The House Financial Services Committee passed the World Bank Accountability Act of 2017 today, authorizing U.S. participation in IDA, the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries. The bill funds IDA at the level recently requested by the Trump administration, but conditions that funding on whether the Bank adopts certain reforms, which the bill’s sponsor, …
In response to the harm caused by the World Bank funded Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (UTSDP), including the sexual exploitation of teenage girls, BIC has conducted advocacy to encourage that the Bank takes steps to provide redress to the community and to prevent such harm from occurring in future projects. BIC has worked with …
On March 22, BIC’s Elana Berger testified before the House Financial Services Committee subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade. Berger’s testimony at the hearing entitled “Examining Results and Accountability at the World Bank,” focused on the impacts of the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (TSDP) and the significant internal reforms at the Bank resulting from …
March 2017 Elana Berger, BIC’s Social Inclusion and Accountability Manager, will testify before the Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee this Wednesday at a hearing titled, “Examining Results and Accountability at the World Bank.” Elana’s testimony will focus on the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (TSDP), which led to devastating …
On November 22 the World Bank Board of Directors approved a Management Action Plan intended to address the Inspection Panel’s investigation of the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project (TSDP), which has been of long-term concern for BIC’s child rights program. Commitments in the Action Plan include strengthening the capacity of local governments in Uganda to …
The Annual General Meetings (AGM)* of the World Bank and IMF do not just serve as an opportunity for central bankers, finance ministers, and private sector executives to discuss the global economy and tout their accomplishments over the last year. The Bank and Fund host dozens of events to discuss global development issues with development …
In light of “multiple failures” by the World Bank in monitoring and supervising the Uganda Transport Sector Development Project, the World Bank Group announced today that they will create a “Global Gender-Based Violence Task Force to advise the institution on best practices for reducing risks to community safety in connection with our development projects.” This …
Children in Peru attend BIC workshop on World Bank safeguards / BIC 2015 In August 2015 the World Bank flagged as one of the four goals of the safeguards review to “provide inclusive access to development benefits through the introduction of a non- discrimination principle.” In both the first and second drafts of the safeguards …
As World Bank member governments gather in Myanmar to discuss their contributions to the International Development Association, the Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, the Bank Information Center is calling on donors to make the adoption of stronger safeguard policies a key objective in the replenishment negotiations. In support of this call, BIC has released …
International development finance is intended to alleviate poverty by sparking inclusive growth. But without strong protections for local communities, it can exclude and disenfranchise instead. World Bank development projects like dams, roads, and power plants can cause devastating harm to people and the planet. Too many have suffered displacement, loss of livelihoods, pollution, destruction of …