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.
Bangladesh
Conditionality
Analysis
Pro-poor or anti-poor? The World Bank and IMF’s approach to social protection
Stephen Kidd critiques Bretton Woods Institutions' approach to targeted social protection systems, arguing the poor lose out the most.
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.
Gender
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.
Environment
Analysis
Climate Investment Funds Monitor 14
New edition of the Bretton Woods Project's biannual Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) Monitor, including an update on the Green Climate Fund, published to coincide with the World Bank-hosted CIFs trust fund committee 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.
Environment
Analysis
Climate Investment Funds Monitor 13
New edition of the Bretton Woods Project's biannual Climate Investment Fund (CIFs) Monitor, published to coincide with the World Bank-hosted CIFs trust fund committee meetings.
