An Evaluation of World Bank and International Finance Corporation Engagement of Gender Equality over the Past 10 Years

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry under evaluation Core Insights - The World Bank Group's commitment to gender equality has been a priority since 2010, with significant engagement and results achieved from FY12 to FY23 [15][60] - The evaluation highlights an increase in gender-relevant projects, with the percentage of projects scoring higher than 15 increasing from 44% in 2012 to 93% in 2023 [16][63] - Despite the increase in quantity, the quality of gender-relevant projects has not seen a proportional improvement, with a notable rise in projects with lower gender relevance [18][19] - The gender tag and gender flag have enhanced awareness and engagement but have incentivized breadth over depth in project design [19][21] - The evaluation identifies a need for a more coherent and strategic country-driven approach to gender equality, emphasizing the importance of integrated operational strategies [22][24] Summary by Sections 1. Introduction - The evaluation assesses the evolution of World Bank and IFC engagement on gender equality from FY12 to FY23, using the World Development Report 2012 as a conceptual framework [15] 2. Engagement for Gender Equality - The share of gender-relevant projects increased significantly, particularly after the FY16–23 gender strategy was adopted [16][17] - The International Development Association played a crucial role in supporting gender-relevant projects, with a higher share compared to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development [16] 3. Lessons Learned on Results - The evaluation finds that most projects do not adequately address the multiple constraints on achieving gender equality, undermining their effectiveness [38] - There is a lack of sufficient gender expertise and resources allocated for effective implementation of gender-related activities [25][27] 4. Conclusions and Recommendations - The report recommends enhancing strategic country engagement, focusing on outcomes, and realigning incentives and resources to better support gender equality objectives [46][49] - It emphasizes the need for a systematic approach to track and account for complex gender results, improving monitoring and evaluation systems [54]