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A Guide to the World Bank
Independent Evaluation The World Bank’s Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) assesses the effectiveness of specific World Bank Group programs and projects for the people and countries participating in them. IEG provides advice to the Boards of Directors based on evaluations at the project, country, and sector levels. Each year, evidence from those evaluations is marshaled to produce a summary report on the Bank’s development effectiveness. As covered in chapter 2, evaluation is an integral part of the life cycle of every project, as is monitoring for quality while a project is under way. The website for the IEG is http://www.worldbank.org/ieg/.
Other Resources The following websites are also useful: n Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) Initiative. This Bank-wide initiative evaluates active projects and programs in collaboration with donor partners. More information on the DIME initiative can be found at http://www.worldbank.org/dime/. n Independent Evaluation Group Help Desk. IEG can be contacted through the website (http://www.worldbank.org/ieg/contact.html/) or by e-mail (ieg@worldbank.org). n World Bank research. Research on aid effectiveness can be found at http:// www.worldbank.org/aideffectiveness/.
Children and Youth More than 3 billion people under the age of 24 years are living in the world today, representing about 47 percent of the world’s population. The demand for policy advice on how to develop the enormous potential of the world’s children and youth is large and growing. The World Bank has an array of programs that support young people on the path to adulthood, including safe and healthy habitats, health and nutrition, early childhood development, lifelong learning, healthy behaviors, livelihoods and employment, and protection of the most vulnerable. More information is available at http://www.worldbank.org/childrenandyouth/. World Development Report 2007: Development and the Next Generation and its related background research papers can be found at http://www.worldbank.org/wdr2007/.