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Civil Society Policy Forum

September 28-October 09, 2020

Washington, DC

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Starting on September 28 and through October 9, you will be able to follow the sessions virtually. Sessions hosted by the World Bank Group will be livestreamed here. Sessions hosted by the International Monetary Fund will be livestreamed on their website: https://www.imf.org/cso 

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  • FULL PROGRAM
    **Subject to change**
    Sessions will be livestreamed on this page or on the IMF site.
    Please note that in order to participate in the CSPF and interact with panelists, you will have to be registered to the 2020 Annual Meetings.


    In addition to the forum, the following meetings have been arranged for CSOs to interact with Management at the IMF and World Bank Group, registration to attend and actively participate in these meetings is required.

    Townhall with IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, will take place on Friday, October 9th, 2020 from 8:00 to 9:00 am (Washington, D.C. time). You can follow the discussion live here. 

    Townhall with World Bank Group President, David Malpass, will take place on Tuesday, October 13th, 2020 from 10:15 to 11:15 am (Washington, D.C. time). You can follow the discussion live here.

    CSO Roundtable with World Bank Group Executive Directors will take place on Tuesday, October 20th, 2020 from 10:00 to 11:00 am (Washington, D.C. time).

  • MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Sep 28, 2020

    COVID-19 and Debt: Going Beyond Debt Suspension Towards a Systemic Response to Debt Crises

    The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing debt vulnerabilities and triggered a new debt crisis. Despite the urgency of the situation, the multilateral response has been insufficient, and many challenges remain unaddressed. The session discussed policy alternatives to address the debt problem in developing countries. Moderator: Iolanda Fresnillo, Senior Policy Officer, Eurodad. Panel: Yungong Theophilus Jong, Policy Analyst, Afrodad; H.E. Aubrey Webson, Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda, AOSIS; Lidy Nacpil, Regional Coordinator, APMDD; Jeronim Zettelmeyer, Deputy Director SPR, IMF.

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Sep 29, 2020

    Investing in our Future: Nurturing Human Capital in a COVID Complex World

    Before COVID-19, 250 million children were at risk of not reaching their developmental potential. COVID-19 has disrupted services for the nurturing care of young children. Decades of progress are threatened. The developmental needs of ALL young children must remain a priority as we build back better. Moderator: Dr. Hana Brixi, Manager, Human Capital Project, World Bank. Panel: Gwen Hines, Executive Director, Global Programs, Save the Children UK; Dr. Jere R. Behrman, Professor of Economics, University of Pennsylvania; Nafisa Baboo, Senior Director, Inclusive Education, Board Member, Light for the World, Global Campaign for Education; Zoila Cristina Llempen Lopez, General Director of Public Budget, Ministry of Economy and Finance of Peru; Sanjay Wijesekera, Director of Programme Division, UNICEF.

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Sep 30, 2020

    Building a Fossil-Free and Just Recovery

    As the climate crisis and inequality intensify in the wake of COVID-19, MDBs have a responsibility to provide recovery finance that is aligned with a 1.5°C future. This panel discussed the latest research on shifting finance from oil, gas, and coal and scaling up debt-free finance for a green recovery. Moderator: Lidy Nacpil, Coordinator, Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development. Panel: Jason Farr, Associate Policy Advisor, Climate Change and Energy, Oxfam America; Kate Geary, Co-Director, Recourse; Andrew Scott, Senior Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute; Peter Cashion, Chief Investment Officer, Financial Institutions Group, IFC.

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Oct 01, 2020

    Energy Access for a Just Recovery in Africa

    While the IMF and WBG’s COVID-19 response financing has increased countries’ fiscal space for responding to the crisis, their call for increased investment in public services seems temporary. Long term, gender transformative approaches to macroeconomic policies that recognize and redistribute women’s disproportionate burden of unpaid care work are urgently needed. Moderator: Bronwen Tucker, Researcher, Oil Change International. Panel: Ladd Connell, Environment Director, Bank Information Center; Panelist 2: Augustine NJamshi, Coordinator, The African Coalition for Sustainable Energy and Access; Stephen Nash, Researcher, Kuungana Advisory; Dana Resankova, Global Lead for Energy Access, World Bank Group.

