MENA Fem Movement for Economical, Development and Ecological Justice
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MENA Fem Movement Engagement during the IMF-WB Spring Meetings

IMF/World spring meetings 2024

MENA Fem Movement For Economic, Development And Ecological Justice is actively participating and co-organizing alongside with allies and colleagues during the time of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings 2024 in Washington, DC.

IMF/World spring meetings 2024, CSPF Events:

Is a Feminist Vision on Public Debt Possible?

In this session we will delve into the intricate relationship between debt, gender justice, and human rights, drawing insights from the upcoming book “Feminism in Public Debt: A Human Rights Approach” (Bristol University Press). We aim to uncover the gender biases embedded within current orthodox economic policies and explore strategies for transformative change. Through a discussion including experts from diverse fields and IMF staff, we will examine how responses to debt crises, not only disproportionately affect women, exacerbating gender inequalities and undermining human rights, but are based on gender-biased assumptions about gender division of labor and women’s unpaid and underpaid care work.  Our discussion will focus on promoting solutions that shift the paradigm towards a feminist human rights-centered approach to debt sustainability, challenging the narrative that prioritizes debt repayment over the well-being of communities.

Details 

Panelists:

  • Shereen Talaat, Director of MENA Fem Movement for Economic, Development and Ecological Justice
  • Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Senior Researcher, National Council for Economic Development and for Scientific and Technical Research of Argentina, National University of Rio Negro
  • Penelope Hawkins, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, UNCTAD
  • Monique Newiak, Deputy Unit Chief, Inclusion and Gender Unit, IMF

Moderator: Patricia Miranda, Global Advocacy Director, LATINDADD

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Biden’s LNG pause, COP28 fossil fuel phase out decision – is World Bank lagging on fossil fuels?

In the context of increasingly dire climate change impacts, debates on gas – particularly Biden’s LNG pause and the COP28 fossil fuel decision: where do the Bank’s current policies and approach stand?  A discussion on the impacts on people of Paris alignment decisions, gas and the demands for a clean, just energy transition from Global South civil society.

Details 

  • Date: Wednesday, April 17,

  • Time: 2-3:30 pm.

  • Location: WB 2-250

Panelists : 

  • Bronwen Tucker, Public Finance Lead, Oil Change International

  •  Leandro Gomez, Programme Coordinator, FARN

  •  Lorraine Chiponda, Facilitator, Don’t Gas Africa

  •  Gallina Vincelette, Director for Operations Policy, World Bank Operations and Country Strategies Team

Moderator:  Marjorie Pamintuan, Finance Campaigner, Recourse

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The Future of Special Drawing Rights as a Development Finance Tool: What’s Next?

SDRs were conceived as an instrument of monetary policy during the gold-dollar standard era, and quickly faded into irrelevance. The latest issuance in 2021 reinstated SDRs as a powerful instrument, its widespread use by low- and middle-income countries reflects its effectiveness in generating fiscal space, as a mechanism to provide unconditional support to Southern countries without increasing debt in a context of poly-crisis. However, as these crises continue to hit, the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement is jeopardized.

Details

  • Date: April 17th

  • Time: 14:00 (ET)

  • Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/cspfsdr

  • Location: IMF HQ2/03B-768B (for Spring Meetings registered participants)

Panelists:

  • Andres Arauz, Former Minister, Central bank official of Ecuador and Senior Research Fellow at CEPR

  • Niranjali Amerasinghe, Executive Director, ActionAid-USA

  • Didier Jacobs, Debt Relief Advocacy Lead, Oxfam

  • Carlo Sdralevich, IMF Assistant Director and Division Chief, IMF General Resources and SDR Division in Finance Department

Moderator: Patricia Miranda, Global Advocacy Director, LATINDADD

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Rebalancing Public Finance for Justice and Equity: African Perspectives on IDA21

In the context of the IDA21 replenishment cycle, speakers from African civil society will outline the need for a more just and equitable public finance system that fundamentally rebalances global power relations. We will demonstrate how the World Bank is still causing harm by promoting the privatization and financialization of public goods; followed by proposals for public finance to scale up people-centered renewable energy while keeping to the Paris Agreement goal of 1.5. Experiences from selected countries and recommendations from selected African countries including Senegal, Mozambique, and Tunisia will be shared.

 

Details 

  • Date: 19 April

  • Time: 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM

  • Location: WB I 2-220

Panelists:

  • Bhekumuzi Dean Bhebe, Gas Campaigner, Don’t Gas Africa/PowerShift Africa

  • Shem Joshua, Sovereign Debt Management Policy Lead African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD)

  • Majda Elajmi, Advocacy Officer, MENA Fem Movement For Economic, Development, and Ecological Justice

  • World Bank Representative

Moderator: Grace Ronoh, Africa Finance Campaign Manager Recourse

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Adequate Disclosure, Public Review, and Consultation for Environmental Impacts Before World Bank Group Financing Decisions

