This year, 85 per cent of the world’s population lives under austerity measures, while multinational enterprises and the wealthy have benefited from privileged tax structures and regressivity, allowing inequality to widen.
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Kenya
Finance
Analysis
Learning lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic: The World Bank’s macroeconomic policies and women’s rights
This briefing argues that the Bank’s current framework for analysing the impacts of its macroeconomic policy advice on gender equality are insufficient.
Rights
News
IFC faces critical questions over investments in gig economy
IFC’s investments in gig economy platform companies come under scrutiny
Finance
Analysis
The IMF and World Bank-led Covid-19 recovery: ‘Building back better’ or locking in broken policies?
Early evidence suggests IMF programmes are maintaining long-term fiscal consolidation targets, while World Bank further continues Maximizing Finance for Development narrative amidst Covid-19 crisis.
Infrastructure
News
Warming of Ethiopia-Eritrea relations puts proposed LAPSSET mega-project under microscope
Significant concerns also remain about environmental and social impacts of mega-infrastructure project partially financed by World Bank.
Social services
News
CSOs urge IFC to divest from for-profit school chain
CSOs urge investors to divest from private school provider Bridge International Academies; IFC remains investor, despite WDR’s concerns with private education.
Social services
News
World Bank’s cascade into education: Liberia’s public-private partnership
Report by global union found privatisation and corporate capture are obstacles to progress on 2030 agenda. Independent research of education PPP trial in Liberia finds unsustainable costs.
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.
Other news
IFI governance
Background
Greening whole economies? Unpacking World Bank plans for Paris alignment by July 2023
Notes from a Civil Society Policy Forum event on 14 October titled "Greening whole economies? Unpacking World Bank plans for Paris alignment by July 2023."
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.
Social services
News
Civil society hails IFC’s divestment from for-profit education provider Bridge International Academies
The divestment follows a 2020 freeze in new IFC direct and indirect investments in for-profit education providers.
Accountability
News
IMF faces wave of calls to suspend loan disbursements in Africa
Activists call for suspension of IMF disbursements, raising alarm about lack of accountability for several African loans.
Social services
Background
World Bank Group’s ‘Maximizing Finance for Development’ in times of Covid-19
Notes from the virtual Civil Society Policy Forum at the 2020 World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings 5 October session on the World Bank's 'Maximizing Finance for Development' and the Covid-19 response.
Accountability
News
IFC accountability mechanism investigates World Bank-funded for-profit schools
CAO initiates investigation following complaint related to IFC-funded Bridge International Academies in Kenya.
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.
Infrastructure
Background
Getting energy access right - Trends and lessons learned in public finance
Notes from a meeting at the IMF/World Bank 2017 spring meetings on energy access.
