Resource information
The purpose of this paper is to assess
the World Bank's recent relations with civil society
organizations (CSOs), that is, nongovernmental organizations
and not-for-profit organizations, and to propose options for
promoting more effective civic engagement in Bank-supported
activities and managing associated risks in the future. The
analysis in this paper points to four main issues and
challenges for the Bank as it seeks to achieve more
constructive and effective engagement with CSOs in the
future: 1) Promoting best practices for civic engagement; 2)
Closing the gap between expectations, policy and practice;
3) Adapting to changes in global and national civil society;
and 4) Achieving greater Bank-wide coherence and
accountability. To attain these objectives, the report
proposes ten priority actions: Establishing new global
mechanisms for Bank-CSO engagement to help promote mutual
understanding and cooperation; establish a Bank-wide
advisory service/focal point for consultations and feedback;
piloting a new Bank-wide monitoring and evaluation system
for civic engagement; Conduct a review of Bank funds
available for civil society engagement in operations and
policy dialogue, and explore possible realignment or
restructuring. reviewing the Bank's procurement
framework; instituting an integrated learning program for
Bank staff and member governments as well as
capacity-building for CSOs on how to work effectively with
the Bank and its member governments; holding regular
meetings of senior management and periodically with the
Board to review Bank/civil society relations; developing and
issuing new guidelines for Bank staff on the
institution's approach, best practices, and a framework
for engagement with CSOs; emphasizing the importance of
civil society engagement in preparing Country Assistance
Strategies (CAS) as well as in CAS monitoring and
evaluation; and developing tools for analytical mapping of
civil society.
