Civil Society Organizations

The World Bank's primary partners in development are the governments of its developing member-countries. Those governments are the clients for the Bank's loans, technical assistance, and policy advice.

Because successful development depends on governments and communities owning their projects and programs, the World Bank encourages its client governments to work closely with domestic non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) to strengthen participation by their own citizens who are being affected by Bank-financed projects.

The following aims to inform staff of Canadian NGOs/civil society groups how how the World Bank works with developing country governments and how that relationship potentially affects their own work with their partners in developing countries. Information is also provided on the kinds of opportunities NGOs/civil society groups have to interact directly with the World Bank itself.

Canadian Civil Society Interaction with the World Bank

Civil society groups in Canada can interact directly with the World Bank in many ways. For example, CSOs can participate in broad-based consultations and dialogues convened by the World Bank on the Bank's policy revisions and global program definitions or by partnering with it on initiatives of common concern.

Consultation opportunities

Many policy consultations and dialogues led by the World Bank are now conducted electronically via its Development Forum site. Canadians are welcome to participated in these moderated Development Dialogues.

Face-to-face consultations continue to take place on major World Bank policies.

Canadian CSOs/NGOs also have the opportunity to provide views on World Bank-related issues by participating in meetings convened by the Canadian Government to help shape its positions. The Canadian Government usually invites selected NGO representatives to a briefing by the Finance Minister, Canada's Governor for the World Bank Group, prior to the Annual Meetings and Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Contact the Canadian Executive Director's Office for more information on such meetings.

Canadian CSOs also participate in the Civil Society Dialogue program at the Annual Meetings, where they engage in policy discussions with senior World Bank / International Monetary Fund managers, meet with Executive Directors and interact with the press.

Partnership Opportunities

There are very few opportunities for Canadian NGOs to apply for direct funding from the World Bank. However, they can work with their partners in Bank client-countries to help them tap into special funds administered by the Bank.

One of these is the Post-Conflict Trust Fund (PCTF) through which the World Bank has been working closely in partnership with NGOs, civil society, bilateral and multilateral organizations, and research institutions to organize roundtables, electronic conferences, and cooperation agreements for post-conflict efforts worldwide.

Canadian NGO OXFAM Quebec is implementing a PCTF grant of US$1 million for a program called Reintegration of Vulnerable Street Children in Urban Areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese Government will provide social centres which local civil society groups will run, to provide basic and sustainable social protection to the children.

Another partnership opportunity is afforded by the Development Marketplace, an innovative forum for new ideas to address development challenges. Canadian civil society and NGOs have been active and successful competitors in the first two DMs.

For Additional Information, visit the World Bank/Civil Society Website