Bank Annual Meetings put spotlight on gender, jobs

The World Bank- IMF Annual Meetings wrapped Sunday, following the release of a Development Committee communiqué that endorsed the Bank’s emphasis on jobs and growth, gender equality, and recent reforms that have made the Bank more open and transparent.

These themes surfaced throughout the last two weeks in speeches and seminars, on Twitter and in online chats, generating debate and extending the meetings to a truly global audience.

In case you missed some of the action, here are a few highlights worth reviewing:


> In the run-up to the meetings, Bank President Robert Zoellick spoke about a world “Beyond Aid.”

> The Open Forum on Gender  -- a live panel discussion, webcast and online chat–attracted thousands of online participants who offered their views on how to overcome inequality for women and girls.

> The 2012 World Development Report sent the message: gender equality matters in its own right but is also “smart economics.”

> The Bank’s “ThinkEqual” campaign invited people to take an online poll on gender equality, and generated Tweets by Melinda Gates, Deepak Chopra and others who urged us all to #thinkEQUAL.

> The Bank announced a boost in support to the Horn of Africa, to help the region battle drought and increase food security.

> A global development debate posed the question: What drives job creation?  One Bank blogger gave his take on the discussion.


For more, scroll back through the many blog posts we’ve featured during the meetings, including those on the Open Forum, a discussion on how population shifts can translate into economic growth,  and how the Bank can work with civil society to “democratize development.”
 

Related

Website: 2011 Annual Meetings
World Bank and Gender
Video: Think EQUAL