World Bank fails to incorporate key elements of new Gender Strategy in IDA21 policy package and Corporate Scorecard
Source: Bretton Woods Proj.
The World Bank Group (WBG) released its final 2024-2030 Gender Strategy in mid-June, following over a year of public consultation. With little significant change from the draft shared with stakeholders in October 2023 (see Observer Autumn 2023), followers of the process await details about the strategy’s implementation plan and a clearer picture of how it will apply to the International Development Association (IDA) 21st replenishment (see Observer Autumn 2024, Summer 2024) and the new Corporate Scorecard (see Observer Autumn 2024). Thus far it seems that the Bank’s new Gender Strategy will end up watered down to a limited number of indicators on ‘financial inclusion’ in the Scorecard and a gender ‘lens’ in IDA21 – despite civil society repeatedly calling for a more holistic, rights-based and wellbeing-centred approach throughout the Gender Strategy consultations. Bank staff have stated that gender will be a key theme of this year’s Annual Meetings in Washington DC in October. Yet, there are warning signs that real substance behind the gender push will have regressed.
In the current polycrisis, with global political instability, rising debt and subsequent austerity measures, numerous violent conflicts and worsening climate change, gender equality and women’s rights are falling behind. Commitments on gender must be ambitious and transformative. As the strategy was being developed, civil society called for ambitious and transformative commitments from the Bank that would centre a gender lens and provide adequate financing across its operations (see Briefing, Civil Society calls for rethink of World Bank’s ‘evolution roadmap’ as part of wider reforms to highly unequal global financial architecture). Long awaited references to women’s rights as human rights were included in the new Gender Strategy – a first for the Bank – and the value of public services to women and girls was also emphasised, with the strategy stating it “supports public sector financing for core services.” However, a more holistic view of what it takes to achieve gender equality is missing from both the draft IDA21 policy package and the recently launched Corporate Scorecard.
Read here the full article published by Bretton Woods Proj. on 16 October 2024.
Image by Bretton Woods Proj.
The World Bank Group (WBG) released its final 2024-2030 Gender Strategy in mid-June, following over a year of public consultation. With little significant change from the draft shared with stakeholders in October 2023 (see Observer Autumn 2023), followers of the process await details about the strategy’s implementation plan and a clearer picture of how it will apply to the International Development Association (IDA) 21st replenishment (see Observer Autumn 2024, Summer 2024) and the new Corporate Scorecard (see Observer Autumn 2024). Thus far it seems that the Bank’s new Gender Strategy will end up watered down to a limited number of indicators on ‘financial inclusion’ in the Scorecard and a gender ‘lens’ in IDA21 – despite civil society repeatedly calling for a more holistic, rights-based and wellbeing-centred approach throughout the Gender Strategy consultations. Bank staff have stated that gender will be a key theme of this year’s Annual Meetings in Washington DC in October. Yet, there are warning signs that real substance behind the gender push will have regressed.
In the current polycrisis, with global political instability, rising debt and subsequent austerity measures, numerous violent conflicts and worsening climate change, gender equality and women’s rights are falling behind. Commitments on gender must be ambitious and transformative. As the strategy was being developed, civil society called for ambitious and transformative commitments from the Bank that would centre a gender lens and provide adequate financing across its operations (see Briefing, Civil Society calls for rethink of World Bank’s ‘evolution roadmap’ as part of wider reforms to highly unequal global financial architecture). Long awaited references to women’s rights as human rights were included in the new Gender Strategy – a first for the Bank – and the value of public services to women and girls was also emphasised, with the strategy stating it “supports public sector financing for core services.” However, a more holistic view of what it takes to achieve gender equality is missing from both the draft IDA21 policy package and the recently launched Corporate Scorecard.
Read here the full article published by Bretton Woods Proj. on 16 October 2024.
Image by Bretton Woods Proj.