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Private Sector

Social services

News

World Bank issues new guidance on PPPs legal frameworks, ignoring long-standing concerns with the model

New World Bank guidance on PPP legal frameworks evidence of institution’s continued reliance on PPPs as key to addressing SDG financing gap despite well-documented failures. Previous World Bank PPP contracts template criticised for incompatibility with human rights norms.

4 October 2022

Private Sector

Analysis

How IMF and World Bank support for financialisation undermines human rights

IMF and World Bank policies and programmes work in tandem to expand and deepen financialisation, exacerbating the inequality crisis and harming human rights, financial stability and democratic governance

6 April 2022 | At Issue

Private Sector

News

World Bank’s re-labelled Business Enabling Environment Project does little to address substantial flaws of Doing Business Report

Civil society calls for urgent evaluation of Doing Business impacts as the World Bank announces a rebranded Business Enabling Environment Project, failing to address underlying issues.

6 April 2022

Rights

News

IFC faces critical questions over investments in gig economy

IFC’s investments in gig economy platform companies come under scrutiny

13 July 2021

Private Sector

Commentary

Submission to the World Bank Consultation for the Business Enabling Environment (BEE) Project

A coalition of CSOs have delivered a submission to the World Bank raising the BEE is just a rebranding exercise that does not address longstanding issues in the Bank's engagement in private sector advice.

16 March 2022 | Statement

Rights

Analysis

World Bank reparations demanded for murder of frontline South African anti-coal activist

Community demands reparations from World Bank for murder of South African environmental activist Fikile Ntshangase for opposing the Tendele coal mine initially financed by IFC.

10 December 2020 | Guest analysis

IFI governance

Analysis

Biden, the Bank and IMF: A break with ‘America first’ or its continued pursuit through multilateral means?

The world awaits to see whether Trump’s defeat will result in the end of the 'America First' approach and a democratisation of the IMF and World Bank and the multilateral system.

10 December 2020

Rights

News

Unions raise alarm over alleged retaliatory firing at IFC-financed Guinea hotel

IFC accused of violation of performance standards after alleged retaliatory action against workers.

10 December 2020

Other news

Social services

News

21 July 2022

World Bank’s IFC ends funding for fee-paying primary and secondary schools

Independent Evaluation Group report highlighted private sector education provision can exacerbate inequality and undermine the public sector school system.

Knowledge

News

23 March 2021

Doing Business Report to be published after temporary suspension over data irregularities

World Bank plans to publish latest DBR in March and undertake an external review of the report’s methodology.

Private Sector

Background

29 March 2021 | Minutes

Private sector accountability in times of crisis

Notes from the virtual Civil Society Policy Forum session on 29 March.

IFI governance

Background

25 March 2021 | Minutes

An economic future for whom? The Cascade/MFD and recovery

Notes from the virtual Spring 2021 Civil Society Policy Forum on 25 March 2021.

Social services

Background

5 October 2020 | Minutes

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.

Gender

Background

1 October 2020

Building a feminist recovery for all: Gender transformative policies are more urgent than ever

Notes from the Civil Society Policy Forum session on 1 October.

Rights

News

7 April 2020

Civil society launches framework to assess human rights impact of health privatisation

CSO framework evaluates consequences of private sector activity on right to health.

Finance

News

7 April 2020

World Bank pandemic bond instrument fails in COVID-19 response

World Bank's ‘innovative’ health financing instrument proved to be slow and late.