Development Finance International
2 December - ILO Social Protection Report Uses GSW Data
The ILO has published the World Social Protection Report 2014 -2015 which highlights the importance of more investment in social protection in order to overcome inequality, tackle extreme poverty and foster more inclusive growth. The report uses some of Government Spending Watch (GSW) data to show how much some countries are spending on social protection, drawing conclusions that financing is currently insufficient to expand coverage to all. This reflects GSW's own analysis of social protection spending.
This ILO study gives a great overview of what each country has been doing on social protection over recent years which builds into an excellent global picture and overview of social protection systems and policy. It reviews social protection for children, women and men in working age, older persons, and reports on progress towards achieving universal health coverage. It also analyses recent trends, such as the impact of austerity programmes in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Read GSW’s view on this report and the caveats related to gathering social protection data in this blog by GSW Programme Manager Jo Walker.
18 November - Tax Avoidance: Developing Countries Are Paying The Price
Tax avoidance and evasion cost developing countries billions of dollars every year in lost revenue, a report
by Eurodad claims. The research, aimed to inform and support CSOs’ tax justice advocacy work, finds that government-controlled Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) play a central role in this by providing a low taxation environment and financial secrecy for private sector projects through tax havens. This report makes a critical analysis of multilateral and bilateral DFIs in terms of their use of tax havens but also of their level of portfolio transparency. It argues that as institutions whose aim is to reduce poverty and contribute to sustainable development, DFIs now have an opportunity to set an example of best practice in terms of fair taxation, transparency and accountability, and makes recommendations for DFIs to contribute to establishing the highest standards of responsible finance.
12 November - How to manage the next debt crises?
In a context of increasingly complex sovereign debt situations coupled with the inadequacy of instruments currently used to tackle them, Eurodad has published a briefing analysing recent reform proposals to manage future debt crises by international organisations. Written primarily for the attention of European parliamentarians and focusing of the UN and the IMF, the note makes recommendations as to the role of Parliaments and steps that legislators and decision-makers can take to ensure that Europe influences future effective debt workout mechanisms that are responsible and fair.
10 November - Oxfam Flagship Report on Inequality
Oxfam has launched its major report "Even it Up. Time to end extreme inequality" which presents evidence that the gap between rich and poor is growing ever wider and is undermining poverty eradication. It delves into the causes of the inequality crisis and looks at the concrete solutions that can overcome it.
November - New World Bank DMF Partnership
DFI/DRI signed a new partnership agreement with the World Bank to help implement the Debt Management Facility for IDA-eligible countries during 2014-2016. The agreement will cover facilitation of workshops and missions on debt management performance assessment (DeMPA), medium-term debt strategies (MTDS) and the LIC debt sustainability framework (LIC-DSF) in approximately 40 countries, with an emphasis on countries in Francophone Africa and Asia.
