The IMF and Civil Society: Striking A Balance

IMF Policy Discussion Papers, September 1, 2001

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The IMF and Civil Society: Striking A Balance

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Bibliographic details

• Authors: Thomas C. Dawson, Gita Bhatt
• Published: September 1, 2001
• Series: IMF Policy Discussion Papers
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451974485.003

Overview

• Publication title: The IMF and Civil Society: Striking A Balance
• Authors: Thomas C. Dawson, Gita Bhatt
• Publication date: September 1, 2001
• Summary of the paper:
  • The term “civil society” has entered the international policy vocabulary in many contexts.
  • The paper examines the evolution of IMF-civil society relations and their effects on the Fund.
  • It seeks to identify the tensions that underlie the relationship.

Key Questions and Themes

• Core questions the paper raises:
  • Which CSOs have been, and should be, engaged by the Fund?
  • What questions should IMF-CSO engagement address?
  • What are the limits to the dialogue?
• Subjects listed:
  • Asset and liability management
  • Civil society
  • Civil society organizations
  • Debt relief
  • Economic sectors
  • Poverty
  • Poverty reduction
  • Poverty reduction strategy
• Keywords highlighted:
  • adjustment program
  • Civil society
  • Civil society organizations
  • country
  • Debt relief
  • Global
  • IMF and Civil Society
  • IMF policy concern
  • IMF policy conditionality
  • IMF reform
  • IMF surveillance
  • IMF-civil society engagement
  • IMF-CSO engagement
  • IMF-CSO relation
  • NGOs
  • outreach initiative
  • PDP
  • policy advice
  • Poverty reduction
  • Poverty reduction strategy
  • Southern NGOs
  • structural adjustment

Findings and Analysis

• The paper examines:
  • The evolution of IMF-civil society relations.
  • The effects of those relations on the Fund.
  • The tensions that underlie IMF-CSO relationships.
• Framing of engagement:
  • Emphasizes distinguishing which CSOs to engage and what substantive issues such engagement should address.
  • Considers boundaries and limits to dialogue between the IMF and CSOs.

Policy Implications and Tensions

• Analytical focus:
  • Identifies tensions in the relationship between the IMF and civil society organizations.
  • Addresses implications for IMF policy advice, IMF reform, and engagement approaches such as outreach initiatives.
• Engagement considerations:
  • Which CSOs to include in engagement efforts.
  • The appropriate scope of topics for IMF-CSO dialogue (including poverty reduction and structural adjustment).
  • The potential constraints or limits on dialogue stemming from institutional roles and mandates.

Content in this bundle

• The IMF and Civil Society Organizations: Striking A Balance - PDP/01/2
  • The IMF and Civil Society Organizations: Striking A Balance - PDP/01/2 (Markdown version)
  • The IMF and Civil Society Organizations: Striking A Balance - PDP/01/2 (PDF)