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Engaging with Citizens for Improved Results

A Strategic Framework for Mainstreaming Citizen Engagement in World Bank Group Operations

The World Bank Group has developed a strategic framework to more systematically mainstream citizen engagement in Bank Group-supported operations with the goal of improving their results. The approach proposed in the framework was informed by inputs from civil society groups and other stakeholders, as well as by the external Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement

The new World Bank Group Strategy, adopted in 2013, sets a framework to align all World Bank Group public and private sector interventions to the two goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity in a sustainable and inclusive manner. Building on this commitment, the World Bank Group has developed a Strategic Framework for Mainstreaming Citizen Engagement in World Bank Group-Supported Operations.

The Strategic Framework builds on the WBG’s experience in multi-stakeholder engagement, citizen participation, and open and inclusive governance as well experiences from citizen engagement efforts around the world. The framework assesses lessons learned and outlines methods and entry points to provide a more systematic and results-focused approach for the World Bank Group.

Consultations and Feedback

In the spring of 2014, consultation dialogues on experiences with citizen engagement were held in Accra, Beirut, Brussels, Cairo, Freetown, Lima, London, Monrovia, Tunis, and Washington, D.C.  More than 200 organizations—representing stakeholders from government, civil society, the private sector, and academia—commented on the development of the strategic framework, while another 22 submitted written comments through the online survey.

A summary of the feedback is available in Annex VI of the framework.  On this website, you will also find the extended summary of all feedback received, summaries from each dialogue (see meetings section below), as well as a summary from the online survey.

The WBG appreciates the inputs provided. The quality of the inputs attests to the wealth of experience in citizen engagement.  As we move forward with the implementation of the framework, we will learn new lessons, and thus continue engaging with stakeholders on how to effectively mainstream citizen engagement for results.

Advisory Council

The development of the strategic framework was also informed by the external Advisory Council.  The Council provided guidance and expertise on how citizen engagement, including beneficiary feedback, can improve the results of World Bank Group-financed interventions.  The members of the Advisory Council - experts from civil society, academia, government, private sector and development partners - were selected based on their knowledge and experience in citizen engagement as well as their ability to reach out to their constituencies with the goal of having a diverse and comprehensive range of global and specific developing country perspectives. Nominations for CSO representatives were received through an open, web-based nomination process

Implementation and Monitoring Progress

The World Bank Group’s Governance Global Practice and the Urban, Rural, and Social Development Global Practice will oversee the implementation of the Strategic Framework. The implementation will also be guided by the Advisory Council. In addition, ongoing opportunities for exchange of experience with Civil Society Organizations and other partners will be sought throughout the implementation of the framework.

Beneficiary feedback is a subset of the citizen engagement. The World Bank Group’s President’s Delivery Unit will track progress of the commitment to incorporating beneficiary feedback in 100 percent of World Bank-financed projects by 2018.