Examples of Past Questions and Answers

Scroll down to see example of past Questions and Answers.

Q. Je suis chef du service des relations avec les assemblées au ministére des relations avec les institutions parlementaires nationales régionales et sous régionales. Je souhaite savoir dans quelle mesure la banque mondiale peut aider les parlementaires à jouer leur role dans la mise en oeuvre des stratégies de reduction de la pauvreté et l'atteinte des Objectif du Millénaire pour le Developpement.
(Mme. Marième Kane Diallo, ministére des relations avec les institutions parlementaires, Sénégal)

R. De façon générale, la Banque mondiale encourage les parlementaires à participer aux consultations sur les stratégies de réduction de la pauvreté, sur les stratégies d'aide-pays (CAS, "Country Assistance strategies"), sur les examens des dépenses publiques (PER "public expenditure reviews"), sur les politiques de développement des donateurs ou sur des projets plus spécifiques, ainsi qu'à des campagnes de sensibilisation sur des thèmes cruciaux (ex VIH sida); les parlementaires peuvent également contribuer à la définition ou à l'examen de projets financés par la Banque mondiale, soit en amont de leur financement, soit au moment de l'approbation de leur financement au parlement (ces exemples ne sont pas exhaustifs).

Pour aider les parlementaires à jouer un rôle croissant dans les politiques de développement locales, la Banque mondiale collabore avec le Réseau des Parlementaires sur la Banque mondiale (voir le site du PNOWB à www.pnowb.org). Cette organisation indépendante fournit une plateforme pour le dialogue entre la Banque mondiale et les parlementaires. Pour faciliter le dialogue localement, elle établit plus spécifiquement des 'chapitres' locaux : ainsi, en juillet à Bamako a été lancé le chapitre régional du PNOWB pour l'Afrique de l'Ouest (voir la note conceptuelle en cliquant ici.

Lors de cet événement, plusieurs discussions et présentations sur la rôle et la participation des parlementaires dans les politiques de développement ont eu lieu (voir les articles de presse sur le site de la banque mondiale, et programme des discussions). Voir aussi le site www.worldbank.org/parliamentarians

Aussi, pour des informations plus spécifiques sur cette collaboration et sur la façon dont la Banque mondiale peut aider les parlementaires à jouer leur rôle dans la mise en oeuvre des stratégies de réduction de la pauvreté et l'atteinte des Objectif du Millénaire pour le Developpement, je vous invite à vous mettre en relation directement avec les personnes suivantes:

- pour le Réseau sur la Banque mondiale: Zuleika Zalim Said, zsalimsaid@pnowb.org, coordinatrice du PNOWB
- pour la Banque mondiale, Equipe du dialogue sur les politiques de développement, chargée des relations avec les parlementaires du monde entier (équipe basée à Paris) : Nayé Bathily, nbathily@worldbank.org qui pourra également vous indiquer qui contacter au Sénégal le cas échéant.

Concernant plus spécifiquement les parlementaires et les stratégies de réduction de la pauvreté, vous pouvez également consulter le site de l'Institut de la Banque mondiale
Enfin, pour une information sur les activités de la Banque mondiale en général et au Sénégal en particulier, je vous invite à contacter le Centre public d'information de la Banque mondiale à Dakar, qui dispose de toutes les publications de la Banque mondiale et de tous les documents de projets financés, ou en amont de leur financement, par la BM au Sénégal

Q. I am seeking best practices information relating to micro-credit for women i.e. how to structure institutions programs lending practices etc.

(From: Mr. Roy Cullen, MP, Member of the Finance Committee, Canada)

A.

I - You may consult the following notes and documents, by clicking on the following internet links:

1) Micro-credit to advance Women, PremNote (PREM = Poverty Reduction and Economic Management) http://www1.worldbank.org/prem/PREMNotes/premnote8.pdf

2) Empowering Women with Micro-credit: http://poverty.worldbank.org/library/view/10136/

3) Does Micro-credit Empower Women? A World Bank Study

by Shahidur Khandker (Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network, Gender and Development) Ref. no. 683-30

Abstract: Micro-credit programs often target women, in part because they are less likely than men to have control over resources. But does micro-credit alone empower women? This study will address that question by looking at the experience of women in Bangladesh who have participated in micro-credit programs of the Grameen Bank, the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, and the Rural Development (RD-12) Project. Definitions of economic, social, and political empowerment will be developed with the participation of local people. Researchers will then survey women in about 1,800 households that participated in earlier surveys on use of micro-credit. The analysis of the results will control for the unobserved empowerment of women before participation in micro-credit programs and for the placement of the programs.

