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Scaling Up World Bank Group

Engagement with Civil Society:

A Strategic Priorities Paper

Civil Society Team

EXTIA

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Introduction

Significant expansion of “space” for civil society since early 1990s

CSOs substantial players in global development assistance

Technological and communications advances have aided CSO growth and linkages

Enabling conditions help CSOs to thrive

WBG has continued engagement: in sectors, projects, policies and strategies, and new constituencies

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Background

CSO engagement a key part of WBG business model, calls for periodical reviews

Last review 2005 Issues and Options Paper

Identified 5 key priorities, and a 10 Point Action Plan

Progress review shows both progress and gaps on Action Plan

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Objectives:Objectives:

Assess internal Assess internal environment for CSO environment for CSO engagementengagement

Identify constraints and Identify constraints and emerging opportunitiesemerging opportunities

Recommend priorities for Recommend priorities for scaling upscaling up

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Rationale Rationale Key Opportunities and

Imperatives:

Expansion of Bank-CSO relations

WBG leaders strong interest

Key changes in global and national context

GAC-IP emphasizes role of civil society

Six strategic themes

Need to improve internal synergy

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Approach and Methodology

Phase 1

Establishing Steering Group and Core Strategy Team

Developing preparatory documents and Draft Outline

Internal WBG consultations – staff interviews and group discussions

External outreach: Semi-structured interviews, group discussions (e.g. Spring Meetings)

Web-based consultation

First zero draft of Paper, review with EXT and Steering Group

Phase II

Broad external consultations on zero draft

Final revision

Board process

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Lessons and Issues from Stocktaking

Shift of engagement from ‘constituency’ to ‘issue- driven’.

Shift from ‘do-no-harm’ advocacy to ‘do-good’ advocay on Bank

Specific themes dominate: climate change; fragile/conflict-affected regions; food security, etc.

Rising CSO interest in more operational relationships

Policy dialogue more intense, but requires better follow up

Policy consultations (e.g. GAC-IP) have improved but require more uniformity and quality

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Lessons and Issues from Stocktaking

Incentives and capacities of Bank CS focal points in regions reduced

Engage CSOs up and downstream in project cycle, and improve guidance to task teams

Help governments improve knowledge of and engagement with CSOs

Help access to information/FOIA processes and enabling environments for civil society

Improve WBG information disclosure and translations

Increase accessibility of Bank staff by CSOs

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Need to improve analytical work and generate more knowledge products on civil society.

Monitoring of CSO engagement/participation needs to be enhanced

Lessons and Issues from Stocktaking

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Opportunities for Scaling up Issue-based Engagement

Governance and Anti-Corruption (GAC)

Harness CSO knowledge and experiences at the country level, linking it to global level lesson learning

Explore collaboration with CSOs around piloting anti-corruption based on civic engagement

Systematically capture lessons from civil society monitoring of GAC

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Opportunities for Scaling up Issue-based

Engagement

Agriculture and Food Security

Improve joint planning with CSOs

Link analysis to financial crisis

Identify and engage focal points in WBG, to promote country-level engagement

More systematically ‘map’ CSO actors at all levels to expand and deepen dialogue

Identify specific focus areas for collaboration

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Opportunities for Scaling up Issue-based Engagement

Climate Change

Build on long-standing engagement with environmental CSOs

Develop measures to address CIF and other contentious issues

Innovate partnerships and scale-up engagement

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Opportunities for Scaling up Issue-based

Engagement

The Bank’s Six Strategic Themes

Identify CSOs whose work intersect with Strategic Themes

Pilot and develop sustained CSO engagement in planning, implementation and monitoring of Strategic Themes

Explore partnership in core areas

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Opportunities for Scaling up Issue-based

Engagement

Global Financial Crisis and IFI Governance

Facilitate systematic CSO engagement in WBG governance reforms

Continue to map and engage CSOs working on global economic governance issues

Define specific strategies and mechanisms for dialogue

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Recommendations on Strategic Priorities

i. Substantial global report on CSOs as development agents

ii. Intitute global survey to track and enhance operating conditions for CSOs

iii. Establish programmatic partnerships with global NGO platforms (i.e. InterAction, Coordination Sud)

iv. Establish CSO advisory group for WBG president

v. Develop instruments to enhance funding to CSOs and help capacity building

vi. Improve WBG coordination on civil society engagement, enhance role of Civil Society Team

vii. Improve monitoring and evaluation system to track CSO engagement

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Next Steps

Management review of current draft

Internal and external consultations

Further revisions

Technical briefing of Board

Final document and dissemination

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Questions

What are we doing right in our relationship with CSOs?

Where can we improve

What priorities should our engagement focus on?

How can we balance formal and informal approaches?