3 July 2017
IFC investments through financial intermediary investments linked to land grabs and displacement in Africa. CSOs critique proposed changes to IFC lending policies.
Co-financing arrangements and increased World Bank-AIIB cooperation on mega-infrastructure projects represent a dangerous global trend that threatens human rights and locks in a failed development model.
WILPF submitted a statement to Human Rights Council criticising the IMF's Ukraine programme. The statement argued that the programme's harsh conditionalities hurt women in particular and called for a human rights based approach to macroeconomic policy making.
Sub-Saharan Africa IMFC statement warns against protectionist trends in developed world, and the impacts of capital outflows. The statement calls for tighter financial sector regulation and for third chair for sub-Saharan Africa on the IMF Board.
March IMF policy paper advocates liberalisation and lowering of labour market protections although makes case for stimulus when there is 'available fiscal space'. World Bank displays inconsistent labour policy implementation. IMF U-turn on advice regarding Germany’s introduction of minimum wage.
World Bank unveils cascade concept that privileges private over public finance. De-risking in order to attract private sector investments threatens to shift risks to public sector and result in third wave of privatisation.
The IMF's recognition of the importance of inequality is under threat. Concerns have been raised about complacency and even the reversal of the IMF's recent progress on inequality, while IMF staff continue to operationalise new policy advice on inequality in surveillance and lending programmes.
Newly published self-congratulatory IMF policy paper on impacts of loan programmes on social protection is self-referential and ignores available evidence.
Following longstanding conflict over a World Bank-funded power line project in Nepal, dating back to 2009, communities express hope that a World Bank-supported dialogue initiative will result in a fair dispute resolution process and meaningful consultation.
As the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it is time the IMF’s shareholders use the opportunities provided by the anniversary and growing calls for reforms to the international financial architecture to redesign the IMF’s governance structures and programmes to ensure they are consistent with the commitments outlined in 1948 and with international human rights law.
Influence of unreformed international financial institutions and creditor interests in debt solutions in low- and middle-income countries plagued by delay and ineffective when undertaken.