More information at: http://econ.worldbank.org/view.php?type=20&id=11923

4) Two documents available in full-text, in pdf format:

The Micro Finance RevolutionVol. 1 2001 and The Indonesian Experience Vol. 2 

Other interesting publications also include:

Fighting Poverty with Microcredit: Experience in Bangladesh, World Bank Publication

ISBN 0-19-521121-9 - Shahidur R. Khandker

Published in 1998 by Oxford University Press

5) Empowering Women Through Micro-Credit: A Case Study from Tunisia 

II - Consulting the following websites may also be useful:

- Gender:

http://www.worldbank.org/gender/resources/checklist.htm

- Microfinance:

http://www1.worldbank.org/rmcext/cp/communityPartners/index.asp?CategoryID=954

- CGAP website:

http://www.cgap.org/

III- Programs developed in: Kyrgyzstan   and Yemen

(By PIC Europe)

As a follow up to your earlier request, please find the further answers received from:

CGAP Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest:

- Selection of a few articles:

http://www.microfinancegateway.org/static/2546.htm

http://www.microfinancegateway.org/static/2562.htm

http://www.microfinancegateway.org/static/2314.htm

http://www.microfinancegateway.org/static/2470.htm

Please note that the microfinancegateway (www.microfinancegateway.org), an open internet platform dedicated to microfinance and managed by CGAP, is generally a very good source of information on issues pertaining to microfinance.

Financial sector help desk

There is a paper on the Financial Sector website which may be of help and which includes best practices: click here to access the paper

(By: PIC Europe, CGAP and Financial Sector Help Desk)

Q. (Question to Mr. Wolfensohn in PNoWB 5^th Annual Conference Plenary, February 2004 and subsequently posted on Q & A)

I am a Member of Parliament in South Africa but I speak on behalf of the Africa Region participants who met last night and asked me to put the following question: African parliamentarians believe that good governance is not merely a matter of administrative efficiency but includes accountability and transparency by all institutions. Does the World Bank agree? If so does its relations with the Executives in our countries require full disclosure to the public of financial allocations by the Bank and does this include the active participation of our parliaments? We understand that negotiations belong to the sphere of the Executive but what about disclosure and participation in policy discussions? If the Bank does not agree with the first proposition above does this not undermine good governance and the system of parliamentary democracy in our countries?

(From: Prof. Ben Turok, MP, Member of the AU Working Group, South Africa)

A. “The Bank is deeply committed to good governance and the system of parliamentary democracy.  However, we are also committed to what is imposed on us by our shareholders, which is operating through the administration of your governments.  We are not asked to operate through the committees of the parliaments.  We are instructed to operate through the ministries.  It is the responsibility of a parliamentary democracy to elect the ministries.  What we do in PRSPs is forever pushing the envelope to try and engage broader dialogue and we do reach out to NGOs and civil society.  It is quite obvious that the most representative body of civil society is the parliament itself.  But one thing that I have learned about parliamentarians is that they mutate, they change, when they get into government.  Once they are in government, they seem to take the view that it is only the government’s responsibility. When they are in opposition they say the opposite.  Ultimately I am afraid that I can only deal with the government, because they are the people that elect our board and that instruct me as to what I need to do.  I would like you to know that we are always trying to engage parliamentary bodies, to the extent that the government permits it.  When I started this job, I never visited parliaments, because it was perceived that the President of the Bank should deal exclusively with the ministries.  In recent years I always visit parliaments - with the permission of the ministers.  I would not go directly to the parliament, not in the United States or in any of your countries, without checking in with the ministers first and saying that I am going to see parliamentarians or that I am going to see the opposition. Typically I am allowed to do it.  In addition, we establish relations between parliamentarians through our offices. However beyond that, in terms of actually doing business, I am afraid that unless you instruct your governments to instruct us otherwise, we can only deal with the government for the time being.  I am happy to take other instructions, but I am afraid that practically that is about the only thing that we can do.  I am sorry if that is an unsatisfactory answer, but it is an honest answer.”

(By: President James D. Wolfensohn – copy of spoken response, PNoWB 5^th Annual Conference Plenary, 2004)

(From: Anonymous, Albania)

A. Dear Madam, The latest public CAS for Albania is a progress report dated February 2000. Please find below the summary and the pdf version: The strategy of the 1998 Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for Albania remains valid, but the World Bank will increase its emphasis on the social underpinnings of poverty reduction. Prepared in the wake of 1997 ' s civil unrest-marked by a collapse of key services, including law and order-the CAS emphasizes the need for a strong state and effective public institutions for sustaining long-term development. The 1998 CAS focuses on three strategic priorities: 1) Governance and institution building: building governance and public institutions; and working through nongovernmental institutions and civil society; 2) Promoting sustainable private sector growth: restoring macroeconomic stability in conjunction with the IMF-supported program; reforming the financial sector and privatizing enterprise; sustaining agricultural growth; improving infrastructure provision with an emphasis on private sector participation; and promoting environmental sustainability; and 3) Promoting human development: fostering education, health, and social protection. Now that Albania has substantially recovered from the 1997 civil crisis, efforts to reduce poverty-the overarching objective of the assistance strategy-can increase. The Bank will deepen its cross-sectoral focus on poverty alleviation, with special attention to strengthening social cohesion and building inclusive institutions. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any further questions.

(By: Pic Europe)