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Oct 05, 2020

    World Bank Group's 'Maximizing Finance for Development' in Times of COVID-19

    The pandemic has buoyed calls for de-risking private finance to ensure that cash-strapped developing countries finance recovery plans. This session explored implications of the WBG promotion of private finance-led recoveries for gender equality and sustainable development, and the lessons from the pandemic for harnessing private finance for development. Moderator: Stefano Prato, Director, Society for International Development. Panelists: Daniela Gabor, Associate Professor in Economics, University of the West of England; María José Romero, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Eurodad; Crystal Simeoni, Director, Nawi – Afrifem Macroeconomics Collective; Richard Montgomery, Executive Director, UK, World Bank; Jennifer del Rosario-Malonzo, Deputy Director, IBON International

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Oct 06, 2020

    Climate Risk, Conflict and Environmental Degradation: Joining Up to Better Respond

    Armed conflicts disrupt the foundations of societies, reducing their capacity to adapt to a changing climate and to limit environmental degradation. Climate shocks and environmental degradation exacerbate the vulnerability of communities who have to find ways of coping through adapting ways of life, livelihood or, ultimately, moving to other locations. This conversation brought together experts to discuss how risks materialize in people’s lives and explore avenues to strengthen people’s resilience. Moderator: Arame Tall, Sr. Adaptation and Resilience Specialist, Climate Change Group, World Bank. Panelists: Catherine-Lune Greyson, Policy Advisor, ICRC; Nadheer Aboud Faaza, Head of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change Pillar, UNDP - Iraq; Gildas Tola Kogadou, National Climate Coordinator Coordination Nationale Climat – Central African Republic; Ibrahim Togola, Director, Mali Folke Centre.

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Oct 06, 2020

    Are the World Bank Group's Accountability Systems Working for Communities

    Conversation on the effectiveness of WBG’s accountability systems for project-affected communities, in light of recent policy reforms and challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on WBG’s commitment to do no harm, panelists presented and discussed recommendations for ensuring development institutions are accountable to the people they most impact. Moderator: Jolie Schwarz, Bank Information Center, Policy Director; Matthias Meis, World Bank Board of Directors, Senior Advisor; Nessim Ahmad, International Finance Corporation, Senior Director Environment and Social Policy and Risk; Carla García Zendejas, Center for International Environmental Law, Program Director with CSO representative from the Global South; Imrana Jalal, World Bank Inspection Panel, Chair, Inspection Panel

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Oct 08, 2020

    World Bank Funding and Freedom of the Press

    Journalists worldwide are facing increasing restrictions and reprisals for reporting on the COVID-19 emergency responses that the World Bank is supporting, what does this mean to the World Bank's commitment to stakeholder engagement and public participation? Moderator: Courtney Radsch, Advocacy Director, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Panelists: Vusumuzi Sifile, Executive Director, Panos Institute Southern Africa; Oscar Martinez, Journalist, El Faro (El Salvador); Baris Altintas, Journalist, President MLSA, The Media and Law Studies Association (Turkey); Leopoldo Maldonado, Director, Article 19 Mexico & Central America; Maria Ressa, Chief Executive Officer, Rappler (The Philippines)

    MULTIMEDIA

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    VIDEO Oct 09, 2020

    5 Years with the GFF: Challenges and Lessons Learned

    The GFF celebrated its 5th birthday. Civil society has been monitoring the GFF globally and nationally. Since the replenishment, a lot has happened in the GFF landscape; including COVID-19. It is time to recollect new information and evaluate critically if civil society’s concerns have been able to change the GFF’s procedure. Moderator: Myria Koutsoumpa, Global Health Advocate, Wemos. Panelists: Moses Mulumba, Executive Director, CEHURD; George Jobe, Executive Director, MHEN; Bruno Rivalan, Advocacy Lead for the GFF Secretariat; Joris Jurriëns, Head of Health and Aids Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands

  • The Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) has become an integral part of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group Spring and Annual Meetings, providing an open space for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to dialogue and exchange views with World Bank Group and IMF staff, their peers, government delegations, and other stakeholders on a wide range of topics.

