Operational Policies and Sectoral Strategies

Civil participation is a topic that has been gradually gaining importance in the policies and strategies of the Bank in the last three decades. It is conventional to note that in 1994 the governors of the Bank, on having approved the Eighth Replenishment of the Bank?s Capital Resources, established principles, priorities and criteria among which one undoubtedly finds the strengthening of civil participation. The Bank?s work with civil participation, however, has a much longer history. On this page we want to make information available on how the topic of civil participation has been reflected in the policies and strategies of the Bank over the last three decades.

The Bank?s operational policies have specific normative intentions and establish the limits inside which the Bank conducts its activities and they are obligatory. The policies are approved by the Executive Directors and exceptions must be justified and approved by the same. The strategies define the priorities of action for the Bank in the completion of its mandates, they are broader in scope than the operational policies and are endorsed by the Executive Directors.

The following files are comprised of textual citations from policies and sectoral strategies in the year 2001 that make reference to one or more of the six aspects of participation indicated below. Only operational policies and sectoral Strategies active in 2001 have been included. This analysis will be updated periodically.

In the selection of these texts the following six aspects of civil participation have been considered.

  1. Access to information
  2. Participation in decision-making processes (including the consultation or the direct participation in projects or activities involving the identification, preparation and formulation of policies and sectoral strategies)
  3. Participation in the execution of the activities be it as executors or activity monitors
  4. Strengthening capacity for participation, be it from within the governments or from civil society organizations
  5. Consideration of actions aimed toward excluded and marginalized sectors such as indigenous populations, Afro-Americans and women, and
  6. Incorporation of the private sector in the activities of the Bank.

With this study, the Bank renews its commitment to put at the disposal of the governments and public of member countries the relevant information regarding the Bank?s activities and their completion. Any commentary or suggestion would be greatly appreciated (e-mail: socciv@iadb.org)

Sectoral Strategies


Operational Policies

The selection and analisis of this material was conducted by consultant Aaron Zazueta. Please direct all questions and comments to Mr. Ernesto Castagnino (tel: 202-623-1894, email: ERNESTOC@iadb.org ).