Program

The program consists mainly of lectures and panel presentations and workshops, organized on a regional or sector basis.  Some off-site visits (to the World Bank and the IMF, possibly to the US Department of Treasury with sets American policy-priorities for the IFIs) are planned.  Participants will be connected to civil society representatives from the Washington area currently critically engaging the IFIs. The lectures and panel discussions will provide a general introduction to the IFIs and their global role, a short introduction to the basic vision of a gender-aware macroeconomic theory, contrast the vision with the actual outcomes of the macroeconomic neoliberal model the IFIs employ (which negatively and disproportionately affect women in developing countries), and will look for ways how to make the IFIs and their policies more gender-aware and publicly (and legally) gender-accountable through advocacy and campaigning by civil society.

Where useful, and in order to strengthen, supplement and practically apply information learned in the plenary, workshops will be offered.  They will serve to exchange information on the effects of IFI policies and projects in respective regions and sectors, will provide space for participants to assess and connect their prior knowledge on IFIs and their impact on their country to other regional experiences and will give them room to network and strategize for possible joint and/or follow-up activities.

The Summer School 2007 will take place during a one-week period from July 27th (arrival) to August 4th (departure) with around 45 participants from different regions of the world.

 Program Issues/Foci

DAY 1

Back to Basics I

Introduction to the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) 
The institutions’ importance in an age of globalization, their structure, mission, work, challenges they currently face, and some of the basic problems with their policy mandates and projects

• World Bank (with IDA, IFC, MIGA)
• International Monetary Fund
• Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) and their regionally focused activities
  - African Development Bank
  - Inter-American Development Bank
  - Asian Development Bank
  - European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

DAY 2

Back to Basics II

Why should the Economy Care? An Appeal for Gender-Aware (Macro)Economics

• Introduction to Gender-Aware Economics
• Introduction to Macroeconomics with a Gender Vision

A Closer Look at the Effects of Un-Engendered Policies at the IFIs

• Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) – What are they?  Why is a Gender Perspective so important? Is it the Norm or the Exception?
• Structural Adjustment Policies/Economic Reform Mandates by IMF and World Bank for Developing Countries – what Gender Implications do they have?
• Sector-specific effects of IFI-mandated policies (water, energy, infrastructure, health, education)
  - Case Study: An engendered look at an energy infrastructure project
• The Impact of IMF/WB policy mandates on efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals – an Engendered View
• Trade-Finance Linkages – trade liberalization as IFIs main instrument for poverty alleviation and economic growth

The Neoliberal Economic Model of the IFIs – The Need for A Gender Review

• Shortcomings of the model (and the underlying modeling) to deliver equitable growth
• Gender, Finance and Monetary Policy (e.g. reform of inflation targeting and employment assumptions)
• A gendered approach to international and national fiscal and tax policy
  (hbf supported work by the Cartagena Feministas)
  - Country Studies: Argentina, Columbia
• Looking Beyond Maternal Health and Education – What Real Gender-Mainstreaming Would Mean for IMF/WB economic policy reform

A Citizen’s Guide to Gender and the IFIs

(hbf supported CIEL/GenderAction Project)

• What’s out there: The Good, the Bad and the Missing – Comparing Gender Policies at the various IFIs
  - Gender Mainstreaming Efforts at the World Bank
  - A Missing Gender Unit at the IMF
  - MDBs with baby steps in implementing gender policies 
• Accountability of the IFIs  - How to hold them to their own policy-mandates?
  - Internal and independent review mechanisms
    Inspection Panel (World Bank) and Independent Evaluation Office (IMF)
• How can activists use existing accountability mechanisms for the implementation of gender mandates at the IFIs?

LAST DAY

How to Advocate for More Gender-Aware Policies at the IFIs?

• Reform or abolish? How limited are the IFIs in their capacity to learn and change? Some civil society assessments and presentations of ongoing campaigns with practical advise on how to join and participate
• Models of success: what has worked? What could/should be replicated?
• Learning by reviewing: A look at previous campaigns / watchdog efforts of gender and women groups on lessons learned in dealing with the IFIs
• A pep talk on how to campaign, find new allies, utilize resources, information and funds available for work related to IFIs
• Discussion on how/whether or to what extend to interact with the IFIs
• Importance of national/regional activities (in regional workshops)
  NOTE: includes regional workshops in which follow-up activities, linkages to own projects as well as possibly a regional strategy are to be discussed

Possible Site Visits/Thematic Excursions

• Visit of World Bank, Meeting with Head of the Gender Unit and/or the World Bank Inspection Panel
• Meeting with the IMF Independent Evaluation Office
• Meeting with IMF/World Bank staff working on poverty and social impact assessment of IFI projects and policies
• Film screening on negative effects of IMF/WB/MDB policies in the developing world
• Networking Reception with Representatives from NGOs working in the Washington area on IFIs

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For application and further organizational details see: [Summer School 2007]

Aktualisiert: 01.12.2006, mfr