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Does better information lead to better development outcomes?

Submitted by Santhosh Srinivasan on Thu, 2012-02-09 10:20

The idea that citizens can directly contribute to strengthening the governance and quality of service delivery has been gaining momentum. The recent globabl uprisings, from revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia to the Occupy Wall Street movements here in the US, have highlighted the important role that individuals play in demanding more accountable governments and policies.

Achieving better results from public sector institutions

Submitted by Linda Van Gelder on Mon, 2012-02-06 09:44

After a year of intensive consultation among development partners and with technical experts within the World Bank, I am pleased to announce that the World Bank Approach to Public Sector Management (2011-2020) has been agreed by the Public Sector Governance Board (the internal body that maintains professional standards on PSM and governance work within the Bank).

Strengthening governance, tackling corruption: Consultations on the World Bank's updated Strategy and Implementation Plan

Submitted by Graham Teskey on Wed, 2012-01-18 10:08

Over the past nine months or so we have been preparing an updated version of the 2007 Governance and Anti-Corruption (GAC) Strategy and Implementation Plan. Many consultations have been held–with senior management, informally with the Committee on Development Effectiveness, with front line operational staff, and with clients and partners.

Towards justice in development

Submitted by Michael Woolcock, co-authors: Peter Chapman on Tue, 2012-01-17 11:13

Law and justice play a fundamental role in development processes. In rich and poor countries alike, regulations and rule systems—consisting of a complex web of formal institutions, informal arrangements and hybrid social norms—shape everything from education, land use and agriculture to labor standards, market exchange and everyday social interactions. 

South Africa's democracy: Complexity theory in action

Submitted by Brian Levy on Thu, 2011-12-15 10:04

“The edge of chaos is the balance point where the components of a system never quite lock into place, and yet never quite dissolve into turbulence, either…The edge of chaos is the constantly shifting battle zone between stagnation and anarchy, the one place where a complex system can be spontaneous, adaptive and alive...” - M. Mitchell Waldrop, Complexity.

Who cares about human rights?

Submitted by Jim Anderson on Thu, 2011-12-08 09:52

At a recent gathering of World Bank staff in Helsinki to take stock of progress on activities supported by the Nordic Trust Fund on Human Rights (NTF), one found lawyers, health specialists, economists and other social scientists. There were participants from all regions, from network anchors and from operations; there were those focused on research, those integrating human rights perspectives into operations, and those supporting our clients’ efforts to strengthen human rights. 

How corruption and tax evasion distort development

Submitted by Stuart Yikona on Tue, 2011-12-06 09:43

When it comes to confronting the issue of  ill-gotten money (through corruption or tax evasion, for example) and its negative impact on development outcomes, we development professionals have often been guilty of tinkering at the edges of the problem, while avoiding confronting its root cause. Through recent work, we are attempting to rectify this dilemma.

Making Civil Society Integral to Public Financial Management Reforms

Submitted by Asli Gurkan on Tue, 2011-11-08 10:13

Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms around the world are often designed and monitored by a handful of ‘technical experts’. Not in Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone Integrated Public Financial Management Project (IPFMRP) is one of the few Bank-funded projects in which a Government has decided to channel $ 1.0 million of its grant funds to civil society to monitor the use of public funds.

Can aid become more relevant to ‘getting things done’?

Submitted by David Booth on Mon, 2011-10-24 10:18

He said it in Washington; now he has said it again in London. Who? Former UK premier Tony Blair, speaking at ODI on governance and leadership for development in Africa.


What has he been saying? That the better governance low-income Africa needs is about getting better leadership (here understood as ‘effective capacity to get things done’) – not just a matter of more transparency and greater accountability.

Are we making progress on the Stolen Asset Recovery agenda?

Submitted by Emile van der Does de Willebois on Tue, 2011-10-04 08:00

By any account, the amount of money stolen by corrupt officials and bureaucrats in developing and transition economies each year is vast. It is estimated that the amount of stolen assets is as high as US$ 40 billion per year, but there are experts who put the figure even higher.