The Bank-commissioned Handbook on Good Practices for Laws Relating to Non-Governmental Organisations has been criticised in a report by the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.
International
Rights
News
Sydney Workers’ Rights Push
World Bank officials at a conference in Sydney last November were pressed by AID/WATCH and trade union officials to introduce mandatory labour standards.
IFI governance
News
Dams Commission Nears Agreement
The World Commission on Dams, looks likely to start operations this Spring.
Rights
News
Bankcheck RIP
The magazine Bankcheck, jointly produced by the International Rivers Network and the Development Group for Alternative Policies, has ceased production after 7 years of informative critical analysis of the World Bank and IMF.
Accountability
News
Inspecting the Inspectors
In February the World Bank Board will again review the functioning of the Bank’s Inspection Panel, subject of two new NGO reports.
Rights
News
Social aspects of WB analysis under scrutiny
A lead article in Development Anthropologist contains a fascinating account of the World Bank’s approach to social issues.
IFI governance
News
GEF: Gift Horse or Force for Change?
A critical study prepared for a meeting to discuss replenishing the Global Environment Facility, an international fund for environmental, criticises the World Bank’s use of the resources.
IFI governance
News
NGOWG Restructuring
The NGO World Bank Working Group is in the process of restructuring to become more regional and more representative.
IFI governance
News
World Bank Plans Profitable CO2 Trading
The Kyoto climate change meeting in December brought together ministers from 160 countries to agree binding restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions.
IFI governance
News
Further IMF Review Delay
The external ESAF review has been delayed again for the consultants to finalise their report.
IFI governance
News
IFC reviews roll off the production line
Largely due to the persistent efforts of NGOs and some Executive Directors, the International Finance Corporation (IFC-a private sector support arm of the World Bank Group) has unveiled a series of reviews and new initiatives.
IFI governance
News
Counter Summit Plans
The world’s richest countries’ annual summit will take place in Birmingham, UK, this year from 15-17 May.
Featured briefings
16 October 2024
The Bretton Woods Observer: Autumn 2024
16 October 2024
The lost call for international financial architecture reform in the G20
At the 80th anniversary of the World Bank and IMF, global civil society must maintain pressure on the Brazilian and South African G20 presidencies to ensure the forth Financing for Development Conference in 2025 results in urgently required international financial architecture reform.
16 October 2024
Sustainable development requires sustainable finance: why local currency financing is part of the solution
Multilateral development banks can reduce their dependence on hard currency lending and make local currency financing a central element of their developmental mandate.