World Bank Europe and Central Asia Region and Civil Society

The role of civil society in World Bank projects and initiatives has increased dramatically over the past five years. On this site you will find resources for understanding how the Bank works with local non-profit organizations.

The World Bank and Civic Engagement. The World Bank has gained a better understanding of the substantive role and increased legitimacy that civic engagement can contribute to development. Scaling up requires an assessment of the kinds of operations and the degree to which civic engagement is feasible. The Bank participates in several activities in which citizens can potentially engage, including community-driven development (CDD), Country Assistance Strategies (CAS-es), Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), structural adjustment policy and investment projects. ...More 

Civil society organizations take hard look at long-term viability. While civil society played a key role in bringing down the communist regimes in the late 1980s and recently showed its potency in Georgia and Ukraine, many non-governmental groups from Central Europe to Central Asia find themselves struggling for survival.  For some, the outlook is uncertain. Others are discovering innovative ways to sustain themselves. ...More