerns have been raised on the new draft World Bank safeguards framework, as the second phase of the consultation reaches mid-point.
Rights
News
Consultation launched on new draft World Bank safeguards
The World Bank has released a first draft of its new safeguards framework for consultation, despite concerns from civil society organisations and indigenous peoples groups.
Gender
Analysis
World Bank on gender: walking the equality talk?
The World Bank is increasingly highlighting barriers to women accessing economic and social rights. However, it has been accused by NGOs of neglecting gender equality in the new draft of its safeguards policy framework.
Featured briefings
30 March 2021
World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings 2021
23 March 2021
The Bretton Woods Observer: Spring 2021
23 March 2021
Tip of the iceberg: How the call for SDRs reveals the urgency for deeper reforms of the global reserve system to address systemic inequalities
Renewed calls for a substantial SDR allocation raise urgency of reforming the inequitable global reserve ‘non-system’.