    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Annual Meetings, and CSPF, will be conducted via a primarily virtual format. Please check back here for updates on the CSPF agenda and format.

    The call for proposals closed on August 31 at 9 am EDT.

    What are CSOs?

    CSOs include non-governmental organizations, community groups, labor unions, indigenous peoples movements, faith-based organizations, professional associations, foundations, think tanks, charitable organizations, and other not-for-profit organizations.  Representatives from the private sector, academia or governmental bodies must apply for accreditation through the "Guests" or other respective registration category as clarified on the main 2020 Annual Meetings website.

  • Registration for the 2020 Annual Meetings has closed. 

    Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives are invited to register for the 2020 Annual Meetings which are scheduled to take place virtually from October 12-18, 2020. Registration will close on October 5, 2020, at 5 PM EDT.

    Costs

    Registration and participation in the Annual Meetings and Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) is free. Unfortunately, we have come across some entities offering to register participants for a fee. If you come across any such entity, please report them to civilsociety@worldbank.org so we can take appropriate action.

    Application Process

    All CSO applications go through an initial review by the Civil Society Team of the World Bank Group to ensure that the applicants represent relevant Civil Society Organizations. (See "What are CSOs?" paragraph in the overview page). Applications are then reviewed by the relevant Executive Directors' offices (based on the country where the CSO is based or mainly operates and/or the nationality of the requester). Once approved, participants will be notified by email of the final decision. There is no limit on the number of applicants from a single organization, but each applicant must apply individually.

    Since the review and approval process can take up to 21 days, we encourage CSOs to apply early to allow for the relevant reviews and clearances.

  • In response to the ongoing crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank and IMF have recently announced that this year’s Annual Meetings will be held in a “primarily virtual format” from October 12-18, 2020. Ensuring that civil society can continue to engage and dialogue with World Bank and IMF remains a priority for the two institutions. Thus, in cooperation with the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) Working Group, we launched the call for proposals for a virtual CSPF to take place over the course of the weeks directly preceding the Annual Meetings, from September 28 to October 9, 2020 in the morning in Washington D.C (EDT)

    The call for porposals closed on August 31, 2020 at 9 AM EDT.

    Session organizers will be notified if their session has been selected for inclusion in the CSPF, prior to posting the preliminary CSPF program schedule online.

    Due to the virtual nature of this year’s CSPF and the need to organize sessions at a reasonable time for participants in several time zones, the number of sessions we are able to accommodate will be limited. We will have space for roughly 10-15 sessions, and thus cannot guarantee that every proposal will be accepted. For this reason, we ask that each organization sponsor only one session. Proposals jointly sponsored with other CSOs – especially from different regions of the world – are highly encouraged.

    If you want to submit a joint proposal, and/or would like to work on your proposal offline, you will have to follow these two steps that will become available when we open the call for proposals:

    STEP 1Proposal form (for drafting)
     Download this Word version of the submission form to work on your proposal offline with your colleagues or network/partners.
    STEP 2Proposal form (for final submission)
     The deadline for submitting a session proposal was Monday, August 31, 2020 by 9:00 AM EDT (Washington, D.C. time). 


    The deadline for submitting a session proposal was Monday, August 31, 2020 by 9:00 AM EDT (Washington, D.C. time).

  • CSPF WORKING GROUP SELECTION
    In July of 2019, we announced the opening of the Civil Society Policy Forum (CSPF) Working Group Election. The call for candidates to become members of the working group was held from August 22 to September 30, 2019. The voting process was open from October 18 through the 31.
    SELECTION CRITERIA 
    VOTING RESULTS

    WORKING GROUP MEMBERS
    The CSPF Working Group members will serve two-year terms, starting on January 1, 2020. You can find their biographies and terms of reference below. 
    CSPF WORKING GROUP 2020-2022 
    TERMS OF REFERENCE

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