Issues and Options for Improving Engagement Between the World Bank and Civil Society Organizations

Between 28 October 2003 and 13 February 2004, the World Bank made available for public comment a draft paper entitled Issues and Options for Improving Engagement Between the World Bank and Civil Society Organizations.

In addition to virtual comments, the drafting team sought comments on the paper through a series of small group meetings with CSOs in several countries.

The Bank's Civil Society Team, which includes staff from the Bank's External Affairs and Social Development Departments, prepared the paper in order to:
1. Assess the Bank's recent relations with CSOs at the institutional and global levels, and
2. Promote discussion among Bank senior management, government representatives, CSOs and other stakeholders on key issues, challenges, and proposed actions to strengthen relations going forward.
The paper analyzes the Bank's extensive experience over the past few years of engaging CSOs in a broad range of development operations and in policy dialogue. It scans the authorizing framework for this engagement, and reviews some of the implications of the extensive internal and external changes which have occurred since the Bank's last review which was completed in 1998. Based on this analysis, the paper identifies four major issues and seven priority actions for the Bank, as well as a number of other options for further discussion.

Although the period for comments on the draft is closed, comments received will be posted on the Bank's Engagement with Civil Society website (www.worldbank.org/civilsociety) and will also be shared with the Board and Bank management for their consideration.

For questions about the document, contact the Bank's Civil Society Team via e-mail <civilsociety@worldbank.org>.