Upholding Access Rights to Reduce Risk and Harm Resulting from Bank Financing
Ensuring access rights for project-affected communities is one of the most critical steps in carrying out a development project. This entails guaranteeing access to information, the ability to meaningfully participate in decision making, and access to justice. The World Bank itself has recognized that ample opportunity for public review of environmental impact assessments before approval is critical to managing risks and fulfilling its development mandate. However, the Bank is currently falling short of these requirements.
Details 

  • Date: Friday, April 19, 2024

  • Room: WB I 2-220

  • Time: 16:00 – 18:00

Panelists:

  • Jason Weiner, Executive Director & Legal Director, Bank Climate Advocates

  • Gregory Berry, Policy Associate, Accountability Counsel

  • Suzan Nada, Labor Rights Lawyer, MENAFem Movement

  • Aaron Pedrosa, Head of Legal Team, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice

  • Hapsari Damayanti, Senior Researcher, Senik Centre Asia

  • World Bank Group Representative

Moderator: Aubrey Manahan, Campaigner People, Land & Resources Program, Center for International Environmental Law

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A Feminist Structural Approach to Women’s Labor Force Participation in the Global South

This session will engage with the IMF gender strategy around women’s labor force participation, from a macroeconomic perspective and linked to climate action. Feminist economist Diksha Arora will present her work on gender norms, and speakers will challenge orthodox perspectives in relation to care and a just transition.

Details

  • Date: Friday, April 19, 2024

  • Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET

  • Location: IMF HQ2-03B-768B (in person for CSPF registered participants)

  • Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/CSPFWomenLabor

Panelists:

  • Diksha Arora, Department of Economics, University of Utah

  • Monique Newiak, Inclusion and Gender Unit, IMF

  • Verónica Montufar, Equalities Officer, Public Services International

  • Mahinour ElBadrawi, Co-Director of Programs, CESR

  • Emilia Reyes, Policy and Program Director, Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia

Moderator: Katie Tobin, Senior Program Manager, WEDO

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Navigating the Intertwined Debt and Climate Crises: Unveiling and Assessing Solutions

In this session, speakers will explore some of the solutions being proposed to address the debt-climate change trap that many Global South countries are facing, including Climate Resilient Debt Clauses and debt for climate/nature swaps, and interrogate what impact, if any, they are likely to have for Global South countries.

  • Date: Friday, April 19, 2024

  • Time: 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM EDT

  • Room: IMF HQ2-03B-768B (In person)

  • zoom link : Register here

Panelists:

  • Shereen Talaat, MENAFem Movement

  • Marcos De Chamon, International Monetary Fund

  • Adrian Chikowore, Institute for Economic Justice

  • Jwala Rambarran, Caribbean Policy Development Centre

  • Marina Zucker-Marques, Boston University Global Development Policy Center

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80 Years After Bretton Woods: Towards Rights-Based, Decolonial, Green, and Gender Just Transformation of the IFA 

This session evaluates the World Bank and IMF expanded roles and impact on fiscal, climate, gender, and socio-economic crises. It assesses the IMF/WBG’s governance of global financial architecture and their reform initiatives (i.e. the WB Evolution Roadmap, IMF quota reform and else…), alongside their involvement in current debates on reform of International Financial Architecture. Championing insights from global south advocates (MENA region, Sub Saharan Africa, Asia and LatAm).

Details 

  • Date: Thursday, April 18, 2024

  • Time: 3:00  – 4:00 PM  (DC Time)

  • Location: WB 2-250

Panelists

  •  Rodolfo Lahoy, Policy, Communications, and Training Team Head, IBON International
  •  Imenne Cherif, MENAFem Movement, Tunisia
  •  Patricia Miranda, Global Advocacy Director, Latindadd
  •  Kamal Ramburuth, Researcher, Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ)

Moderator: Mahinour ElBadrawi, Co-Director of Program (Interim), CESR

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Parallel Events in Washington, DC

Brazilian G20 Presidency: Priorities and Challenges of Finance Track

Details 

  • Date: Monday, April 15, 2024

  • Time: 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM (GMT-4)

  • Location: Open Society Foundations, 1730 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006

  • Register link : Register here 

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Critical Perspectives on International Financial Institutions

Details 

  • Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024

  • Time: 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM

  • Location: Office of Human Rights Watch, 1275 K St. NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005

  • Registration: Required for building entry. Register here

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Mobilization Event, #WorldBankActionDay

What is this all about? World Bank is a multilateral “development bank” financed with taxpayers’ money. Germany is the fourth largest shareholder.

  • Our research shows that no one really knows how much of the World Bank’s public money is flowing to harmful and fossil industries and projects through indirect funding.
  • Other studies show that the bank’s climate financing cannot be adequately verified either. That means, no one knows for sure whether the money is really going to the climate projects, as the World Bank says! Supervision fails here. Not even the management of the World Bank is fully accountable to its board of directors. Public and parliamentary control is not possible like this. This way a just transformation is not possible. This can’t be happening !
  • That’s why we demand transparency from the World Bank and the exclusion of coal, oil and gas from direct and indirect financing!

Details 

  • Date: April 19

  • Time: 12:00 PM

  • Location: In front of the world bank, Pennsylvania AV/ 18th street NW, Washington D.C./Edward M. Park