Stephen Kidd critiques Bretton Woods Institutions' approach to targeted social protection systems, arguing the poor lose out the most.
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Bangladesh
Rights
Analysis
The IMF, Gender Equality and Labour
BWP briefing explores IMF's labour market policies in the context of women in the informal economy and suggests they will not contribute to decreasing inequalities.
Conditionality
Analysis
The IMF, Gender Equality and VAT
BWP briefing explores gender dimensions of IMF’s key fiscal policy advice on resource mobilisation in developing countries, in particular on Value-Added Tax.
Environment
Analysis
Behind the fumes: the dirty truth behind the World Bank’s commitments on climate change
New report provides evidence that IFC investments in financial intermediaries (FIs) support the construction of coal power plants in contradiction to World Bank policy and IFC statements that FI lending is ring-fenced and does not support coal.
Social services
Analysis
GFF falls short on family planning
Investments by the World Bank-hosted Global Financing Facility (GFF) do not reflect the family planning priorities identified by developing countries and local communities. The GFF also continues to suffer from a lack of transparency and meaningful civil society participation, raising doubts about the new mechanism’s effectiveness.
Environment
Analysis
Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR)
Pipeline management and cancellation policies are in preparation for the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) to address funding constraints, with no funding available for new pilot countries’ projects. Questions were raised about gender impacts for a renewable energy project in Mozambique.
Environment
Analysis
Forest Investment Program (FIP)
Challenges in measuring progress were noted for the Forest Investment Program (FIP), in particular greenhouse gas accounting. Investment plans for Mozambique and Ivory Coast have been approved. Questions were raised over the reasoning for a commercial teak plantation project in Ghana.
Environment
Analysis
Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program (SREP)
A new a new Enhanced Private Sector Program for the Scaling up Renewable Energy Program in Low Income Countries (SREP) is due to discussed. Cambodia’s investment plan has been approved. Social, environmental and financial risks related to a Nicaragua geothermal project were raised.
Other news
Finance
Background
A People’s Recovery: Ensuring progressive fiscal measures for a feminist and just pandemic recovery
Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 24 March.
Finance
Background
Taxes, Taxes, Taxes: Shifting the IFI Narrative to Progressive Gender-just Taxation
Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 12 April on the changing international tax landscape from a feminist perspective and challenging IFIs’ role in shaping it at the World Bank and IMF's 2019 Spring Meetings.
Rights
News
Indigenous peoples lodge complaint over Bangladesh World Bank project
Indigenous peoples in Bangladesh have submitted a complaint to the Inspection Panel regarding a World Bank funded transport feasibility study.
Knowledge
News
Who’s poor? New estimates of PPPs led to halving of World Bank’s poverty numbers
A May World Bank-led statistical operation has used a new method to estimate purchasing power parities, allowing it to more than halve the estimated number of people living on below $1.25 per day.
Land
News
Complaint filed against IFC funded Lafarge mining operation
Khasi indigenous people in Indian state of Meghalaya have filed a complaint with the CAO over illegal land infringement by French multinational Lafarge's Bangladeshi cement plant.
Environment
News
Environment trust fund goals conflict with World Bank
World Bank’s involvement in the Global Environment Facility and Green Climate Fund trust funds criticised.
Finance
News
Bangladesh to raise VAT under IMF pressure
The Bangladeshi government is being pressured by the IMF's Asia and Pacific department officials to implement its recommendations, including raising the VAT rate, despite opposition from local civil society organizations.
Infrastructure
Background
Water privatisation management issues
This session featured a discussion on the implications of current water policy reforms that have increasingly privatised and commodified water.
